4 Retirement Planning Lessons I Learned From 'Everesting'
Lincoln Financial’s Tim Seifert draws parallels between "Everesting" climbs and retirement planning, urging advisors to visualize a client’s retirement summit, break the journey into small, repeatable steps, and act as a supportive community. He highlights the looming "Peak 65" wave as millions hit retirement age and notes that roughly 100,000 advisors—about 42% of industry AUM—will retire by 2034, creating a trust‑building imperative. Seifert’s framework positions advisors to guide clients through market volatility and the massive wealth transfer reshaping the U.S. financial landscape.
Financial Advisors, Stop 'Shoulding' All over the Place
Tim Maurer, senior VP at SignatureFP, led a Foundation for Financial Planning webinar urging advisors to replace judgmental "should" language with curiosity and empathy. He highlighted research showing a gap between advisors’ self‑assessment and client perceptions, especially around understanding client...
10,000 by 2030: How Nonprofit's New Executive Director Aims to Kick-Start Financial Careers
Wall Street Bound, a nonprofit that trains underrepresented youth for finance careers, has appointed Walter Rendon as its new executive director. The organization, founded by Troy Prince, aims to guide 10,000 students into the financial services industry by 2030 and...
What to Expect in Advisor Pay in 2026
Compensation grids for 2026 reveal regional wealth managers are reshaping pay to push advisors toward larger accounts. Janney and RBC have lowered payouts for advisors generating $400K‑$1M, while rewarding $2M producers with top‑tier compensation. Wirehouses such as Merrill, Morgan Stanley and...
3 Portfolio Fixes to Make Now for 100-Year-Plus Lifespans
Medical breakthroughs and AI‑driven therapies are extending average lifespans toward 100 years or more, forcing wealth managers to rethink traditional retirement planning that assumes a 90‑year horizon. Toews Asset Management’s Eben Burr argues that longer health spans demand higher, more...
6 Marketing Moves to Shift RIAs Into Growth Mode
The SEC’s updated marketing rule now permits registered investment advisors to showcase client testimonials and online reviews, removing a long‑standing compliance barrier. Advisors are urged to adopt modern marketing funnels that nurture prospects across multiple touchpoints, rather than relying solely...
What 13 Giant Wealth Management Firms Paid CEOs in 2025
In 2025 the wealth‑management sector posted record asset growth and pretax margins, prompting a wave of soaring CEO pay at its largest publicly traded firms. BNY’s chief earned $83.5 million, while Wells Fargo, Citi and Goldman Sachs CEOs each received compensation near or...
Locked Into Concentrated Capital Gains? Exchange Funds Could Help
Exchange funds let investors swap concentrated, highly‑appreciated stocks for a diversified basket, deferring capital‑gains taxes under Section 721. A mandatory seven‑year hold period spreads gains across participants, instantly reducing single‑stock risk. Start‑ups like Cache are popularizing the model, amassing over $1.25 billion...
What RIA Buyers and Sellers Are Prioritizing in a Shifting Market
The wealth‑management sector is becoming more institutional, with larger RIAs and aggregators mimicking wirehouse structures. M&A activity surged in 2025, reaching 466 deals—a 27% increase year‑over‑year—while buyers now emphasize strategic fit and cultural compatibility. Sellers are shifting focus from headline...
RIA Acquires Bellevue Accounting Firm
Registered investment advisor Soltis announced the acquisition of Bellevue‑based GDM Private Financial Solutions, adding 11 accounting and tax professionals to its team. The deal integrates GDM’s accounting, tax and advisory services for small‑ and midsized business owners with Soltis’ $13 billion...
Private Market Investments Have Gone Mainstream. Now What?
Private‑market allocations have moved from niche access tools to core portfolio components as households with $5‑$20 million in assets now control 40% of U.S. investable wealth, up from 18% in 2013. Advisors are fielding more client inquiries about high‑profile private companies...
Growth, Not 'Lifestyle' — RIA Leaves Commonwealth for Merit
Merit Financial Advisors acquired Strategic Retirement Plans, a Montana‑based RIA with $577 million in AUM and $5.35 million in retirement plan assets. The transaction emphasized growth rather than a retirement‑cash‑out, with more than half of the purchase price paid in equity stakes....
How Family Talks, and the Right Trust, Can Build 'Estate Tax Magic'
The Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management white paper emphasizes that family dialogue and the right trust structures are essential to preserving generational wealth. It outlines a three‑part rubric—pay lower taxes now, transfer assets to reduce future estate taxes, and...
Iran Conflict Pushes Advisor Sentiment to Lowest in Nearly a Year
The Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook (FACO) survey showed sentiment slipping to a -8 score in April, the lowest level in nearly a year. The decline was driven by heightened geopolitical risk from the Iran war and lingering dissatisfaction with the...
Treasury Picks BNY, Robinhood for Trump Accounts Rollout
The U.S. Treasury announced a partnership with The Bank of New York Mellon and Robinhood to launch the “Trump accounts” retirement‑savings program for newborns. Each child born between 2025 and 2028 will receive a $1,000 seed funded by tax dollars,...
