Articles published 9/2019
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Jilted once, Creative Planning gets Personal Capital's former 401(k) company, simplifies its ADV and cuts a remaining Tony Robbins thread in the bargain
CEO Peter Mallouk now has the onboarding software he coveted and the chance to make his $43-billion RIA hum in the micro-plan market
September 27, 2019 at 1:17 AM
Fidelity Investments inks deal with $180-million startup RIA (that it partly owns) to convert RIA clients into agents of ethics
The Boston giant's deal with NYC-based Ethic will encourage RIAs to replace ETFs and mutual funds with direct indexing that weeds out holdings out of step with firm and client values.
September 25, 2019 at 9:36 PM
Executive shake-up and staff hiring binge change Dynasty Financial Partners' talent mix, with Todd Thomson, Scott Welch, Ed Friedman and 12 women as headliners
The St. Petersburg-based producer of 'synthetic RIA scale' will continue to aggressively hire and adjust its talent ranks as it readies for next growth push.
September 24, 2019 at 2:02 AM
After Orion, Fidelity and Envestnet paid big for planning software, Morningstar finesses a DIY planning hack for Workstation; Black Diamond is also trying finesse to counter the continuing planning software grab
The portfolio management giants spent a combined $800 million; Now Morningstar has Goal Bridge and SS&C assures it is keeping even in planning race
September 20, 2019 at 4:29 PM
Head of Schwab Private Client is apparent casualty as Charles Schwab slices $100 million in expenses by pink-slipping 600 staff in face of interest rate 'time bomb'
Schwab executive Chris Thom let go by Schwab as part of its efforts to reduce its workforce by 3% this week, a source says to get ahead of an expected Fed rate cut that will slash revenues.
September 18, 2019 at 4:39 AM
How Michael Kitces' and Alan Moore's plan to sue the SEC on XY Planning's dime -- on behalf of all RIAs -- is a good business risk and a sign of possible FPA impotency
With more than 1,000 RIAs in its network, the Columbia, Md., super-blogger and his Montana-based partner get lawyers to accept a flat fee after the Financial Planning Association punts allowing a critical deadline to pass
September 17, 2019 at 3:24 AM
Wealthfront busts through $20 billion mark with its 'break things but make it happen' approach, but it's bedeviled by details when it comes to customers
CEO Andy Rachleff near doubles assets with high-interest paying robo-bank as new tailwind, but with brand risk as customer service may not be keeping pace, according to one cautionary tale.
September 15, 2019 at 2:42 AM
Independent Financial Partners makes anchor poach from Cambridge Investment Research to solidify compliance after losing LPL backstop
No longer an OSJ, Tampa-based IFP secures Melissa Loner as its chief compliance officer
September 12, 2019 at 10:40 PM
The 7 best quotes at WealthStack not uttered by Peter Mallouk, Joe Duran or Barry Ritholtz
The RIA business's traveling roadshow set high standards for chatter in Scottsdale, Ariz.'s high heat and generated a surplus of quotes
September 12, 2019 at 3:07 AM
Peter Mallouk and Joe Duran described the RIA business like they were from two separate planets, spinning heads at WealthStack
The Creative Planning CEO sees green pastures but for the United Capital manager 'the golden era is over' with Goldman Sachs there to pick up the pieces
September 12, 2019 at 3:00 AM
Oleg Tishkevich builds instant McKinsey-killer in RIA consulting by offering gigs and equity to six solo stars, but good luck managing egos and economics, says someone who's been there
The restless Invent.us founder names (thus far) Tim Welsh, Suzanne Siracuse, Gavin Spitzner, Mark Hollingsworth and Brian Bleasdell as owners in exchange for being on call to tackle big gigs as a superteam
September 10, 2019 at 10:52 PM
RIA buyers charge to Newport Beach moaning a familiar refrain: Not enough sellers! Yet, not one believes that RIA M&A is a bubble... much
Roll-ups, serial buyers and merger-minded RIAs still want to deals but fears creep up -- especially for $1B-plus AUM RIAs -- too much money is chasing too few deals.
September 9, 2019 at 9:00 PM
Schwab dismisses crypto currencies as 'speculative' and too insignificant for its RIA platform as rivals stake out turf for the coming boom... or is that bust?
CEO Walt Bettinger spurns growing crypto-custody trend, but observers say the custody giant is sleep walking through innovation while other firms plow ahead.
September 7, 2019 at 4:01 AM
Wealthfront purchases startup Grove, but deals clients to Facet and drops subscription pricing; instead it's gobbling up talent and tech
The $13.5-billion robo-advisor buys 'subscription robo' but the deal is about 'automating' and giving Grove's founders a home
September 4, 2019 at 8:14 PM
IRS alleviates suffering of RIAs who use fee-based annuities by ending the need for an excruciating tax conversation that brought their own fees into focus
RIA clients practically needed a CPA to understand the tax and the compassion of a mystic to accept it with aplomb; the Internal Revenue Service took pity
September 3, 2019 at 9:59 PM
Focus Financial files a shelf registration as debt swells above critical '4X' level then its shares dropped to new low in after-hours
Focus CEO all but ruled out a secondary offering on Aug. 8 in response to a Goldman Sachs analyst who asked about leverage, then asked, again.
