Financial advisors? The bulk of them have the horizon over their shoulder. Nice setting, but you get the drift. Over the next decade, reported advisorperspectves.com last year, about one third of advisors will call it a day. While that’s not exactly raise red flags, what does stand out is that no one’s stepping into their shoes.

The load down: On average, each year, 30,000 people sat for the series 7 examination to become a financial advisor. Now, not is it only closer to 5,000, most applicants are taking it with an eye not on becoming financial advisors, but registered assistants. You read that right.

You don’t need Wikipedia to get the meaning: among clients of advisors who lack a formal succession plan in place, the best clients can do is gird themselves to restart with a new advisor. Problem is, that advisor knows neither them or their goals. Double whammy.

That said, last year, Avantax announced 66 recruits in the fourth quarter, according to thinkadvisor.com.

The company was a regular magnet for the year, attracting 258 recruits, Todd Mackay, president of Avantax Wealth Management, the firm’s independent broker-dealer division, stated.