DOL Proposal Provides Immediate Opportunities for Advisors
The U.S. Department of Labor released a proposed rule on March 31 that redefines fiduciary duties when selecting designated investment alternatives for retirement plans. The regulation shifts focus to a process‑based standard, affirms product neutrality across asset classes, and introduces a safe‑harbor framework requiring analysis of six key factors. Although the final rule is pending a comment period, advisors can immediately leverage these guidelines to strengthen client conversations, refine investment policy statements, and position themselves for upcoming compliance demands.
Schwab Makes AI Push, With Client-Facing Agents To Roll Out in June
Charles Schwab announced a major AI expansion in its Q1 earnings, joining a $65 million Series B round for the AI tax platform Wealth.com and pledging to roll out client‑facing chat and voice assistants in June. The firm also previewed an AI‑driven...
TaxStatus Expands on Integration with Advice.ai
TaxStatus, an IRS account‑monitoring service, has deepened its partnership with Advice.ai, adding twelve AI‑generated tax‑planning strategies to its platform at no cost. The integration leverages up to 13 years of IRS data and Advice.ai’s knowledge base to automatically generate personalized...
DeVoe: RIA Deals Become More Concentrated at the Top
The DeVoe & Company Q1 2026 RIA Deal Book recorded 93 merger‑and‑acquisition transactions, a 24% year‑over‑year increase and tying the record for the most active quarter. Large advisory firms with $1 billion‑$5 billion in assets now account for 30% of deals, while...
TIFIN Revamps AI Platform for Wealth Managers
TIFIN has relaunched its AI offering as TIFIN.AI, an enterprise‑grade, agent‑centric platform designed for wealth managers and product providers. The new system features a library of AI agents that can be deployed across advisory, operations, investment and client‑facing workflows, allowing...
Avoiding the 'Train Wreck': Why to Plan Succession 5 to 7 Years Out
Panelists at RIA Edge Nashville warned that succession planning for registered investment advisors carries uniquely high stakes and should begin five to seven years before a transition. Jeff Concepcion of Stratos Wealth Partners highlighted the disastrous outcomes of inadequate planning,...
McKinsey: Wealth Management Is Victim of ‘SaaSpocalypse’
McKinsey’s latest report warns that the wealth‑management sector is undergoing a “SaaSpocalypse” after Altruist’s AI‑driven tax‑planning tool sparked a market sell‑off that erased more than $100 billion in equity value. The consultancy argues investors are now discounting future cash flows, fearing...
Atkins Faces Ticking Clock as He Reshapes Rules for Wall Street
SEC Chair Paul Atkins, a Trump‑appointed regulator, entered office promising crypto rules, IPO reforms, and lighter reporting burdens. A year later, his agenda stalls due to a six‑week government shutdown, an 18% staff cut, and new White‑House sign‑off requirements. Atkins...
RIA Edge Nashville Panelists: Take Your Time with AI As the Tech May Change On You
At the RIA Edge Nashville conference, wealth‑tech leaders cautioned advisors to adopt AI cautiously, emphasizing short‑term pilots and demos rather than large, permanent contracts. FINNY AI unveiled its new marketing platform, Hunter, while panelists highlighted the importance of aligning vendor...
13 Investment Must Reads For This Week (April 14, 2026)
Buffer ETFs have crossed $87 billion in assets under management, with 26 new products debuting in the past three months, reflecting aggressive product diversification. Meanwhile, U.S. mutual funds posted a negative 2.8% total return in Q1, driven by a 5.6% March...
RIA Edge Podcast: Building a Sustainable RIA with Oliver Cross
The RIA Edge Podcast episode features Oliver Cross, founding partner and head of growth at Verum Partners, discussing how the firm grew from a breakaway team into an independent registered investment adviser with over $1 billion in assets under management. Cross...
Morningstar: 60/40 Model Beats Diversified Portfolios Over the Long Term
Morningstar’s 2026 Diversification Landscape report finds that while diversified portfolios outperformed the traditional 60/40 mix in 2025, the classic allocation delivered higher risk‑adjusted returns over 10‑ and 20‑year horizons. The test diversified portfolio, which added international stocks, multiple bond segments...
FINNY Launches AI Tool Hunter for Financial Advisors
FINNY AI unveiled Hunter, an autonomous marketing engine that handles strategy, content creation, and campaign execution for financial advisors. The tool builds on FINNY’s recent $17 million Series A round, turning the platform from a user‑operated system into an AI partner that...
Goldman CEO Sees Noise Persisting on Retail Private-Credit Funds
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said retail investors' concerns about private‑credit funds will persist, but Goldman remains comfortable in the space. The bank's $15.7 billion private‑credit fund saw redemptions just under 5 % in Q1, narrowly avoiding a broader outflow. Overall, the...
TPAs Are Leveraging AI, Convergence to Enable Advisors, Providers
At the second annual TPA Roundtable in Chicago, industry leaders examined how artificial intelligence and the convergence of wealth and retirement are reshaping third‑party administrator (TPA) operations. Participants highlighted a surge of new 401(k) plans, fee pressure, talent shortages, and...
