Bruce Kelly

InvestmentNews

Bruce Kelly

Senior Columnist

26 years experience

Bruce's specialty topics

Legal and compliance Advisor compensation Alternative investments

Bruce is Senior Columnist for InvestmentNews, a leading publication for financial advisors and the wealth management industry.

An award-winning journalist, Bruce’s career at InvestmentNews began in 2000, two years after the launch of the newspaper. He has covered the brokerage industry ever since, focusing on financial advisors’ pay, the products they sell, and the firms on and off Wall Street where they work.

His reporting in the financial crisis 2008 and thereafter shed light on the many shortcomings of the financial advice industry, from weak regulation to the collapse of many broker-dealers.

Bruce writes an award-winning column, On Advice, and his daily breaking news reports give clarity and insight into what’s happening behind closed doors at the largest brokerage firms in the country.

Before becoming a journalist, Bruce taught middle school and high school English in Manhattan and Caracas, Venezuela, for a decade. He is the co-author of a 2010 book, “Financial Serial Killers,” and has two children.

How I think about writing for this industry…

“I love covering the financial advice business. We write about financial advisors and how they care about clients' lifesavings - what is more important than that?”

Awards and recognition

  • 2 SABEW awards
  • Neal Award

Also published by

Co-author of "Financial Serial Killers"

Read the latest stories by Bruce

Bruce Kelly
Displaying 3542 results
LPL ducks cash sweep penalty from SEC
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS FEB 24, 2026
LPL ducks cash sweep penalty from SEC

LPL Financial is missing a potential multi-million dollar penalty.

Ex-Morgan Stanley advisor’s trial for ripping off NBA players continues
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE FEB 23, 2026
Ex-Morgan Stanley advisor’s trial for ripping off NBA players continues

Darryl Cohen allegedly used clients’ money to build a gym in the backyard of his home. 

Broker-dealers got more than $100 million from selling bankrupt Inspired Healthcare’s deals
ALTERNATIVES FEB 20, 2026
Broker-dealers got more than $100 million from selling bankrupt Inspired Healthcare’s deals

With Inspired Healthcare filing for bankruptcy, the question is, what are their private deals really worth?

'Victims' of GPB Capital, failed private dealmaker, cited in Jeffrey Epstein files
ALTERNATIVES FEB 19, 2026
'Victims' of GPB Capital, failed private dealmaker, cited in Jeffrey Epstein files

Meanwhile, the name “David Gentile” is cited in a 2010 email to Epstein’s Google mail account.

LPL Financial latest to cut jobs; about 300 employees laid off
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS FEB 19, 2026
LPL Financial latest to cut jobs; about 300 employees laid off

It's the era when artificial intelligence software is replacing back office jobs.

Fidelity to pay $1.29 million in damages linked to structured products sales
ALTERNATIVES FEB 18, 2026
Fidelity to pay $1.29 million in damages linked to structured products sales

When structured notes or products go wrong, broker-dealers can wind up in costly litigation.

Bankruptcy hits assisted living developer that raised money through brokers
ALTERNATIVES FEB 17, 2026
Bankruptcy hits assisted living developer that raised money through brokers

Inspired Healthcare Capital “looks like the next GWG,” said one plaintiff’s attorney.

After hiring Commonwealth advisors and LPL recruiters, what’s next for Kestra?
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS FEB 13, 2026
After hiring Commonwealth advisors and LPL recruiters, what’s next for Kestra?

Against the backdrop of a successful recruiting effort last year, Kestra has been revamping its lineup of recruiters.

UBS loses $5.5 million lawsuit to real estate broker over shares in Compass
EQUITIES FEB 12, 2026
UBS loses $5.5 million lawsuit to real estate broker over shares in Compass

UBS has a history of costly litigation stemming from the sale of volatile investment products.

AI is taking over the financial advice industry and killing back office jobs
OPINION FEB 11, 2026
AI is taking over the financial advice industry and killing back office jobs

Financial advisors, however, are sitting pretty in the AI maelstrom.