- Risk Analytics for Financial Advisors
Clients look to you for help when navigating risk factors that may harm their portfolios. Financial risk analytics uses a big-picture approach to identify where threats may lie and the impact they could have on your clients’ assets and goals. Incorporating financial risk analysis strategies into your practice can enhance the client experience and encourage… read more…
- What Are the Typical RIA Custodian Fees?
RIA custodian fees range from $0 to 200 basis points (2%) a year, depending on the provider and how it prices its services. Schwab, Altruist and Interactive Brokers advertise $0 baseline custody fees, while others charge asset-based, ticket-based or flat fees. Betterment, for example, charges 0.20% for firms with under $10 million in assets. Because… read more…
- Website Design Checklist for Financial Advisors
A well-designed website is essential for connecting with prospective clients, promoting your advisory services and establishing your brand reputation. But how do you build a site that’s eye-catching, engaging and designed to provide a superior user experience? An advisor website design checklist can guide you through the process. Add new clients and AUM at your… read more…
- How Should Financial Advisors Spend Their Time?
You have plenty to do to grow your business and serve your clients. But there are only so many hours in a day. Time management is critical to furthering your success, not to mention maintaining your sanity. That’s where an ideal financial advisor time allocation schedule comes in. Creating one allows you to spend more… read more…
- What Is a Repapering Specialist?
Repapering is a time-consuming, but necessary step for advisors who are making the transition to a new firm or going independent. If you’d prefer to have professional help in navigating the process, you could consider working with a repapering specialist. Finding the right service to work with begins with understanding what repapering specialists do. SmartAsset’s… read more…
- Everything a Financial Advisor Needs to Know About Repapering
Repapering, which involves having your clients complete new contracts or other paperwork, can present a significant logistical challenge to even the most organized advisors. The more clients you have, the more complicated things can become. Preparation and the right tech tools can help you and your clients navigate a repapering event with as few hiccups… read more…
- 5 Tips to Improve Portfolio Reporting for Your Clients
Your clients rely on you to help them make informed decisions about advancing their financial goals. This is why portfolio reporting is important – it provides a framework for identifying risks, measuring performance and developing actionable investment strategies. Improving your reporting processes is also an effective way to build trust and enhance client relationships. SmartAsset’s… read more…
- Benefits of Equity Model Partnerships for RIAs
Part of growing a successful advisory business means making the strategic decisions necessary to advance your goals. One avenue you could consider is shared ownership in the business through an equity partnership model. Moving to an equity partner structure can offer some distinct advantages for scaling an RIA, which we’ll review below. SmartAsset’s Advisor Marketing… read more…
- How to Value a Wealth Management Firm
Buying or selling a wealth management firm requires careful planning. One of the most important considerations centers on valuation, which is typically based on one or more multiples. Here’s a closer look at the most often-used wealth management firm valuation multiples and how to use them to value an advisory business. Are you looking to… read more…
- 4 Tips to Improve Client Communications at Your Firm
How you communicate with your clients can be an important factor in determining whether they remain your clients or look elsewhere for financial advice. Good financial advisor-client communication is a reflection of how often you interact and the quality of those interactions. Improving your communication strategy is critical for building strong relationships that encourage trust… read more…
- 7 UX Books Financial Advisors Can Use to Improve Their Website
When a client visits your website, you want them to stick around. And their initial user experience can influence whether they linger or leave. User experience, or UX, is one of the most important design elements you’ll want to incorporate when building out your website. A well-designed site that’s easy to navigate can increase conversions… read more…
- How to Create Buyer Personas as a Financial Advisor
Buyer personas are an important part of a financial advisor marketing plan. Among top-performing advisory firms, 87% rely on ideal client personas for marketing and client acquisition, according to Schwab’s 2026 RIA Benchmarking Study. Those firms saw 1.3x more growth in 2025, compared to their competitors.1 Personas can help you tailor your marketing to develop… read more…
- What to Know About Valuations of a Financial Advisor Firm
Valuations can feel opaque, especially when two firms with similar revenue receive very different price tags. The answer lies in how advisory businesses are evaluated, what buyers prioritize and which metrics matter most. Understanding financial advisor firm valuation models can help you see your business through a buyer’s lens and make more informed decisions about… read more…
- Actionable Ways to Grow Your Financial Advisor Business
Growing a thriving advisory business takes patience and planning. A slow and steady approach can help you win the race, if you have a plan to follow. We’ll show you how to grow a financial advisor business using measures that are both actionable and impactful. SmartAsset’s Advisor Marketing Platform (AMP) offers financial advisors services like… read more…
- How to Build an Ideal Client Profile as a Financial Advisor
Financial advisors need clients to sustain a thriving business, and attracting the right ones can shape long-term success. One of the keys to growth is understanding who your ideal clients are and what they need from you to reach their goals. Let’s examine the value of creating an ideal client profile for financial advisors and… read more…
- Financial Advisor Job Description Template for Hiring Managers
If hiring top talent is part of your firm’s strategic growth plans, it’s to your advantage to know how to stand out among the competition. Drafting a compelling job description is critical for grabbing the attention of job seekers. Let’s look at how to create a financial advisor job profile to attract highly qualified candidates.… read more…
- How to Drum Up New Client Assets as a Financial Advisor
Increasing assets under management (AUM) is a goal many advisors share, and it’s one that can help fuel long-term growth. Top-performing RIAs added a median $49.2 million in assets from new clients and $16.9 million in assets from existing clients in 2024, according to Schwab’s 2025 RIA Benchmarking Study.1 If you’d like to make similar… read more…
- How to Hire a Branding Agency as a Financial Advisor
If you’re struggling to develop your unique identity and voice in the marketplace, you might consider hiring a branding agency. Branding agencies work with business owners to help them flesh out and maintain the brand image they use to sell their products or services. If that sounds like something you could benefit from, it’s important… read more…
- How Financial Advisors Can Develop a New Service Offering
Expanding your services can be an effective way to attract new clients to your advisory firm and generate more sales from your existing client base. It’s estimated that 54% of advised clients will receive comprehensive financial planning advice by 2027, as advisors branch out beyond investment management services to meet rising market demand. Understanding your… read more…
- Can You Be a Financial Advisor Without Doing Sales?
Selling is typically a big part of a financial advisor’s job; if you’re not closing deals, your business may stagnate. But what if you’re looking for a different kind of career in financial services? Can you be a financial advisor without sales? It might surprise you to learn that it is possible to work as… read more…
- How to Leverage Retainer Fee Structure as a Financial Advisor
Choosing a fee structure is one of the most important decisions for your business. Clients want to pay fees that reflect the level and quality of services they receive, while you want to feel fairly compensated for your effort and expertise. A retainer fee model can satisfy both parties and potentially help you attract new… read more…
- Wealthbox vs. Salesforce: Comparing CRMs for Advisors
Advisors rely on customer relationship management (CRM) systems to organize client data, identify growth opportunities and stay connected to their team. If you’re in the market for a new CRM, Wealthbox and Salesforce are two of the options vying for your business. If you’re torn over whether to use Wealthbox vs. Salesforce, it helps to… read more…
- Wealthbox vs. Redtail: Comparing CRMs for Advisors
Managing client relationships is a key part of any advisor’s success. This is why it’s so important to choose the right customer relationship management (CRM) solution for your business. Eighty-six percent of advisors use a CRM to run their businesses, according to the 2025 T3/Inside Information Software Survey.1 Wealthbox and Redtail are two of the… read more…
- How to Use Salesforce at a Financial Advisor Firm
Savvy advisors understand the importance of building a robust tech stack featuring a comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) system. But which one should you choose? If you’re interested in a cloud-based, AI-powered tool you can use to attract new prospects, drive engagement and manage client data more efficiently, Salesforce is one option you might want… read more…
- Wealthbox CRM Review 2026: Pricing, Pros and Cons
Wealthbox is a modern CRM that offers busy advisors everything they need to connect with prospects, clients and team members. Approximately 91% of financial planning firms use a CRM, according to the 2026 T3/Inside Information Software Survey. Among those advisors, 17.48% choose Wealthbox over other platforms.1 Is it the right CRM for your firm? Let’s… read more…