Insights M&A

As you run your financial advisory practice, in the back of your mind you realize you’re building a valuable business. But do you know just how valuable? You could be pleasantly surprised. Market valuations of RIAs have roughly doubled over the past five years thanks to strong M&A demand from large-scale advisory practices, consolidators and …

 You tell your clients they shouldn’t leave retirement planning to the last minute. The same applies to your business – specifically, with succession planning for financial advisors. Ideally, when you leave, you smoothly transition your clients and staff to another advisor who fairly compensates you for the book of business. But this process doesn’t …

 The RIA landscape is enjoying historic valuations as bidding on these firms by other RIAs, broker-dealers, banks and private equity firms drives up prices. The interest is understandable. McKinsey reports RIAs have achieved 12% annual growth in assets since 2016, making them the fastest-growing category in the U.S. wealth management market. At Carson Group, …

Buying another advisor’s book of business is a way to immediately grow your assets under management and add new specialty services to your practice. If you’re considering an acquisition, chances are you’ve already got some idea of what you’re looking for, the valuation process for setting a price and how you would integrate the two …

Advisors who fall under OSJs typically find themselves paying exorbitant fees for a middleman. At the same time, you own your business, yet you’re still answering to a supervisor. That’s not freedom. If you’re spending your hard-earned revenue on additional support, make sure you’re getting the value you deserve. Join us for a special webinar …

Advisors wear every different hat for their firm – from advisor to business owner to marketer – and that can often keep them from focusing on the parts of their business that they enjoy most. But what if you had the back-office support to spend more time on your favorite parts of being an advisor? …

 How much are you worth? It’s a question advisors spend every day discussing with their clients, often without considering that question for their own firm. That’s where a valuation comes in. The most common reason advisors seek a valuation is to prepare for a sale or merger of their business. There are other motivations …

What will happen to your practice if something happens to you? It’s a question far too many independent financial advisor-owners avoid, and it’s a problem. Not having a plan in place in the event of your sudden death or incapacitation could put your business, your clients, your team and your family at risk. A business …

The financial industry has long been aware of an impending shift: the “great wealth transfer,” spurred by an aging population that has amassed vast resources. And as baby boomers move to their next phase of life, that crop of retirees includes many financial advisors as well. Roughly 20% of advisors are 65 or older, according …

There has never been a better time for advisor-CEOs to explore growing their business through M&A. Two key trends are fueling opportunities for significant growth — if you’re ready to take your business to the next level. The first trend changing the RIA landscape is the demographic shift taking hold as baby boomers transition out of …

 Mergers and acquisition activity in the wealth management space is hot. What’s driving this wave of deals? M&A gives advisors the chance to create even better practices by combining with others. Larger firms tend to generate more value through economies of scale and through teamwork versus smaller or solo practices. In addition, roughly 37% …