Future for RIAs bright and challenging

United Capital's Matt Brinker talks about the outlook for independent financial advisory firms.
MAR 19, 2018
From the outside, the independent financial advisory space appears to be flush with clients, assets and profitability, thanks in large part to a record run by the stock market. A closer look, however, shows some business-level vulnerabilities, including a declining client-acquisition rate, rising technology challenges and near-constant pressure on fees. For a look at what's on the table and what's ahead for registered investment advisers, InvestmentNews spoke with Matt Brinker, chief business development officer at United Capital Financial Partners, a $21.2 billion RIA with 86 offices across the country. As Mr. Brinker sees it, the future of the RIA space is both bright and challenging, and not having a solid plan for navigating the next few years is a mistake. (More: What the next market downturn means for small RIAs)

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