Waverly Advisors Creates First New Orleans Area Office With $3.1B Acquisition
Waverly Advisors, a Birmingham‑based registered investment advisor, completed the purchase of New Orleans‑focused TruWealth Advisors for $3.1 billion, boosting its assets under management to roughly $34.2 billion. The deal adds a new office in the Greater New Orleans area, bringing Waverly’s footprint to more than 50 locations nationwide. TruWealth’s 31 employees, including founder Chuck Simmons, will join Waverly as partners and advisors. This transaction is the firm’s 32nd acquisition since a 2021 equity infusion from Wealth Partners Capital Group and Aspire Holdings.
Vanguard Adds to Its Fixed Income Model Portfolio Menu
Vanguard has introduced a new suite of ten Target Maturity Corporate Bond ETFs, expanding its fixed‑income model‑portfolio menu. The ETFs combine the diversification and liquidity of exchange‑traded funds with defined‑maturity characteristics traditionally found in individual bonds. Each fund carries a...
Harold Hughes Departs as TritonPoint Partners CEO
Harold Hughes has stepped down as CEO and chief compliance officer of TritonPoint Partners, the acquisition arm of $1.8 billion TritonPoint Wealth. Hughes, who joined the firm in May 2024 and led the division since its February 2025 launch, retains a minority ownership...
Six Wealth Firms That Avoid Cliché Branding
A Gregory PR study of the CNBC Financial Advisor 100 found branding originality alarmingly low. Ninety‑four firms scored below 8 on a 1‑to‑10 originality scale, with an average score of 5.86. Six firms fell under 4.0, while a handful of top performers earned praise...
LPL Claims Hackers Accessed Client Accounts Through Advisors’ Devices
LPL Financial disclosed a cybersecurity breach that compromised advisor devices on November 10, 2025, affecting 1,581 client accounts. Malware delivered via phishing gave hackers unauthorized access to the firm’s web‑based advisor portal, leading to illicit securities trades and financial transfers. LPL halted...
Deals & Moves: $10B F.L.Putnam Expands to Midwest with Michigan-Based Arcadia
F.L.Putnam Investment Management, now a $10 billion registered investment advisor, has entered the Midwest by acquiring Kalamazoo‑based Arcadia Investment Management, adding $670 million in assets and a six‑person team. The deal marks Putnam’s first Midwestern office and expands its national footprint. In...
The Real Risk of SpaceX’s IPO
SpaceX is poised to launch an IPO that could be fast‑tracked into the Nasdaq 100 under new May 1 rule changes, allowing inclusion after just 15 trading days and without a 10 % free‑float floor. The accelerated entry would force major tracking funds...
Good Vibes Only: How Financial Advisors Can Build Custom Tools With AI
Wealth‑management advisors are turning to "vibe coding," a form of agentic AI that lets an AI agent write and deploy software from simple prompts. Jason Pereira of Woodgate Financial demonstrates how tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and platforms such as...
Joel Bruckenstein on AI, Advisor Tech Trends and the Future of T3
At the 22nd T3 Conference, organizer Joel Bruckenstein highlighted AI as the central theme, launching an immersive AI University to give advisors practical, hands‑on experience. He noted the debut of several new wealth‑tech platforms—including Advisor 360, Jiffy and Wallstream—aimed at delivering...
AI in DC Advisory: From Efficiency Tool to Strategic Growth Engine
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond basic productivity tools to become a growth engine for defined‑contribution (DC) advisory firms. Advisors are using AI for tasks such as transcription, client communication, and compliance, freeing capacity to pursue higher‑margin wealth services. NMG Consulting’s...
_(6).webp?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Savvy Wealth Unveils Agentic AI Platform for Financial Advisors
Savvy Wealth, an AI‑native registered investment advisor with nearly $6 billion in assets, launched Savvy Intelligence, an in‑house platform that unifies investment, tax and financial‑planning data in real time. The system serves the firm’s 135 advisors, eliminating manual reconciliation and third‑party...
From AI Curiosity to Implementation: How Firms Should Evolve Their Strategy
John O’Connell, CEO of the Oasis Group, says wealth‑management firms are moving from AI curiosity to full‑scale implementation. He notes that most advisors are already experimenting, but the next step is operationalizing AI through governance, use‑case selection and policy. Oasis...
People Moves: $62B RIA Clearstead Hires M&A Head
Clearstead Advisors, a Cleveland‑based RIA with $62 billion in assets under advisement, has hired Shaun McCracken as executive managing director of mergers and acquisitions. McCracken joins from Acrisure after eight years, most recently serving as its M&A director. The move reflects a...
The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors: A $2B UBS Breakaway Story
Ben Domingue, after building a $2 billion ultra‑high‑net‑worth practice at UBS Private Wealth Management, left the firm to launch Family Office Partners with Elevation Point. The new venture gives him the control and flexibility to execute advice that aligns with entrepreneurial clients’...
Hightower to Acquire $9.5B Affiliate The Bahnsen Group
Hightower announced it will acquire The Bahnsen Group, a Newport Beach‑based registered investment advisor managing roughly $9.5 billion in assets. Founded in 2015 as a Morgan Stanley spin‑out, Bahnsen has expanded to 12 locations and about 100 employees. The transaction, slated to...
Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk: Autocallable ETFs and Market Innovations with Will Rhind
GraniteShares CEO Will Rhind discussed on Zephyr how the SEC’s Derivatives Rule 18f‑4 unlocks broader use of derivatives in ETFs, enabling strategies once limited to hedge funds. He highlighted autocallable ETFs, which combine attractive yields with predefined downside protection, as a compelling...
Philanthropy Is Central to Advisor-Client Relationships
The 2026 TPI Study shows 99% of wealth advisors now view philanthropy discussions as essential, up from 90% in 2018, and 96% consider it an obligation. High‑net‑worth clients echo this sentiment, with 88% rating charitable conversations important and 80% expecting...
The New Realities of Provenance Risk
The Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act of 2025 was signed into law, eliminating the six‑year limitation and defenses such as laches for Nazi‑era art claims. A New York Supreme Court decision returned Amedeo Modigliani’s *Seated Man With a Cane*...
Early Termination of CLAT Doesn’t Constitute Self-Dealing
The IRS issued Private Letter Ruling 202614004, confirming that an early termination of a charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) via an accelerated, undiscounted lump‑sum payment to a donor‑advised fund (DAF) does not constitute self‑dealing, a taxable expenditure, or a taxable...
Powerful Forces Driving the Evolution of the TPA Industry
A DCIIA/TRAU study of 18 senior TPA executives reveals a rapid industry transformation driven by a surge of new retirement plans, heightened client expectations, and fee compression. Simultaneously, a tightening labor market—boomers retiring and Gen Z demanding higher wages—forces TPAs...
401(k) Real Talk Episode 189: April 22, 2026
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced a strategic pivot toward fairness and clarity, cutting staff by more than 20% and de‑emphasizing enforcement amid pending ERISA litigation reform. Meanwhile, AI‑driven tax‑planning tools sparked a $100 bn market sell‑off in wealth‑management stocks,...
Carson CCO Departs to Take President Role at CreativeOne
James Clements, Carson Group’s chief compliance officer since 2020, left to become president of CreativeOne Securities, an independent broker‑dealer with about $6 billion in assets. CreativeOne, founded in 1984, emphasizes advisor independence and a non‑proprietary product platform. Carson Group, a $57 billion...
The Wealthtech Map Is About to Look Very Different
The eight‑year‑old Financial Advisor FinTech Solutions Map is about to be reshaped, not by new vendors but by deeper integration of existing tools. Advisors are moving from layered, siloed tech stacks toward unified platforms where data, AI and workflows operate...
Estate Planning Lessons From Tony Hsieh's Contested $500M Will
Tony Hsieh, the Zappos founder, died in 2020 leaving an estimated $500 million estate with no documented will. In early 2025 a seven‑page document allegedly signed by Hsieh in Pakistan and witnessed by non‑existent individuals surfaced and is now before a...
Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk: Mike Khouw on Options for Income and Risk Management
In a Zephyr Adjusted for Risk podcast recorded from Lake Tahoe, market strategist Ryan Nauman interviews YieldMax ETFs strategist and CNBC contributor Mike Khouw about the surge in options‑based exchange‑traded funds. Khouw outlines YieldMax’s single‑stock call‑write approach, which aims to generate...
Alts Platform Gridline Hires First COO From CAIS
Gridline, the 2022‑born alternative‑investment platform, appointed Chris Crawford as its first chief operating officer, bringing six years of operational leadership from CAIS. The hire follows a $18.5 million Series A round that lifted total capital to $27.5 million, underscoring the firm’s push...
Deals & Moves: Mariner Adds Two Teams of $500M to W-2 Channel
Mariner, the Overland Park‑based RIA with roughly $632 billion in client assets, has acquired two advisory teams, adding $500 million in assets. The Dunlop duo from St. Louis brings $400 million, while Grant Palmer III’s Maryland team adds $100 million. The acquisitions were completed on March 31...
AI in WealthTech for the Middle and Back Office: Our Top Three Predictions for 2026
The article outlines three AI-driven predictions for wealth‑tech by 2026: conversational interfaces will replace traditional web forms, AI‑personalized back‑office functions will turn support staff into service multipliers, and AI agents will only thrive once mature, publicly accessible APIs become commonplace....
People Moves: Raymond James Appoints New COO for Private Client Group
Raymond James named long‑time veteran Patrick O’Connor as chief operating officer of its U.S. Private Client Group, effective May 15. O’Connor, who has spent 24 years at the firm across wealth, retirement and alternative‑investment units, will drive growth initiatives, strategy execution and...
$10B Bank Team Advisors Break Out to Form RIA Prairie View
Three senior advisors from The First National Bank’s $10 billion wealth team have launched Prairie View Wealth Partners, a fee‑only registered investment advisor based in Sioux Falls. The founders—Adam Cox, Kyle Cipperley and Paula Bindert—aim to reach $250 million in assets under...
.jpeg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
RIA Buyers Say Slow Growers Must Prove Deal Will Boost Production
At RIA Edge Nashville, top RIA acquirers emphasized that slow‑growth firms must demonstrate the ability to accelerate client acquisition after a sale. Organic client growth remains a primary valuation metric, but buyers will also scrutinize the sustainability and repeatability of...
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...
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...
Ameriprise Advisor Group Head to Step Down This Summer
Ameriprise Financial announced that Pat O’Connell, who has led its Advisor Group for more than a decade, will retire this summer. His responsibilities will be transferred to Bill Williams, already president of the Independent Advisors channel and head of the...
OneDigital Warns Clients of Alleged Salesforce Data Breach
OneDigital Investment Advisors disclosed that a breach of its Salesforce CRM exposed up to 28,414 client records, including names and Social Security numbers. The intrusion stemmed from the Drift chat‑agent integration rather than Salesforce’s core platform, and OneDigital’s internal network...
Is Your Client’s “Check Estate Plan” Light On?
Estate plans are often treated as static documents, but changing assets, tax laws, and family circumstances quickly render them obsolete. Advisors must conduct regular reviews, especially after liquidity events like a business sale that can triple a client’s estate value....
Ares Plans a Smaller Private Credit Fund With Less Leverage
Ares Management is preparing a new flagship U.S. direct‑lending vehicle, Senior Direct Lending Fund IV, with a target size of about $20 billion—significantly smaller than its record $33.6 billion predecessor. The fund will seek $10‑12 billion in equity commitments and use markedly less leverage,...
Vantage Point: Building a Tech Stack for Deep Financial Planning
Wealth advisors Tim and Alex Ortolani detail the technology stack that powers their deep financial planning practice. They rely on RetireUp for client‑friendly projections, RightCapital and eMoney for more sophisticated scenarios, and Advyzon as a combined CRM, billing and reporting...