Business divorces are often painful, expensive, and damaging – not just to the individuals involved, but to the advisory firm’s reputation and, most importantly, to its clients. However, with some foresight and planning, many of the common triggers for a business split can be avoided.

When buying or selling an RIA practice, one of the most important documents you'll encounter is the Asset Purchase Agreement (APA). This agreement is like the foundation of the deal, spelling out exactly what is being bought or sold, how much will be paid, and the responsibilities of both parties.

In this article, I will explore the key considerations for investment advisors when selling a minority interest in their firms to maximize the likelihood of success. I discuss how to choose the right investor, provide a blueprint for the process.

In this article, I will discuss what compliance officers do and the various factors advisors should consider in determining who should serve as their CCO.

In this article, I summarize some of the most common mistakes I come across when reviewing client agreements and how such mistakes can cost an advisor.

In this article, I highlight five important steps firms looking to purchase an RIA can take to achieve their goals. For a step-by-step guide to buying an RIA.

In the competitive landscape of the investment advisory industry, retaining top talent is essential for the long-term success and growth of investment advisory firms. To incentivize and reward key employees, investment advisors often turn to equity compensation tools.

Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the investment advisory space has been very active in recent years, and this, along with the increasing age of many firm founders, has prompted more than a few owners to explore the potential sale or merger of their firms.

I will explain what AI is and how it’s impacting the financial services industry; some regulatory and legal concerns with respect to the use of AI; and how RIAs can take their first steps to utilizing AI in their practice responsibly.

This article provides an overview of RIA buy-sell agreements, addressing what they are, why they’re important, their key elements, and common mistakes RIAs make with respect to those agreements.

I explain what mock compliance exams are and seven tangible benefits RIAs can achieve from them.

The top-line purchase price for the sale of an RIA often garners the most attention. But this figure can be misleading and does not tell the whole story or reveal whether the deal is favorable for the seller or buyer.

I highlight six important ways advisors can best prepare to sell their RIA to an external third party.

I provide a high-level overview of the various stages of an RIA merger, sale, or acquisition transaction and detail key considerations for buyers and sellers during each stage including a discussion of the key legal documents.

Here are the 10 steps to take before termination.

I highlight seven common mistakes I have observed in employment agreements and how these mistakes can be remedied to better protect RIAs.