According to the Cogent Reports (formerly Cogent Research) Advisor Migration Trends™ 2013 report, nearly a quarter (23 percent) of all advisors are open to the idea of moving to a new firm. Of these advisors, those in bank and national channels were most likely to consider a change, citing greater independence as the most significant reason for wanting to make the switch.
A strong advisory practice is built on the strength and cohesiveness of the right affiliation, leading to the appropriate client offerings and business mix. How those criteria come together should be the primary considerations for advisors thinking of migrating from a bank or national firm to independent broker-dealer.
But, before these entrepreneurial-minded advisors take the leap, they should examine five critical elements to ensure they are affiliating with the right independent broker-dealer.
Chris Flint serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Advisor & Acquisition Strategies at Lincoln Financial Network
