Professional development

The Practice Intel growth platform made its debut this week with some well-known names at the helm and a mission to quantify crucial parts of the advisor-client relationship.

See the ranking of firms like Ballentine Partners, Pathstone, Facet, Savant, EP Wealth and Moneta Group, along with some lesser-known companies.

The Hearsay User Maturity Model evaluates and quantifies advisors' social behaviors, and provides guidance on how to get better.

The CRPC is a popular sister certification of the CFP. FP spoke with the program's head and with advisors who say it's a must-have credential for retirement planning.

New research from Fidelity Investments finds that advisors speak highly of independence but lack the knowledge to do it with confidence.

The organization, launched about five years ago by Troy Prince, is seeking more industry collaboration on its mission of "changing the face of Wall Street."

Firms overly reliant on ultrawealthy clients need to ramp up their digital capabilities to attract the growing segment of clients with between $250,000 and $1 million in assets.

Using FP's criteria, data partner COMPLY scraped together a listing of the biggest firms that provide financial planning services but don't accept commissions.

Competitors and critics in an industry fragmented between large and small firms and obsessed with organic growth question the increasing exclusivity and fees.

The combined organizations will represent roughly 20,000 financial professionals.