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
Bank of America latest to loosen reins on advisors selling crypto
ALTERNATIVES DEC 04, 2025
Bank of America latest to loosen reins on advisors selling crypto

“I’m still skeptical about cryptocurrency and Bitcoin,” said one senior industry executive. “What’s underlying it?”

FINRA spanks Osaic B-D with $3M penalty linked to mutual fund switching
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEC 03, 2025
FINRA spanks Osaic B-D with $3M penalty linked to mutual fund switching

Switching clients’ mutual funds is well-established industry practice to generate commissions charged to clients.

Ex-broker in Ariz. targeted Christian investors in streaming fraud
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEC 02, 2025
Ex-broker in Ariz. targeted Christian investors in streaming fraud

Robert Swagger told clients he was investing their money into a streaming company for faith and family-friendly media projects.

The GWG Holdings saga
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE NOV 28, 2025
The GWG Holdings saga

GWG Holdings and its bond issuance have been at the center of bankruptcy, litigation, and more. This is InvestmentNews' complete coverage.

Long Island firm, advisors on the hook for at least $7M in damages to clients: Report
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE NOV 25, 2025
Long Island firm, advisors on the hook for at least $7M in damages to clients: Report

A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors and two executives recently lost four FINRA arbitration cases brought by their clients.

Blue Owl Capital ditched merger with related BDC; now it’s reconsidering, various outlets report
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS NOV 24, 2025
Blue Owl Capital ditched merger with related BDC; now it’s reconsidering, various outlets report

When reached for comment, Blue Owl co-president Craig Packer wrote to InvestmentNews: "The assertion that the merger is currently being considered for revival is false."

Cetera cuts more jobs as 2025 comes to a close
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS NOV 21, 2025
Cetera cuts more jobs as 2025 comes to a close

Meanwhile, UBS to lay off 58 in New Jersey early next year.

Christian financial advisor designation gains traction at Edward Jones
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE NOV 20, 2025
Christian financial advisor designation gains traction at Edward Jones

Move over Dave Ramsey. Here come Kingdom Advisors.

Rejiggered business development companies trading at steep discounts
ALTERNATIVES NOV 18, 2025
Rejiggered business development companies trading at steep discounts

"In general, it's a tough time to be a BDC right now," one senior industry executive said.

Grid creep at Wells Fargo?
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS NOV 17, 2025
Grid creep at Wells Fargo?

'Tis the season for wirehouses to roll out pay plans, known as grids, and sing their praises to tens of thousands of employee financial advisors.