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
Will LPL's new emphasis on recruiting from wirehouses pay off?
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS DEC 21, 2018
Will LPL's new emphasis on recruiting from wirehouses pay off?

Recent moves at LPL Financial make it clear that the firm will target more brokers who now work at wirehouses.

Merrill Lynch to pay $6 million for breaking Finra rules by selling coveted IPO shares to brokers' families, other brokers
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEC 20, 2018
Merrill Lynch to pay $6 million for breaking Finra rules by selling coveted IPO shares to brokers' families, other brokers

Over eight years, the wirehouse made at least 1,462 prohibited sales in 325 IPOs, including shares of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

SEC slaps Ancora Advisers with $100,000 fine for pay-to-play violations
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEC 19, 2018
SEC slaps Ancora Advisers with $100,000 fine for pay-to-play violations

Ancora Advisors made political contributions and then provided adviser services to public agencies.

SEC charges business journalist, 12 others who sold Woodbridge Ponzi
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEC 19, 2018
SEC charges business journalist, 12 others who sold Woodbridge Ponzi

The 13 additional unregistered brokers sold more than $350 million of the Ponzi's notes

SEC, Finra investigating GPB fund raising: sources
ALTERNATIVES DEC 18, 2018
SEC, Finra investigating GPB fund raising: sources

Regulators are making inquiries into GPB and the broker-dealers that sold their fund shares, according to sources.

UBS hit with $15 million in fines, penalties for AML problems
WIREHOUSES DEC 17, 2018
UBS hit with $15 million in fines, penalties for AML problems

Securities and banking regulators are continuing to focus on anti-money laundering procedures and policies.

Regional broker-dealers quietly making comeback now, but the future remains uncertain
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS DEC 15, 2018
Regional broker-dealers quietly making comeback now, but the future remains uncertain

After a period of decline, the regional brokerage industry is scoring recruiting gains at the expense of wirehouses.

Kestra Financial latest broker-dealer to be put up for sale
ALTERNATIVES DEC 14, 2018
Kestra Financial latest broker-dealer to be put up for sale

The independent B-D's owner, Stone Point Capital, has tapped Goldman Sachs to lead the deal.

LPL hires senior exec from MarketCounsel with extensive knowledge of breakaway brokers
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT DEC 14, 2018
LPL hires senior exec from MarketCounsel with extensive knowledge of breakaway brokers

Marc Cohen, formerly COO at the business and compliance consulting firm, joins the IBD in a business development role.

Wells Fargo Advisors 2019 comp plan sees little change
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT DEC 13, 2018
Wells Fargo Advisors 2019 comp plan sees little change

But lowest-producing advisers face a pinch in pay.