Displaying items by tag: RIA

The SEC’s proposed rule requiring registered investment advisers to demonstrate a high standard of due diligence and oversight when selecting and retaining third-party providers for certain tasks, such as investment management, has not been finalized. Yet, it offers RIAs a glimpse into the future compliance landscape, one that many may not have anticipated.

RIAs may delegate investment management to external firms for various reasons, such as freeing time to focus on client relationships, improving portfolio quality, or reducing internal operational tasks.

And while the new rule may appear to be an additional burden, it has a silver lining. RIAs that meticulously select top-tier firms for outsourcing and transparently communicate their rigorous due diligence and oversight procedures to their clientele can use this as a demonstration to their clients of their high standard of care.

Even though all such firms will be held to these same standards, how an RIA firm communicates its process to its clients can be a differentiator. Rather than viewing this solely as a regulatory hurdle, RIAs can capitalize on compliance with the new rule as a means to strengthen client trust.

Finsum: Discover how the SEC's proposed “know your third-party” rule can be a unique opportunity for RIAs to enhance client trust.

(New York)

2020 was a very unique year for recruiting. In particular, despite the obvious market and economic turmoil, it was a year in which almost all aspects of going independent got more favorable. Not only did working from home making recruiting conversations with new firms easier, but working from home itself made going independent seem less daunting. Further, firms’ appetite to offer great packages to recruit has grown considerably since this time last year, so it is certainly an advisors’ market when it comes to moving.

FINSUM: One other point to mention here is that clients themselves have also gotten more comfortable with their advisors being independent. The lack of office visits and growth of Zoom communication has limited the need for the big well-known logo in the office lobby when clients arrive. Independents seem likely to gain more market share.

(New York)

There are many reasons to change firms, whether that means going independent, jumping between brokers-dealers, or moving from RIA to RIA. In all the talk on recruiting one of the elements that often gets lost is how certain firms can or cannot help you grow, and this fact is doubly true in the RIA space. Most of the discussion around joining RIAs has to do with freedom, better income, and better services for clients, but one narrative advisors need to think more about is whether a firm actually has the power to help transform your growth. Most advisors don’t really think too much about an RIA’s brand power when moving because the main focus is on the freedom to run their own business. In reality though, some RIAs have much better capabilities for really boosting client acquisition and aum growth than others. For example, does an RIA have a particularly strong view on the markets, or a unique marketable approach to investing? Do they have a well-developed network/infrastructure for COI referrals? Other factors, like how strong their actual marketing support is, are all critical to whether joining that firm will help you win new clients and grow your business.

FINSUM: Whether you are already at an RIA or thinking of joining one from a B-D, advisors need to think carefully about how a particular RIA’s brand and offering may help them grow. It can be a major differentiator for success.

(New York)

COVID has affected the wealth management business as deeply as any other industry. Disruption has arrived, but opportunity has also come with it. But how will it impact the recruiting environment? By all accounts, it looks like the next six months or so will be an ideal time for advisors to move networks/companies. Firms are loosening purse strings and are jumping head first into recruiting again as periods of upheaval like COVID have usually led to increased movement among advisors. That means advisors are likely to get bigger checks for moving now than they would have earlier this year. The lack of conferences also means they are putting more money into other efforts to reach advisors.

FINSUM: Generally speaking, the COVID environment seems to have been beneficial for advisors. New efficiencies and work/life balance have been found as a result of working from home; deeper bonds with clients have been formed during the crisis; and there are increasing opportunities for recruiting. The speed of the market recovery has also been beneficial.

(New York)

Breaking away is a tense process for advisors. Not only is there the emotional “fear gap” about venturing into the unknown, but even considering the move is difficult. One of the major reasons why is that it is hard to know how much your comp might increase or what kind of deal you might get for moving. Advisors often ask themselves “what does my business need to look like in order to make a successful move?”. Well, here is some insight. Larger firms, say with $5m+ plus in revenue can easily afford to make the transition and hire all the consultants necessary to make a successful switch. However, the less known reality is that even solo advisors with between $50m to $100m in AUM can be very successful in moving. Payouts for such advisors can approach 80%, meaning those bringing in $500k of revenue can reasonably hope to keep $400k of it. As a rule of thumb, advisors’ take-home pay usually jumps 10-15 percentage points when breaking away from a wirehouse.

FINSUM: This is very useful information. We drew it from a number of sources, including Kitces.