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 3541 results
Ex-broker in Florida gets more than six years for stealing $2 million from senior
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE AUG 25, 2026
Ex-broker in Florida gets more than six years for stealing $2 million from senior

Eric J. Stone was fired by Fidelity in 2021 after facing claims he took loans from clients.

Forbes advisor list update: Morgan Stanley drops it, owner says changes are coming
WIREHOUSES AUG 24, 2026
Forbes advisor list update: Morgan Stanley drops it, owner says changes are coming

Meanwhile, the founder of advisor list gives reasons for secret $6 million payment to editor.

UBS will pay advisors 'handsomely' for banking starting next year
WIREHOUSES AUG 21, 2026
UBS will pay advisors 'handsomely' for banking starting next year

Regulators this year approved UBS Bank USA’s conversion to a nationally chartered bank.

Independent contractor formerly associated with MML Investors Services charged with running Ponzi
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE AUG 20, 2026
Independent contractor formerly associated with MML Investors Services charged with running Ponzi

Trevor Uhls was charged with wire fraud and money laundering in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Investors win lawsuit against Atlanta B-D over tax shelter investment, potentially a first
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE AUG 19, 2026
Investors win lawsuit against Atlanta B-D over tax shelter investment, potentially a first

InvestmentNews reported in 2017 that the IRS was scrutinizing the tax shelter land deals, called syndication conservation easements.

Giant Cambridge group in Pennsylvania bolts to LPL
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS AUG 18, 2026
Giant Cambridge group in Pennsylvania bolts to LPL

Conte Wealth Advisors reportedly has $1.4 billion in client assets and 20 advisors.

Georgia advisor gets maximum – 20 years – for $400 million Ponzi
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE AUG 17, 2026
Georgia advisor gets maximum – 20 years – for $400 million Ponzi

“Todd Burkhalter organized what is likely the largest Ponzi scheme in Georgia history,” said one FBI official.

Forbes fires top editor for secret payment from financial advisor ranking firm: New York Times
RIA NEWS AUG 13, 2026
Forbes fires top editor for secret payment from financial advisor ranking firm: New York Times

Randall Lane, Forbes’ editor, took cash from consultant the publication used for advisor lists.  

Ex-indy rep turned phony finfluencer gets two years in prison
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE AUG 12, 2026
Ex-indy rep turned phony finfluencer gets two years in prison

Kenneth Thom, 42, reinvented himself as a finfluencer known as “K Money.”

Investors pull $12.7 billion from nontraded BDCs in the first half of the year
ALTERNATIVES AUG 11, 2026
Investors pull $12.7 billion from nontraded BDCs in the first half of the year

Meanwhile, other clients are waiting in line to sell back shares worth billions of dollars to private loan funds.