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Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services

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Tom Bradley has achieved impressive results by not taking life too seriously.

What Tom Bradley's 25-year reign at TD Ameritrade says about the RIA business
People in this industry can be themselves while prospering and inventing a profession

Monday 2.6.12
Mike Durbin: Now we can say: Here's the data.

Fidelity dissects the breakaway cycle with a new study
On average it's a seven-month process, and many advisors admit that they are winging it

Wednesday 2.1.12
Bob Oros resigned from Trust Company of America on Jan. 17.

Fidelity hires Bob Oros as its new RIA sales chief
The Schwab and LPL veteran leaves Trust Company of America and fills a void left by Scott Dell'Orfano

Friday 1.27.12
Garry Taylor says he likes the Focus model better because advisory firms get to keep their identity.

Second ex-Fidelity exec in a year nabbed by Focus Financial
Garry Taylor's hire comes as Focus shifts it emphasis from acquiring existing RIAs to luring breakaway brokers

Friday 1.20.12
Andrew Salesky: We're very optimistic with the ability to build this model.

The 10 most influential figures in the RIA business going into 2012
The RIA power elite: Part 1 of 2

Tuesday 1.3.12
Larry Sinsimer: This is a statistic that advisors have the power to change.

Three items of RIA interest
Fidelity study shows 70% of recent widows fire their advisors, Commonwealth and embattled PIEtech strike a deal and Modera Wealth brings aboard a senior planning specialist

Thursday 12.29.11
Brian O'Regan: I love building things and I could do that both with Fidelity and Mariner.

Big Midwestern RIA hires away a Fidelity exec to realize its $50 billion plan
Mariner Wealth Advisors has reached a critical size where professional management is called for

Friday 12.9.11
Michael Chasnoff: We always say we are independent and we encourage Fidelity to continue to improve. This relationship can continue, but it's not a permanent relationship.

How one charmed referral set Michael Chasnoff on the path to $900 million of AUM
The power of PR and positive press proved to be the afterburners for Truepoint

Wednesday 11.23.11
Marco Bitran: There is a lot of demand for alternatives in the space we're targeting—the RIA and broker-dealer space with high-net-worth clients.

AI Exchange to offer hedge fund-like investments in managed-account form through Schwab, Fidelity
The startup's platform offers advisors access to long-short strategies in managed-account form for investors with $100,000 minimums

Monday 11.7.11
Scott David: We said: how can we make this happen?

Schwab and T. Rowe Price finally strike a OneSource deal with help from an ex-Fido exec
Scott David has only just arrived at the Baltimore mutual fund giant from Fidelity in May and he's already pulled off a coup that was 20 years in the making

Monday 10.31.11
Mike Durbin: We want to have the largest clients with the most assets. We're going after the largest teams and getting them.

Mike Durbin is putting his stamp on Fidelity as an RIA custodian for asset-flush breakaways
The leader is working to improve its customer services as the custodian pours big bucks into upgrading its tech offerings

Tuesday 10.25.11
Laura Kogen: It's hard to pin me down.

Fidelity lures a 'game-changing' West Coast practice-management star
Laura Kogen's eclectic skill-set, serious smarts and vivid personality make her a catch

Monday 10.24.11
Scott Dell'Orfano is one of a long line of Fidelity executives internally drafted into new positions.

Fidelity is shopping for new head of sales after Scott Dell’Orfano is tapped for semi-secret mission
Dell'Orfano and his team are developing product services and technology the better to lure major RIAs

Wednesday 10.19.11
Tom Bradley: We consider ourselves the Apple of the industry.

Once good for a few million, TD Ameritrade's foot-in-the-door strategy is starting to net billions
With the paperwork signed, TD goes to work wooing big RIAs with technology, special pricing and a maverick culture

Tuesday 10.11.11
Ed O'Brien says says Fidelity's ability to integrate third-party vendors sets WealthCentral apart from others.

Fidelity is set to add Envestnet, Redtail, Morningstar, AppCrown and Salesforce to WealthCentral
Early to the integration game, the Boston giant will seek to pad its lead -- but it could take a while to execute

Wednesday 9.28.11
David Canter: We hear from advisors at least on a weekly basis that they're looking to upgrade technology.

Fidelity jumps into the game of providing technology for picking RIA technology
Unlike Actifi technology used by TD Ameritrade, the Boston giant's gizmo declines to suggest vendor names

Thursday 9.15.11
Bernie Clark: We win a disproportionate share of business.

Schwab Advisor Services is nearing $800 billion of RIA assets but analysts are split over whether it can continue to dominate
Fidelity keeps flexing its muscles as Schwab raises its hybrid-friendly profile, reaches out to IBDs and rolls out an ambitious vendor platform

Tuesday 9.6.11
Gene Goldman: I had butterflies in my stomach because I was so excited about the opportunity to work here.

Commonwealth, Cetera and The ETF Store take notable actions
Commonwealth replaces Fidelity technology; Cetera snags Gene Goldman; an LPL vet, and upstart ETF Store takes another page out of Adam Bold's book

Monday 8.22.11
Kim Bang: The fixed-income markets are at a regulatory and competitive inflection point.

Executive leaves Bloomberg with ambitious plan to unify the retail bond market
Kim Bang has experience consolidating securities exchanges and signed on as CEO at BondDesk

Friday 8.19.11
Tim Oden: The amount of due diligence they're conducting is so deep. I just can't imagine they'd go to that trouble to just kick the tires.

Breakaway Movement II is kicking in, say Schwab and Fidelity execs
Spurred by waning wirehouse retention packages, a wave of advisors are poised to jump ship in 2012

Wednesday 8.10.11
Bill Dwyer: We decided you were right.

What's behind LPL's decision to slash its ticket charges for advisors
The IBD is in a generous mood as it also pays dues to FSI on behalf of thousands

Tuesday 8.9.11
Watson is expected to help achieve the company's goal of establishing increased personal contact with advisors

LPL lures a TD Ameritrade talent across the San Diego street
Mike Watson will bring his practice-management expertise to 1,400 LPL reps

Friday 8.5.11
Many of Paul Pagnato and David Karp's clientele have security concerns so they keep a low profile - including no photos.

Fearless Merrill Lynch team breaks away with $1 billion in broad daylight
Paul Pagnato and David Karp started their day in Washington DC and ended up in Reston, Va.

Tuesday 8.2.11
Alois Pirker: Firms will have to renew retention bonuses next year or brokers will jump ship.

RIAs and online brokers are winning the market-share game
Wirehouses will have to re-up retention bonuses or see mass migrations of top producers

Wednesday 7.27.11
Scott Couto takes over from Peter S. Cieszko.

Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions is hatched and Scott Couto will head it
The $385 billion unit is looking to put its best wealth-management foot forward

Friday 7.22.11
Mario Hernandez: In the future, clients will be able to electronically sign. We can electronically take it to Schwab rather than using FedEx or a fax.

Schwab connects CRM to account opening for RIAs
The software fulfiills some of Schwab Intelligent Integration's promise without the fancy cross-wiring

Friday 7.22.11
Griffin Meyers: Although not mandatory, providing a competitive GIPS-compliant track record can also help demonstrate a firm's track record.

How an RIA can capitalize on referral programs offered by Schwab, TD and Fidelity
Success in converting leads favor the firm that makes dedicated hires

Monday 7.18.11
Jeff Grinspoon faced one interesting breakaway challenge relating to his 100 year-old grandmother.

Big Morgan Stanley team on the Beltway hightails it to HighTower on second thought
The learning curve required for complete independence looked unpalatable when it came to decision time

Wednesday 7.13.11
Ed O'Brien: It continues to grow, especially as the devices get better.

Fidelity releases mobile trading for advisors - just don't expect many mobile trades
RIAs generally make block trades and use rebalancing software these days and mobile apps aren't ready for that

Tuesday 7.12.11
Christy White: No 401(k) plan provider has succeeded yet in having a top brand and a top service rating..

Fidelity, Vanguard and Schwab have top 401(k) brands but plan sponsors like the service of off-brands better, study shows
In market share wars for retirement plan dollars, big and small brands alike have much to learn

Friday 7.8.11
Patrick Sweeny and David Connelly: In 1994, Pat and I felt we were very, very late to the game.

Advisor Spotlight: Two small Dean Witter breakaways are now Symmetry, a big DFA TAMP
David Connelly and Patrick Sweeny grew to $6.5 billion of assets largely as an exclusive DFA shop but recent added Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street ETFs

Thursday 6.30.11
Scott Slater: This is something that any firm who wants to grow needs to confront.

Schwab encourages RIAs to adopt client segmentation but some don't approve
The controversial practice is cherry picking to some advisors but experts say it's plenty fair and crucial for growth

Wednesday 6.29.11
Mark Tibergien: My goal is to upset you.

Tibergien uses brutal honesty to captivate big Schwab RIAs and others at San Francisco event
The Pershing leader and former Moss Adams star lit into advisors on practice management issues

Friday 6.24.11
Kristin Gibson: Clients will really force your hand out of fear.

Russell Investments and Fidelity both see disconnect between HNW investors and RIAs in separate studies
Mere millionaires prefer fixed income and ultra-wealthy Tiger 21 members also edge toward perceived sleep-at-night investments

Thursday 6.23.11
Brian Keil: We’ve not seen a change this big industry wide in a very long time.

12 takeaways for RIAs from a Schwab report about complex cost basis rule changes
The onus is on the custodians but advisors will be expected to help, especially during tax season

Friday 6.17.11
Scott Dell'Orfano: Two years ago, advisors were all about calming clients down.

What a slew of recent RIA surveys say about the firms' hunger for growth
Firms are ready to hire and recruit investors but they're aware that pitfalls abound

Thursday 6.16.11
Joe Duran: “When [my wife and I] are having an argument, my goals and dreams are adapting right there.

Joe Duran tries out novel financial planning strategy on himself and his wife
United Capital is seeking a replicable method for counseling high-net-worth couples

Tuesday 6.14.11
Michael Durbin: It may seem elegant and easy to take a check and walk across the street, but it’s important to spend the time to get to the right destination.

Fidelity study: Breakaway RIAs could pocket millions in after-tax profits
Dazzling wirehouse retainer deals are nice but going it alone can pay much, much better after taxes get figured in

Tuesday 6.7.11
Walter Bettinger, Schwab's CEO, is high on ETF-infused 401(k)s combined with independent advice

What to make of yesterday's Wall Street Journal report on Schwab's 401(k) 'bet'
RIAs favor WSJ's suggestion that Financial Engines is getting a close look as an outsourced 401(k) advice provider

Thursday 6.2.11
Rick Keller: It was stressful to compete in a world where investment management services are combined with a broad bank platform so, I decided to open my own bank.

In a twist, RIA opens a bank - to significant success
Despite increased oversight, the one-stop-shopping model has worked for First Foundation

Wednesday 6.1.11
John Morris: There was really excitement around the news of Bin Laden.

Fidelity holds exclusive annual conference and gets an unforeseen jolt of energy from Bin Laden's death
Advisors were happy to have Bill Clinton, Fareed Zakaria and other experts on hand for perspective

Wednesday 5.11.11
Ross Ozer: We’re bringing the strength of our marketing (experience) to bear. We do this for a living.

Fidelity steps up effort to bestow its marketing magic on RIAs
Schwab, Pershing and TD Ameritrade are all quietly amping advisors to win new business, too

Tuesday 5.10.11
Trevor Norton needs no introduction at Fidelity.

Fidelity nabs a top LPL RIA executive for new ultra-affluent unit
Trevor Norton will lead Fidelity's drive to bring white glove services to giant clients of RIAs

Thursday 5.5.11
TD's Skip Schweiss: “We have advisor demand for it. We started offering it (to a small handful) and doing manual processing to make it work.”

TD Ameritrade beats Schwab to the punch with ETF option for retirement plans
Platform allows advisors to sell mutual fund and ETF capability

Thursday 4.21.11
Tony Sirianni: “The big firms don’t see the value in (branch managers), which is crazy because that’s how they built themselves.”

Former MSSB exec powers up Washington Wealth Management as branch-manager franchise
RIA structured as an independent branch network rises in Virginia's horse country on Fidelity platform

Monday 4.11.11
Fidelity's Sanjiv Mirchandani sees a gray industry. Unless  younger advisors are recruited, he said, Gen Y clients will be under-served.

Fidelity's big advisor survey: Independent channel seen as most profitable after banner years for firm-switching
More clients come along for the ride; compliance fears keep some advisors from going independent; meanwhile, many refocus on top clients

Thursday 4.7.11
Dynasty's T. Patrick Mulvey: Charles Schwab is an important partner for Dynasty, and we believe Loren will make that partnership even stronger.

Schwab strengthens its hand against Fidelity via hot NY startup
Loren Morris's move from Schwab to Dynasty looks a bit like an arranged marriage

Wednesday 4.6.11
Bernie Clark: Why would you claim the middle ground of being a quasi-employee (at an IBD) with a lesser brand name?

Virtually all big IBD reps covet the independent RIA life, Schwab study says
Schwab's Bernie Clark and TD's Tom Nally see IBD reps undergoing a palpable mood switch, but Fidelity's Mike Durbin and Pershing's Mark Tibergien are unconvinced

Tuesday 3.29.11
Dave Emma: Athletes get taken advantage of and that happened to me.

A hockey star went from being a Merrill Lynch client to a Merrill Lynch advisor to the latest Merrill Lynch breakaway
Despite misgivings for 20 years, Dave Emma stayed largely for the culture and then Bank of America came along

Friday 3.25.11
WealthCentral Mobile is available for download in the Android Market

Fidelity slips in ahead of Pershing on Google phones with WealthCentral for Android
Functionality is just like the iPhone version, with no mobile trading yet

Tuesday 3.22.11
Greg Plechner: The news was so low ... that everyone was just so quiet. And anyone we did talk to was so irrational.

Hellish memories: Advisors recall rock bottom, March 9, 2009
On the day a zero-market seemed possible, sleep-deprived advisors tried to stop their clients from bailing out. Sometimes they failed.

Wednesday 3.9.11
Zachary Gronich: "For the state registered people, I’m not really seeing any outrageous new costs beyond that new ADV 2a/2b.”

New Fidelity survey shows advisors are running scared about compliance costs
RIAs, compliance experts and a research group diverge wildly on future costs but a baseline increase in the single-digit thousands seems inevitable

Monday 3.7.11
David Canter: This lets advisors in a really targeted way identify high net worth individuals that they wish to pursue as prospects.

Fidelity launches gigantic referral database to give advisors a shortcut to wealthy prospects
Advisors gain from referrals, but hate asking for them

Friday 3.4.11
Larry Goldbrum: (DOL's proposed rules) will have a significant chilling and negative effect on the retirement plan community.

DOL's proposal puts the screws to legacy 401(k) providers
As SPARK, SIFMA, others cry foul at yesterday's hearing, RIAs may be sitting pretty with the right fiduciary framework in place

Wednesday 3.2.11
Ed Simmons has a doctorate from Harvard and a 24-year tenure with Merrill Lynch. He became an RIA on Friday.

Merrill Lynch and Bank of America cultural tension may spin out a new round of breakaways, recruiters say
A big Maine team goes to HighTower; more Merrill brokers in pipeline, says Weissbluth

Thursday 2.24.11
Tejal and Rahul Shah: I was on the phone like Jerry Maguire, Rahul says, I had all my e-mails prepared for clients and I pushed send, send, send.

Why one Merrill Lynch advisor needed to break away twice to become an RIA
Rahul Shah's first breakout attempt to Wachovia's FiNet fizzled and, his wife, Tejal Shah masterminded the second effort

Tuesday 2.22.11
Ed O'Brien and Page Clark show off the iPhone version of WealthCentral at T3 in Weston, Fla.

Fidelity releases WealthCentral Mobile for the iPhone
Android app to come in Q1

Friday 2.18.11
Sanjiv Mirchandani: There are many, many firms like Commonwealth, National Financial Partners and Cambridge Investment Research that are doing just fine and their value proposition has only grown

National Financial Services records some wins to ease the pain of Bank of America loss
The number two clearing company is placing emphasis on fee-minded IBDs like Berthel Fisher

Wednesday 2.16.11
Lou Harvey: This gives them a huge edge on Fidelty.

Schwab to make long-awaited move in 401(k) market with an all-indexed mutual fund and ETF strategy
Market leader Fidelity not likely to mirror the move because of its legacy structure

Thursday 2.10.11
Ed Orazem was one of a fistful of former Citi executives that Alan Harter got back in his camp.

How Harter broke away from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney to find new vendors -- and found old friends
Citi wealth management alumni are deeply entrenched at Fidelity and Dynasty Financial Partners and working on better mousetraps

Wednesday 2.9.11
Scott Dell'Orfano: The average is well up from what we saw at this time last year

Big advisors drive solid year for breakaway wins at Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing and TD
Aggregators drive momentum in 2011

Thursday 1.27.11
Sharon Daniels: With the various branches at Banyan, this will give us immediate opportunities to meet personally with more of our clients.

In a triple merger, fast-growing Florida RIA scoops up an LPL advisor and a fellow asset manager to double firm size
More deals involving IBD advisors on the horizon as shift to fees makes combinations possible

Tuesday 1.25.11
Bernie Clark: Advisors are back.

With a rebound in net flows from its biggest advisors, Schwab finishes 2010 with a flourish
Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services records a $100 billion asset jump

Thursday 1.20.11
The Top 10 on RIABiz last month included a story about Charles Goldman.

What advisors care about: technology, hiring, Schwab's lawsuit against a broker hit top RIABiz stories this month
A new platform for alternative assets, plus the regulatory moves expected this year also make the list

Monday 1.17.11
David Canter: It’s not just business development.

Fidelity teams with Manpower to bolster RIA efforts to staff up
Custodians see advisory firms in hiring mode

Friday 1.14.11
Kristian Colvin: I’m not sure why they made such a stink of me leaving.

How Schwab failed to block one broker's breakaway and what the legal battle may mean for the future
Industry insiders say they're stunned by a recent courthouse loss

Tuesday 1.11.11
RIAs happily got to the nuts and bolts issues of building their practices and a better industry in 2010

The top 20 RIABiz articles in 2010 and why they were so important to readers
Schwab, Fidelity, DFA, LPL, Envestnet and the 401(k) market dominated the headlines this year

Monday 12.27.10
Charles Goldman: I’m still hungry to do more stuff.

Charles Goldman is seeking his game after tumult and a year of decompression
The former head of Schwab's and Fidelity's RIA units may land in an entrepreneurial venture

Monday 12.20.10
Sarah Libbey: Foundations can cost four times as much and offer fewer tax benefits than a donor-advised fund.

Fidelity Charitable courts advisor business -- and competes with Schwab -- by making alternative assets OK in its donor-advised fund
The move comes after Schwab enjoys success allowing advisors to use hedge funds and private equity

Friday 12.10.10
The Morgia Group breakaway to HighTower Advisors and Fidelity proceeded despite the big snow in Watertown, N.Y.

HighTower veteran helps Morgan Stanley Smith Barney team break away upstate New York style
A breakaway story from the perspective of the facilitator

Tuesday 11.30.10
Pat Mendenhall expects to fill a big vacancy in this 1330 Post Oak Boulevard building.

A HighTower-like consolidator rises from Texas ground
A UBS star is raising capital and recruiting up a storm

Tuesday 11.16.10
Bill Gross’ thought leadership may contribute to advisors' feelings of confidence and security.

Why PIMCO's brand is most sterling and Powershares, Vanguard and ProShares are fast-gaining
Emotions of investors need to be addressed in three areas

Tuesday 11.2.10
Mike Durbin: RIAs have come a long way.

Fidelity arms its RIAs for battle with white-glove brands
Pershing and Schwab are also angling for advisors game to bag some mega-clients

Monday 10.25.10
Fidelity will pelt arriving Schwab advisors with its own message at every turn in Boston. This one reads: Welcome to Boston, where independence began.

As Schwab poises for massive invasion of Boston, Fidelity lays in wait
The San Francisco custodian expects near-record IMPACT crowds but Fidelity is monopolizing billboards to impress them

Tuesday 10.19.10
Lou Harvey: All it will take is for one employee in any company to rise a question about fees. This is going to be a tsunami.

Why the DOL's massive new 401(k) disclosure requirements are a 'very, very big deal'
RIA competitors (i.e. brokers) face daunting challenge of explaining complex revenue-sharing arrangements

Friday 10.15.10
Alan Rexius [left], King Martin [center] and Greg Erwin [right] took nearly three years from first exploring a breakaway to its final execution.

Schwab and Fidelity experience seasonal slowing of breakaway activity
The good news is that big wirehouse brokers and IBD reps keep nibbling

Thursday 10.14.10
Ed O'Brien: The natural progression is to improve the open platform in two ways; one is making the integration we have more robust...and two is adding more tools and selection.

Technology review: Fidelity's WealthCentral is solid and smart but still has seams
Getting people to switch is complicated because it means getting a commitment and collecting big fees

Thursday 10.14.10
David Canter: One solution for broker-dealers looking to provide financial planning services in a fiduciary world: Fidelity's WealthCentral platform.

How the FPA's national conference is nudging large firms toward fiduciary care
Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, MetLife and others come as leopards looking to change their spots

Monday 10.11.10
Catherine Golladay: People are more likely to engage in professional help if it is provided in a personalized one-on-one setting

What Schwab's new 401(k) study tells about the demand for financial advisors to manage retirement assets
Automated advice is making a bigger dent but the personal touch is favored by a wide margin

Wednesday 9.29.10
Mike Durbin: We’ve very comfortable with the move but as you might imagine, advisors have reacted negatively.

Fidelity will soon charge a big fee to small advisors
Boston-based custodian is on service crusade and economics need to work

Friday 9.24.10
Michael Lee: If our systems are playing well with the custodian, we don’t want to fix what’s not broken.

Fidelity Institutional and Black Diamond tie the knot through WealthCentral
The companies promise 'bi-directional' integration

Thursday 9.23.10
David Canter: We’re hearing from clients weekly – large firms considering acquiring other large firms. That’s different from last year and 2008.

Fidelity steps up M&A efforts as RIAs step up the pressure for answers
Deal-related consulting fits a core strategic objective -- RIA growth

Friday 9.17.10
Robert Glovsky: Advisors should be realistic about whether their clients’ can meet their goals.

Fidelity study reveals greater reliance on advisors to manage the college savings vs. nest egg vice grip
RIAs steer parents clear of the high-fee 529-plan bandwagon

Friday 9.10.10
Mike Durbin: WealthCentral eliminates a major difficulty in breaking away

Fidelity wins converts to WealthCentral, but most of its advisors have yet to make the switch
The giant technology project is behind Fidelity's schedule but ahead of one analyst's expectations

Tuesday 8.31.10
Craig Morningstar: If you’re considering a change, seek solutions that deliver better profits, not just payout.

Contrasting two breakaways: one a success story, one a cautionary tale
One broker lost 30% of his book. What can you do to avoid that fate?

Monday 8.30.10
Meredith Rice: RIAs leaned toward PacificLife, Prudential and Fidelity.

Study: Variable annuity providers show some gains in tackling RIA market
Cogent Research shows that RIAs gave VAs a chance in 2008 but the romance may be short-lived

Tuesday 8.17.10
Andrew Morse: I have yet to work for an investment bank that hasn’t gone out of business or was brought back from the brink.

HighTower wins big UBS team and clinches 'critical mass'
The Chicago-based aggregator is breaking even and signing leases for more office space in three cities

Tuesday 8.3.10
Jon Patullo: No other custodian actually engaged [these vendors] in this fashion and set up a summit, so they're very excited about it.

Joining the industry-wide trend, TD Ameritrade announces its upcoming project for "open architecture" technology integration
Custodian hopes to open the platform to all vendors that pass a security check

Friday 7.30.10
Scott Dell'Orfano: Bigger teams are more educated, thoughtful, diligent. They’re asking pertinent questions.

Fidelity weighs in with breakaway results reinforcing the big-advisor trend
Are cost-cutting wirehouses creating a farm system for top entrepreneurial teams?

Thursday 7.29.10
Scott Pritchard: As much as I’d like to say that Fidelity has lost their edge, I think this is just a reflection of the fact that a small percentage of plan sponsors have begun to recognize the value of working with independent RIAs.

What the confidential documents uncovered by Reuters say about Fidelity's future in the 401(k) business
A rare glimpse at the 401(k) giant's client tally shows slippage among big customers but its 401(k) business may be finding increased traction with advisors

Thursday 7.8.10
Mike Byrnes: Plan now. The resulting greater success will be compounded over time.

What if you spent one hour a day on the #1 idea to free up time and cash flow?
10 people in the RIA business offer their best thought for making the second half of 2010 more productive

Thursday 7.1.10
Michael Kim: Advisors learned a tough lesson that they need to keep the pedal to the metal and seeking referrals is the best way to do that.

Fidelity primes the referral pump for RIA clients
A new program gets a warm reception from advisors ready to snap out of hand-holding mode

Friday 6.25.10
Craig Watanabe: Adequately servicing 401k plans is a demanding endeavor and we will likely see retirement plan specialists gaining market share.

What Cogent's new study says about where RIAs stand in the 401(k) business
Brokers still dominate most segments but RIAs do well with bigger plans, results of two surveys show

Thursday 6.17.10
Craig Gordon: We have 2,400 in-house advisors. It would be very different if I told you it was 24,000. The commitment in that channel would be too big to disrupt..

Royal Bank of Canada is hustling to become an RIA custody force
RBC Advisor Services weaves together RIA businesses of old Dain Rauscher and old Bear Stearns

Monday 5.24.10
Liz Ann Sonders: It's clear that both the US and global economies are well into recovery, and even expansion mode.

Double-dip market disaster on tap next? Not likely, say pundits from Schwab, Fidelity, Barron's and Seeking Alpha
Digest of recent pundit writings counters view of Joseph Stiglitz that consumers are out of bullets

Monday 5.24.10
Ned Johnson led a charge of top execs and board members who gave advisors their attention in Naples

What happened at Fidelity's RIA conference this year
The presence of Ned Johnson and George W. Bush lent gravitas to the annual event

Tuesday 5.18.10
Neesha Hathi: No one in the industry is doing anything like this.

Schwab unveils a plan to create a grand ecosystem of top technology vendors to RIAs
Executives of the San Francisco RIA custodian believe they can take integration further than Fidelity's WealthCentral

Tuesday 5.11.10
Tony Ferreira: They’re a victim of the recession.

Some experts question Cogent Research study's finding of big dip in 401(k) plan ownership
The bad economy deterred participation in employer retirement plans but their growth may stay suppressed longer term, researchers say

Thursday 4.29.10
Paul Zettl: We target around 100 advisors because we want to keep it intimate and allow advisors to ask questions and network.

TD Ameritrade is pulling out the stops for 100 advisors in Laguna Beach
Smaller custodian is starting to make a habit of 'going big'

Thursday 4.29.10
Scott Pritchard: Many advisors [selling 401(k) plans] recognize the merits of a move to fee-only, but like a drug addict who knows they need to quit, they just can not 'kick the habit.'

RIAs are starting to create their own 401(k) companies as alternatives to John Hancock and The Principal
Capital Directions is building a TAMP for advisors that want to get into the 401(k) business

Tuesday 4.27.10
Barron's Top 100 advisors paid for their own Ritz-Carlton rooms but didn't seem to mind

Enthusiasm simmers in the wake of the by-invite-only Barron's Top 100 conference
The purity of the all-independent crowd was palpable, powerful for attendees

Monday 4.26.10
Andy Gill: Clients understand what they're going to get with purchases of new issues of municipal bonds.

Schwab gives investors seat at the table for new-issue municipal bonds with J.P. Morgan deal (updated)
San Francisco broker answers call of RIAs seeking to better serve retirement-minded Baby Boomers

Friday 4.23.10
Bernie Clark: Our competitors are still treating this [custody of alternative assets] as an accommodation.

After a wait, Schwab has a program for alternative assets
The giant custodian will hold many of the assets itself

Thursday 4.22.10
Elliot Weissbluth: The Dean Witter and Morgan Stanley cultures never integrated so you have two cultures taking in a third culture – Smith Barney.

HighTower doubles recruiting staff and seeks green pastures of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney brokers
Unforeseen interest in potential breakaways accelerates plans of big aggregator

Thursday 4.22.10
Bob Kleiber: Our fees are up front, on the statement every month. Brokers and insurance agents fees are hidden. Sometimes we have to explain that to clients, again.

Fidelity brings its 401(k) muscle to RIAs with new product
The 401(k) giant seeks to do for RIAs what it's done for brokers all along

Wednesday 4.21.10
Red Goldstein: All we have ever known in the financial business is folks leaving one wirehouse to go to another wirehouse.

This Merrill Lynch team leader broke away for fear of what might happen under Bank of America
Red Goldstein loved Merrill Lynch but he deemed any chance of increased restrictions too risky to his business model

Tuesday 4.20.10
Adam Honoré: Nearly 70% of financial advisors see online brokers as being no threat to their business.

Online brokers may be bigger threat to financial advisors than they realize, study says
E*Trade, Schwab and Fidelity win assets from advisors and relinquish them grudgingly, according to Aite Group report

Monday 4.19.10
Matthew McGinness: It would not be surprising to see the toll go up.

TD Ameritrade's raised its NTF fee to mutual funds and analysts believe rivals may hike theirs, too
Schwab and Fidelity have ample leverage with mutual funds to raise their toll, analysts say

Wednesday 4.14.10
Scott Dell'Orfano: The average is well up from what we saw at this time last year

Breakaway broker signings get off to hot start in 2010 for Fidelity, TD and Schwab
RIA custodians report big increases in both size and number of recruits from wirehouses

Tuesday 4.13.10
Readership on RIABiz has been surprisingly international

What do RIAs care about?
A breadcrumb path through RIABiz into the mind of financial services entrepreneurs

Wednesday 4.7.10
Mike Durbin: Fidelity's investment management heritage and capital markets resources are unique qualities among custodians

Fidelity plows ahead in the RIA business with overhauls of service, technology and management
Stagnant for more than a decade, the Boston-based RIA custodian has become a cauldron of dynamic change in last few years

Tuesday 3.30.10
Bob Adams: Advisors can rest assured that we will meet the needs they have. We're acting in their best interests.

Fidelity delivers a white paper and a warning to RIAs regarding new cost-basis rules
Multi-custody arrangements and third party platforms can lead to troublesome data fragmentation, the Boston custody giant says

Friday 3.26.10
Christopher Dean, managing director of Summit Partners in Boston, invested VC money in RIAs

10 things that show the RIA movement is really heating up in 2010: Part I
Observers need a scorecard to keep track of all the advances that RIAs are making

Monday 3.22.10
James Poer: NFP Securities has undergone a vast evolution and now aims to serve a broader market.

With Schwab [and maybe Fidelity] as custody partners, NFP is positioned to make a run at the hybrid market
If NFP IndeSuite catches on, the success could make up for some struggles on the roll-up side of the business

Friday 3.19.10
Maggie Serravalli: It is about taking it to the next level and making it a distinctive experience

Fidelity names buck-stops-here service czar for all of its financial advisory channels
Maggie Serravalli is aiming for service quality consistency

Monday 3.15.10
Karen Lisowski: I’ve consulted directly with some of the largest RIAs and breakaway teams

Black Diamond adds a Fidelity veteran to its sales team
Karen Lisowski will work from San Francisco

Monday 3.15.10
Arthur Tambaro: It validates all the work we have done and the technology we continue to develop

How Royal Alliance won a big-time RIA after a string of losses
Rehmann Financial loves the AIG subsidiary's alliance with Pershing

Friday 3.12.10
Mike Durbin authored a memo detailing a major changes to Fidelity's RIA business

Fidelity reorganizes its RIA business
Mike Durbin folds sales and relationship management together and two veterans depart

Wednesday 3.10.10
Mark Tibergien: We are managing risk. That is what B-to-B firms do.

Pershing is working to create a better alternative assets experience
The Jersey City RIA custodian believes a defined list of criteria gives it an edge

Monday 3.8.10
Mark Tibergien: We were so impressed with Schwab's service that we hired 14 of their people in the past two years.

Mark Tibergien is making Pershing an industrial strength custodian with an RIA service touch
The feisty CEO of Pershing's RIA unit believes his offering will speak to big RIAs

Thursday 3.4.10
Joseph Vietri: Check-up calls on wire transfers will continue indefinitely and more safeguarding steps will be added to the program

Schwab won't stop at wire transfer check-up calls in its quest for airtight security of RIA client assets
Top service exec at big custodian says the tumult of the last 18 months led to the escalation of asset safeguards

Thursday 2.25.10
Steve Walkenbach is heading Scottrade's RIA custody unit but the company is seeking a replacement for Doug Talir

Scottrade is ramping up marketing -- with an interim leader at the helm
The St. Louis-based discount broker has big momentum and a big position to fill

Wednesday 2.24.10
Steve Bartlett: If we can move the needle and get our hundred companies into the automatic transfer [system], it will change the economy of this country in a profound way in a few short years.

Giant push is on in Washington to create a nation of savers
Banks are taking the lead but companies like Fidelity Investments, Raymond James, and Edward Jones plan to jump aboard

Monday 2.22.10
Bernie Clark: We will be spending a great deal of money

Schwab is a big custodian with plans to step it up in 2010
Bernie Clark will have a juggling act of keeping service top notch and shoring up the hybrid offering

Wednesday 2.17.10
Joel Bruckenstein says it was the final straw when his speech at a big industry conference got bumped into nighttime.

The T3 conference has a rebellious air and the makings of success
Bruckenstein and Drucker channeled their frustration about industry conferences into creating a tech mecca for RIAs

Friday 2.12.10
Charles Goldman: Because this industry is filled with so many wonderful people, I truly believe that the best is yet to come.

Postscript to the story of Charles Goldman parting ways with Fidelity Investments
Many people are still coming to grips with the quick split of the attractive couple

Thursday 2.11.10
Frank Shull: Our pipeline is very full.

Focus Financial looks more like a consolidator-of-consolidators as its partner firms go on buying sprees
Lara, Shull pulls off five deals to nearly double its assets in a year

Tuesday 2.9.10
Fred Tomczyk: RIAs will continue to get what they need from TD

7 signs that TD Ameritrade's big conference may be a harbinger of bigger things
The #3 custodian is choosing its own path

Monday 2.8.10
Ron Fiske: You don't have to have that discussion with clients about what the right forum is to do business

9 things RIAs need to know about Fidelity's pricing moves on equities and ETFs
The trade commissions grab headlines but ETF cuts are a glimpse of the future

Wednesday 2.3.10
Derek Bruton's hybrid RIA platform receives an endorsement from an unlikely source: Morgan Stanley

Top 10 findings of Morgan Stanley report include: Schwab as the best RIA custodian, LPL for highest advisor satisfaction
Wall Street's endorsement of the RIA model is a sign of the times in the industry, analysts note

Tuesday 2.2.10
Stephen Finn is betting on  Maiorano to keep his growth streak alive

Stephen Finn taps Maiorano to take small custodian to the next level
Schwab RIA pioneer plans to make his custodian more mainstream

Monday 2.1.10
Brooke Southall: The Custody Project has grown to do justice to the scope and quality of the material it covers

Asset Custody Project rolls forward
The scope of the RIABiz plan for 2009 recaps and 2010 outlooks of RIA custodians took on a life of its own

Monday 2.1.10
Charles Goldman still embodies a service ethic for many advisors

Advisors can tolerate Goldman departure from Fidelity if service doesn't suffer
Fidelity says to expect no change in service approach because of executive changes

Thursday 1.28.10
Mike Durbin: "I think Fidelity has done the best job of speaking the language of the breakaway."

Focus shifts to Durbin at Fidelity as Goldman prepares to depart
With Goldman leaving, president of Fidelity Institutional will demonstrate his own brand of leadership

Wednesday 1.27.10
Charles Goldman aggressively tackled Fidelity's approach to service but he may also have ruffled feathers

Charles Goldman to leave Fidelity
Overseer of Fidelity's RIA custody, broker clearing and family office units sets a departure date

Tuesday 1.26.10
Barnaby Grist says that wirehouse data on attrition is accurate but not telling for breakaways

Schwab and TD Ameritrade pipelines brim with breakaway prospects
Growth rate accelerates despite slowing attrition at wirehouses

Tuesday 1.26.10
Derek Bruton is now in charge of LPL's hybrid business after years of RIA experience with Merrill Lynch, TD Ameritrade and Schwab

LPL's hybrid RIA platform is fast off the mark and names new leaders for 2010
The giant IBD has already surpassed Raymond James' RIA assets but Derek Bruton plans to build on momentum

Monday 1.25.10
Rodger Lawson let his spending do the talking when it came to RIAs

Rodger Lawson was a silent champion of RIAs at Fidelity and now he's going: What's next?
FMR's president gave nearly carte blanche spending to the RIA initiative at Fidelity

Thursday 1.21.10
Bernie Clark: We’ll continue to build the connectivity that will make it better

A giant is awakening in the hybrid RIA market
Schwab vows to spend big in 2010 and 2011 on better connections to IBDs

Thursday 1.14.10
Hybrid tomatoes have their advantages and so do hybrid RIAs

5 Reasons why the hybrid RIA model may be a bigger deal than ever
Someday all advisors could be hybrid-like under FINRA

Thursday 1.14.10
Mike Kavanagh: We are taking this very seriously and we’re taking our time with it

RBC is checking every box to ensure it acquires the JPMorgan RIA unit intact
Mike Kavanagh brings the former Bear Stearns service team to Minneapolis for bonding

Wednesday 1.13.10
Peter Mangan: [RIAs] like that we’re a boutique operation

A small RIA custodian in San Diego faces a new challenge: accelerating growth [updated]
Peter Mangan is creating a company that resembles the old Jack White more every day

Monday 1.11.10
Walt Bettinger: After the past two years, our clients are thinking more than ever about their financial future

Morgan Stanley report: TD Ameritrade and other rivals may face pricing dilemma after Schwab price chop
San Francisco broker can cut commissions with relative impunity now that it has shifted primarily to fees

Friday 1.8.10
Expect to hear more in 2010 from Mike Durbin, who leads Fidelity's fast-growing RIA custody unit

Percolating: RIA custody roundup for 2010
New faces, new programs, new technology and new assets

Thursday 12.31.09
Brooke Southall: I asked John, 50, why he didn’t hire a financial advisor and he said that the system was “crooked” and “corrupt.”

What I learned about E*TRADE, Bank of America, Google and the Bubble Lounge during pre-holiday conversations
Just because a wirehouse broker doesn't win the account doesn't mean that another advisor will

Tuesday 12.22.09
Tom Bradley: The success of this program is the result of a powerful structure of goal-setting, follow-up and follow-through.

TD Ameritrade takes on Schwab with big consulting push
Smaller custodian will seek to democratize consulting advice on behalf of smaller advisors

Monday 12.21.09
Charles Goldman: Having four, five or six brands is confusing and expensive. People want to do business with Fidelity.

Fidelity is bidding its HybridOne brand farewell
The Boston broker makes the move as Pershing's competing hybrid offering wins raves

Wednesday 12.9.09
Like Tom Turkey, many RIAs were thankful to survive 2009

Taking A Break From the Turkey?
RIABiz's top 10 stories from the past month offer a window into what RIAs care about

Thursday 11.26.09
Charles Goldman: Service and knowledge of clients’ accounts is not the place to skim.

Goldman aims to make red carpet service for RIAs universal at Fidelity Investments
Boston investing giant is showering tip-top clients in service but it won't stop there, advisor exec says

Tuesday 11.24.09
Share your breakaway story: email elizabeth@riabiz.com

Merrill Lynch breakaway runs gauntlet to set up his business
'I was just a constant work machine'

Friday 11.20.09
Doug Swope: There’s no independence per se [at a wirehouse]. You’re [restricted] by the [inventory of] products.

Independent-within-Smith Barney breaks away after hitting wall
Former Smith Barney peers light fuse for Swope independence

Wednesday 11.18.09
Thomas B. Lewis: “There are RIA firms joining that are trying to recruit large producers.”

RIAs drive explosive growth of the Broker Protocol; signatories triple
The wirehouse legal truce is now a poaching tool for advisory roll-ups; Merrill Lynch applauds its wide use

Tuesday 11.17.09
Jim Scanlon: I was not a big producer so [my boss] could say: I need you to be in this meeting.

How TD Ameritrade wins clients $47 million at a time
UBS brokers double take-home pay with breakaway

Friday 11.13.09
Matthias Paul Kuhlmey is helping to create a blueprint for globally-minded breakaways

HighTower Advisors nabs a UBS team and shifts to new recruiting gear
Chicago company creates comfy nest for breakaways with overseas clients

Tuesday 11.10.09
With Doug Talir gone, Scottrade is already seeking a new leader for its custody unit

Doug Talir, director and founder of Scottrade's RIA custody business, departs
Scottrade is seeking to fill position

Friday 11.6.09
Barry Glassman: There are restrictions as far as the kinds of things we can say and document if one has the ability to earn commissions.

New RIA with a Royal touch
Glassman takes assets to Schwab and outsources some services to Fortigent

Monday 11.2.09
McWhinney chooses someone she knows and trusts

McWhinney gains aid of Myra Rothfeld
Citi continues to draw on former Schwab talent

Friday 10.30.09
Peter Hess: “It’s more affordable and it’s more of an offering.”

Outsourcing begins to catch fire at Advent Software
Hess recognizes that a new breed of advisor doesn't want the 'dirty work'

Wednesday 10.28.09
James Burton sought to create easy-to-use platform

Fidelity to provide Wall Street-style access to international investments
Boston brokerage gets edge on close rivals but State Street is still king for global investing diehards, advisor says

Thursday 10.22.09
Mike Di Girolamo: “Advisors want to find out who their peers are.”

Raymond James shows it's serious about winning bigger RIAs
Raising minimums is part of creating an atmosphere more conducive to elite advisors

Thursday 10.22.09
Matthew Cooper: “These guys are hyper-sensitive to changes in the grid.”

Citi advisors seek potential suitors after McWhinney's tectonic pay shift
Beacon Pointe is busy interviewing nervous Citi advisors

Wednesday 10.14.09
Deborah McWhinney: We really don’t have enough teams to serve the market

Citigroup puts RIAs at the center of its strategy to retain banking clients
McWhinney's custody plan for RIAs may reunite her with Charles Goldman

Tuesday 10.6.09
Steve Disenhof: The service offered by the broker-dealer's team will make or break the relationship

How to choose between the bewildering custody choices
Litman/Gregory took its time and checked all the boxes

Friday 10.2.09
Michael Kavanagh: We now have critical mass

RBC's appearance on custody scene could be a 'game changer'
Canadian bank's combo with JPMorgan unit creates new choice for breakaways

Wednesday 9.30.09
David Hou and Mark Sear: Our biggest fear was that Merrill Lynch would find out and fire us, Sear says.

(Part 2 of 3-part series) Hou-Sear team can't always beat RIAs so it joins them
Why Hou-Sear turned down $60 million to start Luminous

Monday 9.28.09
Paul Lally: "If you educate me, please don't leave me at the altar."

Fidelity races to develop M&A program ahead of looming merger boom
Boston custodian seeks to manage a flood of client requests

Wednesday 9.23.09
Mark Sear [left in dark blue shirt] and David Hou[right in dark blue shirt] : It took a year to get these smiles

Coming Soon: Multi-Part Series on the Hou-Sear departure from Merrill Lynch
Intensity of breakaway was unprecedented, lawyers and custody execs say

Friday 9.18.09
Schwab IMPACT: Advisors come for its punch

The 10 top things to know on the eve of Schwab IMPACT 2009
A fragmented industry gets under one tent

Saturday 9.12.09
Sean Cook: Fidelity's cuts are a validating symbol of the company's willingness to take alternative investments

One notable Fidelity price cut may enliven conversation, advisors say
Cut of alternative investment custody fees is symbolic to key Schwab advisors

Thursday 9.10.09
Fidelity cuts come two months after Schwab's and go further

Fidelity's Durbin debuts with strategic price cuts
Head of RIA unit wants to eliminate obstacles to winning business

Thursday 9.10.09
Doug Talir: Ameritrade went upscale

Scottrade rakes in small RIAs
Discount retailer turns its sights on advisors

Friday 9.4.09
Fidelity Investments continues to see high-level executive changes

Perspective on departure of Fidelity's top advisor exec [updated]
Michael Clark set the bar high

Wednesday 9.2.09
Say good-by to this website

Schwab technology undergoes metamorphosis
Beta tester still has wish list for Schwab upgrades

Tuesday 9.1.09
Eric Thurber, Fred Molfino and Brett Sharkey: Have a niche with VCs on Sand Hill Road

Citigroup share plunge triggers elite Smith Barney team to consider breakaway
Three Bridge Wealth Advisors go RIA route after competitor provides help

Thursday 8.27.09
Barnaby Grist: Big brokerage teams came out of hibernation

Breakaway broker signings rocket ahead in July
Big mood shift has brokers seeking the dotted line to become RIAs as stock market rebounds

Monday 8.17.09
Bernie Clark: Clients have "moved on emotionally" from wirehouses

Schwab: Breakaway uptick is part of secular trend (part 1 of 2 in series)
Breakaway pick-up is mere acceleration of awareness

Tuesday 8.11.09
Matt Lynch: Moving account to Pershing after it "broke down the borders" for hybrids

Two Broker-dealers pick Pershing for hybrid tech after HybridOne comparison [part two of three in a series]
Capital Analysts and First Allied see true melding of hybrid assets at Pershing

Monday 8.10.09
Brooke Southall: I separate brokers as people from brokers as an institution

Welcome to RIABiz on day one
Online publication for financial advisors debuts from Sausalito, Calif.

Thursday 8.6.09
Mark Tibergien: Plays role in marrying RIA and brokerage assets

Pershing puts RIA custody on desktop of thousands of IBD reps (One of three articles in a series)
Pershing makes mini-custodians out of broker-dealers

Thursday 8.6.09
Schwab, TD disclose magnetic effects

With big assist from RIAs, Schwab is still a net new asset magnet
Wirehouses keep net flow numbers to themselves

Thursday 8.6.09
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