- Remote RIAs by State: Where Financial Advisors Work From Home Most – 2025 Study
Working remotely can offer both potential opportunities and challenges for financial advisors. For remote advisors, commute and prep times may be slashed in favor of other productive tasks, and the geographic scope of potential new clients may widen. But working face to face with clients and teammates may also have lots of benefits, including access… read more…
- Integrating ESG Investing Into Advisory Portfolios
ESG investing incorporates environmental, social and governance factors into investment decisions. And while it’s something investors seem interested in, most aren’t implementing it in their own portfolios. A 2025 Gallup poll found that 48% of investors said they’d be interested in purchasing ESG investments, but only 10% are currently invested in sustainable funds1. Developing an… read more…
- $1 Billion in AUM: Where RIAs Manage the Most Assets – 2025 Study
Less than 3% of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) nationwide have $1 billion or more in assets under management (AUM). These firms may have found their success through various avenues – whether by leaning into a niche, building scalable systems, or identifying high-ROI marketing approaches – but all have proven their expertise and value to the… read more…
- RIAs in These States Are Taking Advantage of Business Opportunities Overseas – 2025 Study
While local households often serve as an RIA’s main prospect base, some firms opt to open their total addressable market by providing investment and advisory services overseas. At the same time, some foreign-based firms have registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in order to provide business services in the U.S. In both cases,… read more…
- These States Have the Most Potential AUM per Advisor – 2025 Study
Opportunity comes in many forms. Some advisors may try their luck in the places that currently boast the highest average incomes for the profession, while others seek to unearth niches that may offer returns at scale. While consumer demand for advisors may vary from place to place, it doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story of… read more…
- What Salary Do Financial Advisors Make After 10 Years?
A career as a financial advisor has the potential to be lucrative, but how much can you expect to make? It depends on several factors, such as the number of years of experience you have under your belt. Looking at the typical financial advisor salary after 10 years can give you a better idea of… read more…
- Where Financial Advisor Income Grew Most – 2025 Study
Financial advisors’ income is generally dependent on many factors beyond personal experience and aptitudes, including the wealth and income of their clients, target clients, their fee structure, quantity of clients, market conditions and even location. The vast differences among local economies in the United States mean some metro areas and states offer more and better… read more…
- How Valuable is the Average 55 Year Old Prospect to a Financial Advisor?
Focusing on specific client niches, or common characteristics and attributes that their target demographics share, can help financial advisors consolidate marketing resources. Understanding common threads within demographic cohorts can allow an advisor to speak more directly to the needs and concerns of their clients and prospects, thus strengthening their position among advisors competing for the… read more…
- Tesla, Tariffs and Taxes: Consumers Are Looking for Answers to These Financial Questions Right Now
Before a consumer turns to a financial advisor to answer their personal finance questions, they often turn to the internet first. Thus, advisors can use recent search trends to inform their content and marketing – heading off prospect and client questions proactively to add value and build trust. Trending searches can help inform newsletter content,… read more…
- Where CFP® Certification Is Booming: States Adding the Most Financial Experts – 2025 Study
Over 6,500 Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) were added nationwide in 2024, bringing the current total up to 103,093. Meanwhile, the number of CFPs® in some states can also shift when certificants move from one state to another. The number of financial advisors in an area can affect the quality and availability of service that clients… read more…
- Data Reveals Abrupt Shift in Consumer Sentiment Toward Personal Finance After Trump Win
Data points to an abrupt shift in the sentiment and priorities of Americans when it comes to their personal finances since the outcome of the 2024 presidential election became clear. Demand for professional financial advice has increased, signaling a wave of financial repositioning. Both the quantity and quality of consumers seeking to adjust their financial… read more…
- Average Assets Under Management (AUM) for Financial Advisors
Average assets under management (AUM) offer a useful benchmark for understanding where a financial advisory firm stands relative to the broader industry. While some practices oversee hundreds of millions of dollars, others may be smaller and more specialized, reflecting differences in client niches, services, and growth strategies. Looking at the latest SEC data provides perspective… read more…
- Analysis: How RIAs Are Underutilizing SEO for Passive Lead Generation
One of the biggest challenges for financial advisors is lead generation. While 88% of financial advisors report client referrals as a major source of new clients, RIAs looking to grow their business faster may look for more strategies to meet new clients¹. In terms of return on investment, setting up a passive way for proactive… read more…
- What’s the Average Salary for a CFA?
Adding a chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation to your professional resume can enhance your credibility, increase your career prospects, and potentially boost your earning power. But just how much does a CFA make? Let’s take a look at the average CFA salary and break down the specifics. SmartAsset’s Advisor Marketing Platform (AMP) offers financial advisors… read more…
- RIAs With the Highest Account Values – 2024 Study
Registered investment advisories (RIAs) cater to diverse client needs. Depending on their target market and specialties, some firms may focus on clients with different asset levels, which could affect the average number and size of accounts under management. Measuring these average account numbers and values, along with the total AUMs, could help industry stakeholders understand… read more…
- How Many People Use SmartAsset?
With millions of monthly site visits and a growing user base, SmartAsset provides people with tools and content to help manage their financial lives. Site users are also able to match with financial advisors for more personalized needs through SmartAsset’s matching algorithm. Understanding the site’s traffic patterns can help provide financial advisors insight into the… read more…
- 100 Fastest Growing RIAs – 2024 Study
As financial technology speeds up connections, expands geographical reach and increases access to financial tools, registered investment advisors (RIAs) must innovate and act quickly to attract clients and manage growing assets. The field is becoming more competitive than ever, with the number of RIAs serving. clients in the U.S. steadily rising. In August 2024, the… read more…
- What Are High Earners Not Rich Yet (HENRY) Individuals?
Attracting new clients to your business is essential for growth and if you’re forward-thinking, you might be interested in getting the attention of the high-earner-not-rich-yet (HENRY) crowd. These are individuals who have the income to propel them to wealth but lack the assets. There are some definite advantages to working with HENRYs, but the key… read more…
- What Is the Directional Movement Index (DMI) Indicator?
The Directional Movement Index (DMI) is way to project an asset’s price movement by combining a handful of individual metrics, often for the sake of technical analysis in market trading. Using historical price movements and current circumstances, investors may use the DMI to estimate the direction and strength of an asset’s price. While it may… read more…
- How Much Do Senior Financial Advisors Make?
Becoming a senior financial advisor can open up new avenues for career success. Taking on this type of role can also mean a significant increase in pay. But what’s a typical senior financial advisor salary? The average is around $120,000 annually. However, salaries operate on a range with some advisors earning more and others earning… read more…
- Financial Advisor Industry Statistics to Know
Whether you’re considering a career as a financial advisor or looking to work with one, it’s helpful to understand the landscape of this profession. Financial advisors provide expertise to help individuals and organizations make smart money decisions. Estimates vary, but approximately 300,000 financial advisors work in a range of industries and in every state and… read more…
- Essential Tech Tools for Every Financial Advisor
Technology can make running your advisory business easier but it’s important to know which ones are worth the investment. The best financial advisor tech tools are ones that can help you save both time and money while making it easier to scale and sustain your business. Some key categories of tech tools can prove most… read more…
- Guide to Volatility Drag for Financial Advisors
Volatility drag quantifies the negative impact that volatility has on the compounded returns of an investment over time. Sophisticated investors and financial professionals may be familiar with this complex concept, but relatively few ordinary investors encounter it. Volatility drag have a significant effect on the performance of any portfolio, especially over extended periods of time.… read more…
- Starting Salaries for New Financial Advisors in the U.S.
Entering the field of financial advising can be lucrative, but earnings vary widely depending on factors like education, certification, firm, location and clientele. Experience is one of the most important drivers of financial advisor compensation, with veteran advisors typically able to bring home several times the earnings of newcomers to the field. Understanding the salary… read more…
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Wealth Management
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making a growing impact across many industries, including financial services. While most clients still value the personal connection of working with a human advisor, the role of AI in wealth management is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. A 2024 Broadridge report found that 35% of advisors plan to use AI tools… read more…