Professional development

Michael Nathanson oversaw Focus Financial Partners as it reorganized into five internal hubs. Industry experts say the long overdue consolidation still has far to go.

Troy Von Haefen once shared a stage with Lee Ann Womack. Now he's built a financial advising firm around his Nashville connections.

Steve Lockshin and Michael Kitces tied what they view as some mistaken assumptions around fees to the competitive need for more estate planning services.

Separate from any transactions involved with succession, financial advisors who want to retire face challenges that make exiting the business difficult.

Discipline, esprit de corps and a detailed playbook for advisors provided the growth engine for the enterprise.

Year-end client meetings, Dec. 31 deadlines, oh my. It can be a lot, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming.

Preparation is everything: If clients are aware of the transition well in advance, experts say the risk is pretty low they'll leave the firm.

One of the most consequential M&A deals in years leads this roundup of the many ways big independent firms grew in 2025 and how they plan to continue growing in 2026.

Savant Wealth Management, Moneta Group Investment Advisors and EP Wealth Advisors lead a group of fee-only firms with headcounts well above their peers.

Mindy Neira found that embracing her passions helped build a niche that fulfills her.

Experts say RIA owners often resist making themselves replaceable. But they'll have to choose between an internal or external deal someday.

FP's general knowledge continuing education quiz is aimed at keeping advisors current on timely, important issues in wealth management — and helping them maintain professional certification.

The implications to taxes, hiring and the very legacy of a financial advisor's career demand much more formal documentation than most RIAs have undertaken, experts say.

Financial therapist Rahkim Sabree wove his personal experiences into a detailed manual on a problem he and others say is often glossed over by the industry.

Minority transactions are increasingly appealing to sellers who are wary of giving up the full control of their firms. But experts say the deals do come with strings.

Transitioning from military to civilian life has its own challenges, but these veterans used their backgrounds to their advantage in their new lives as financial advisors.

Time savings is generally understood to be among the main advantages of AI note-takers. But advisors who have incorporated them into their practices said the benefits go much deeper.

The Ensemble Practice's annual RIA compensation survey suggests that firms are paying a pretty penny for financial advisors but reaping healthy profits.

The share of test takers who pass the CFP Board's exam has risen significantly in recent years, but experts are divided on what's behind the change.

Deal structure, transition plans and dog and pony shows represent only a few of the thorny difficulties involved with branching into an acquisition strategy, experts say.