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
Arizona seeks to strip advisor of license over GPB private placement sales
ALTERNATIVES JUN 03, 2025
Arizona seeks to strip advisor of license over GPB private placement sales

Michael Bradley faces allegations of "improper recommendation to clients" who bought GPB securities.

Morgan Stanley, Atria job cut details emerge
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS JUN 03, 2025
Morgan Stanley, Atria job cut details emerge

Back office workers and support staff are particularly vulnerable when big broker-dealers lay off staff.

FINRA penalizes another broker dealer for social media miscues
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 28, 2025
FINRA penalizes another broker dealer for social media miscues

FINRA has been focused on firms and their use of social media for several years.

Blackstone, Wellington Management, and Vanguard Group to run new interval fund; face big questions
ALTERNATIVES MAY 27, 2025
Blackstone, Wellington Management, and Vanguard Group to run new interval fund; face big questions

In regards to the new fund, called WVB All Markets Fund, Morningstar analysts wrote that, "despite the brand-name pedigree of the asset managers involved, most of these strategies are untested."

As Stifel fights one giant claim involving star Miami broker, it quietly settles others
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 23, 2025
As Stifel fights one giant claim involving star Miami broker, it quietly settles others

The competing legal strategies appear contrary to Stifel's public statements about defending its structured notes' tactics.

FINRA puts kibosh on David Lerner's sales of proprietary products
ALTERNATIVES MAY 22, 2025
FINRA puts kibosh on David Lerner's sales of proprietary products

For decades, the bulk of the retail brokerage industry has moved away from selling expensive, proprietary funds.

LPL cuts staff at Atria as it pitches stability to Commonwealth advisors
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 21, 2025
LPL cuts staff at Atria as it pitches stability to Commonwealth advisors

LPL is an acquisition machine, but the two deals are designed differently.

'Disgruntled' ex-Wells Fargo advisor loses fight with firm over loan money
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 20, 2025
'Disgruntled' ex-Wells Fargo advisor loses fight with firm over loan money

An effort by the advisor to move to the bank's independent contractor division proved to be a critical detail to the dispute.

Suspended broker went all in with alternative investment GWG bonds: FINRA
ALTERNATIVES MAY 16, 2025
Suspended broker went all in with alternative investment GWG bonds: FINRA

"It should be literally impossible for a broker to put 96% of a client's money in any investment," said one attorney.

Is LPL's new ad campaign 'pitch perfect' for advisors?
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 15, 2025
Is LPL's new ad campaign 'pitch perfect' for advisors?

The campaign series features "Pitch Perfect" film star Anna Kendrick delivering the message, "What if you could?"