Episodes

  • LPL brings the pain, Cerity Partners makes it rain

    LPL brings the pain, Cerity Partners makes it rain
    Feb 20 2026
    Ian, Andrew and Alex discuss LPL Financial’s move to lay off 3% of its workforce, a story that broke in the same week that the firm’s stock sold off dramatically amid AI anxiety. They also dig into Cerity Partners’ $1bn deal with private equity firm Warburg Pincus, which values the mega-RIA at $8.5bn.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Wealth management’s DeepSeek moment?

    Wealth management’s DeepSeek moment?
    Feb 13 2026
    Wealth stocks sold off sharply this week, triggered by a new AI-powered tax planning tool from custodian Altruist. But what does the tool do? And what does the selloff portend – the end of wealth management as we know it, or that listed legacy players will be disintermediated by new tech? This Week in Wealth separates the signal from the noise.
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Ritholtz sells shares to team, LPL’s retention dream, an RIA and an NHL team

    Ritholtz sells shares to team, LPL’s retention dream, an RIA and an NHL team
    Feb 6 2026
    Ian, Alec and Alex discuss Barry Ritholtz, co-founder of $7.6bn Ritholtz Wealth Management, selling a portion of his stake in the New York City-based RIA to its employees as part of a planned internal succession. They also check in on LPL’s efforts to retain Commonwealth advisors following last year’s $2.7bn deal. And have the lowdown on $2.1bn RIA First Long Island Investors pursuing a sale, including the firm's financials and its founder’s past as an owner of the New York Islanders.
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Sale fail won't derail Edelman's financial engine

    Sale fail won't derail Edelman's financial engine
    Jan 30 2026
    Ian, Alec and Alex discuss the outlook for mega-RIA Edelman Financial Engines under new CEO Ralph Haberli and the repercussions of last year’s failed sale. They also analyze a change at the top of Pershing and what this might mean for the platform in an increasingly competitive custodian market.
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Hightower weighs pay changes, Cresset raises $300m

    Hightower weighs pay changes, Cresset raises $300m
    Jan 23 2026
    It has been a busy year for Hightower Signature Wealth. The business hit $21bn after merging in five new firms, is weighing a change to the way its advisors get paid and saw its head of succession planning depart. And we’re still in January! Ian, Sam and Alex dig into the details. They also discuss Ian’s scoop on Cresset raising $300m and explore the SEC’s latest piece of guidance on its marketing rule.
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
  • SEC gives RIAs a late Christmas present

    SEC gives RIAs a late Christmas present
    Jan 16 2026
    The regulator kicked off 2026 by proposing to raise its threshold for what constitutes a small advisory firm to $1bn in AUM, up from $25m. It’s a move that could affect more than 70% of RIAs, have an impact on the way future rules are written, and save advisors time and money. This Week in Wealth breaks down the details. Plus, there are two big deals to discuss.
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Goldman giveth, Mercer ups minimums, will Blackstone buy an RIA?

    Goldman giveth, Mercer ups minimums, will Blackstone buy an RIA?
    Jan 9 2026
    Ian, Andrew and Alex are back for the first This Week in Wealth episode of 2026. And despite the year only being days old, there has been no shortage of big RIA news. The team discusses Andrew’s scoop on Goldman Sachs’ plans to refer clients of its Ayco executive financial counseling division out to independent wealth managers. Two of the country’s largest wealth managers have already signed up, but questions remain about how it will work. We also go deep on mega-RIA Mercer Advisors’ decision to raise fees by 50% for some of its smaller-dollar clients. Finally, it would not be an early 2026 podcast without some predictions. Happy new year!
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • The most important RIA stories of 2025

    The most important RIA stories of 2025
    Dec 19 2025
    We have a quiz! Play along at home! It's a fun, if occasionally labored, way of covering the most consequential stories in US wealth management from the last year. How many can you remember and what will their impact be? Alex, Ian and Andrew discuss. On the topic of massive news, the team also breaks down one last big deal — Corient's approach for $89bn AlTi Global. This is our final episode of 2025, thank you all for listening. This Week in Wealth will return in 2026. Happy holidays!
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins