While not denying the benefits of PE backing, a subset of RIAs and wealth managers remain determined to go it alone.

Even though some firms have been able to command top dollar selling themselves to large aggregators, plenty of variables are still helping to hold purchase prices in check.

On Monday, Marc Turansky began as head of investment advisory, a newly created role at Citi, which continues its quest to become the largest wealth manager in the world.

The fast-moving RIA aggregator has been undergoing an internal reorganization since 2023 in a bid to consolidate the many firms it has scooped up over the years.

Robert Daly was part of a star team that left Morgan Stanley in 2023 to join First Republic and has since been barred from the industry.

Focus Financial Partners also merges two of its RIAs and Captrust buys up two practices together managing nearly $2 billion.

Like any ranking, the list from SmartAsset comes with some caveats. But these firms are catering to a lot of high net worth and ultrahigh net worth clients.

From LPL Financial's legal challenges to a continuing education scam that involved more than 60 brokers, these are the stories our readers flocked to in 2024.

Richard "Dick" Parsons, the former Citigroup chairman who died Thursday, is credited with helping the New York megabank survive the financial crisis. Earlier in his career, he led Dime Savings Bank out of the savings-and-loan crisis.

Michael Bernier oversaw roughly $165 million in client assets at Canter Strategic Wealth Management, a firm with $300 million under management. Then he left to join LPL.

Cetera also names the next president of its wealth management division and Corient scoops up a $7.9 billion RIA in Maine.

Jefferies was among a group of firms cited by the SEC in its recent sweeping investigations into illegal "off channel" communications.

The asset sales carry complexity requiring careful thought and expert advice, but they could prove beneficial to some wirehouse breakaways or RIA succession plans.

While at Schwab, Roberto Ortega worked with clients whose accounts held more than $1.5 billion. A lawsuit seeks to bar him from soliciting their business for his new employer.

The case stems from Raymond James' recruitment of the $2.8 billion Wise Advisor Group from Baird, which also landed a penalty for a broker protocol violation.

The rival firms will pay for a forensic consultant to preserve evidence of transferred confidential data while they await FINRA arbitration.

The deadline is fast approaching for brokerages to register home offices for employees performing supervisory functions.

Homrich Berg also acquires a $6.4 billion RIA and Hightower takes a stake in an $800 million advisory practice.

Scott Burnett and Peter Kelson, formerly of Zions Direct, plan to work mainly with public entities, corporations, foundations and endowments.

Mike Durbin on Cetera's M&A plans, why consolidation will barrel forward in the wealth management industry and the advantages of having a hybrid firm.