Q144 - How Does An RIA Compare To An Independent Broker-Dealer?

Transition To RIA Podcast · Mar 19, 2026 · 22m

I often encounter a phenomenon with long-tenured advisors.

As they've been born and bred at a broker-dealer, they simply assume they always need a broker-dealer.

And these are advisors whose practices have become nearly, if not entirely fee-based.

Yet their ingrained DNA tells them a broker-dealer is still required.

So when considering transitioning their practice to an independent model, they only consider broker-dealer solutions.

That is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.

With a predominantly fee-based practice, they need an RIA, not a broker-dealer.

On this episode (#144) of the…