Everyone has heard the horror stories of founder buyouts gone wrong—valuation disputes, seller's remorse, eleventh-hour financing collapses, or pre- and post-sale surprises on the books—but with careful planning, an owner purchase it can benefit all parties. Our team has recently worked with clients whose owner purchase was textbook beautiful. Whether considering a purchase now or…

Focus Financial Partners has named Michael Nathanson, president of Focus and CEO of The Colony Group, as its next CEO, effective immediately. He takes over for interim CEO Dan Glaser, chairman of Focus' board of directors and operating partner at Focus' majority investment partner, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Glaser has been named executive chairman. Connected:…

Fiducient Advisors has named Mike Goss as president, succeeding Mark Wetzel, who will retire on May 3 after more than 18 years in the role. Most recently, Goss was a managing partner and chief revenue officer. One of two affiliate RIAs owned by NFP, an insurance and wealth management company recently acquired by Aon, Fiducient…

Change is inevitable, a fundamental, immutable and irrefutable law of nature. However, most of us resist instead of supporting, wasting valuable time, resources and energy. The defined contribution industry is no exception. As retirement planning takes center stage, emerging from what was once a sluggish financial services scene, it will further accelerate the consolidation of…

Len Bias was a star basketball player at the University of Maryland drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1986 and one step away from becoming a professional athlete. Unfortunately, he passed away just two days after being selected, but before signing any MBS or sponsorship documents, leaving him and his family out of reach of…

Sponsored by Listen in as David Bodamer sits down with Karen Veraa, Head of iShares US Fixed Income Strategy to discuss fixed income ETFs. Karen shares insights on navigating the current market complexities, from managing the impacts of inflation to exploring strategic investment avenues. Karen focuses on: Current state and future prospects of fixed income…

TD Ameritrade's automated system to approve clients for options trading missed numerous “red flags,” including when clients would submit multiple applications with different information, under a FINRA agreement. The firm agreed to pay a $600,000 fine. The period in question runs from November 2019 to October 2022, when Charles Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade (announced Schwab…

In March 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revealed a revised version of Form W-9, Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification Request, marking a significant update since its last revision in 2018. This change introduces new reporting requirements, particularly affecting flow-through entities such as trusts and estates. As a trust and estate attorney, understanding these modifications…

Wealth management is not just about the numbers on the balance sheet. To lead customers effectively, you need to know where their hearts are. One way to find out is to talk to them about philanthropy. Philanthropy, the art of giving to create a positive impact on society, is a dynamic journey. The life span…

Five years after the SEC approved non-transparent, actively managed ETFs, the vehicles have struggled to gain traction. Their opacity and lack of differentiation from transparent, actively managed ETFs has left investors unenthusiastic, industry insiders say. Unlike regular ETFs, non-transparent, actively managed ETFs do not have to report their holdings daily. Instead, these funds file monthly…