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
Can a former advisor win a fight with the Securities and Exchange Commission?
OPINION JAN 15, 2026
Can a former advisor win a fight with the Securities and Exchange Commission?

Former insurance agent Dean Vagnozzi claims SEC has dragged his name and reputation through the mud.

Merrill warns about crypto as financial advice industry warms to digital assets
WIREHOUSES JAN 15, 2026
Merrill warns about crypto as financial advice industry warms to digital assets

Roughly one-third, 32%, of financial advisors invested in crypto for client accounts in 2025, up from 22% in 2024, according to a new survey.

LPL, Ameriprise report online attacks on clients’ accounts, data to Maine
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS JAN 13, 2026
LPL, Ameriprise report online attacks on clients’ accounts, data to Maine

A number of financial advice firms over the past several years have reported similar data breaches.

Small B-Ds still get plenty of FINRA’s ire as actions against firms fall, attorneys say
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE JAN 12, 2026
Small B-Ds still get plenty of FINRA’s ire as actions against firms fall, attorneys say

'FINRA’s 2025 disciplinary statistics reflect a significant reining-in of FINRA’s enforcement program,' according to analysis.

Blue Owl BDC boosts share buyback in 'uncommon' offer to investors
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS JAN 12, 2026
Blue Owl BDC boosts share buyback in 'uncommon' offer to investors

The liquidity increase at the nontraded Blue Owl Technology Income Corp. comes as some advisors and clients are bailing from BDCs.

Using AI carries specific risks for financial advice firms, warns Merrill
WIREHOUSES JAN 08, 2026
Using AI carries specific risks for financial advice firms, warns Merrill

AI tools are highly complex and may be flawed, hallucinate and reflect biases, according to Merrill.

Eyeing bankruptcies, some clients bail on BDCs, private credit
ALTERNATIVES JAN 08, 2026
Eyeing bankruptcies, some clients bail on BDCs, private credit

Declining distribution rates at some BDCs didn’t help either.

Blackstone REIT offers bonus shares in move that could goose sales
ALTERNATIVES JAN 07, 2026
Blackstone REIT offers bonus shares in move that could goose sales

The incentive program will translate into an extra 1% of shares for clients who put money into the REIT through April 1.

Stifel settles another case with clients of former star broker, Chuck Roberts
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE JAN 06, 2026
Stifel settles another case with clients of former star broker, Chuck Roberts

The St. Louis-based Stifel has paid millions of dollars in damages to former clients of Roberts over the past year.

Another alts fund – an Inland REIT – reports sagging value
ALTERNATIVES DEC 19, 2025
Another alts fund – an Inland REIT – reports sagging value

“The 2025 tariffs caused difficulties in the market,” said Mark Zalatoris, CEO of the Inland Real Estate Income Trust Inc. “Investors in real estate are looking at uncertainty."