Sometimes it’s easy for us to see inflation from rising diesel prices as a matter of analysis, but it hits home as a “kitchen table” issue for many clients, sometimes literally, as food prices can inflate due to diesel-dependent transportation costs. This week, Emily Damman and John Osier look at the real-world impact such issues can have for client conversations, risk, spending and more.
Advisors Are Driving Meaningful Change Beyond Their Firms With Charitable Work
Financial advisors can apply their professional skills to strengthen nonprofits and their communities, Invest in Others’ Faith Bitterman said during a webinar with Financial Services Institute (FSI).
The foundation plans grants of up to $25,000 for at least 80 nonprofits annually under its redesigned 2027 program, with more than $2 million in grant funding available.
Talent Stack: Mercer Advisors’ Laura Combs Discusses Building A Culture Where People Thrive
Laura Combs of Mercer Advisors joins Laurie Stack on the Talent Stack podcast to discuss developing talent, maintaining firm culture during rapid growth and using AI to strengthen client relationships.
Combs explains why firms should recognize collaboration alongside business results, create flexible career paths and act on employee feedback.
Wealth Set Go: Merchant’s Bryan Staff On Matching Capital To An RIA’s Future
Merchant’s Bryan Staff joins me on the Wealth Set Go podcast to discuss how RIA owners can match capital and strategic partnerships to their plans for growth, acquisitions and succession.
Our conversation examines capital structure across different stages of an RIA’s life cycle, including minority investment, debt and full-sale paths.
Whatever The Midterms Bring, FSI Will Keep Championing Advisors And Access
FSI will continue working across party lines to support independent advisors and access to financial advice, regardless of the midterm election results, writes Dale Brown.
Brown explains how bipartisan engagement supports proposals on advisor compensation, investor protection and tax relief.
How Advisors Can Steer Clients To Weather Rising Interest Rates
Chris Gunster of Fidelis Capital, Nick Holuta of Dynasty Financial Partners and Seth Hickle of Mindset Wealth Management discuss how advisors can adjust clients’ fixed income portfolios for rising rates.
They give differing perspectives on duration, bond ladders and opportunities to secure higher yields.
What High Diesel Prices Mean For Inflation And Client Conversations
Beacon Capital Management’s Emily Damman and John Osier examine how higher diesel prices affect inflation, household budgets and advisors’ client conversations.
They emphasize that rising living costs can reduce clients’ ability to withstand investment losses, warranting a review of spending needs and portfolio risk.
Patent Perspectives: The Future Of Financial Advice Is More Human, Not Less
AI can help advisors deliver more personal advice, but its value depends on how they use it to strengthen client relationships, argues Pat Hynes of Prudential Wealth Advisors in his latest Patent Perspectives column.
Hynes examines how AI can support scenario analysis, more timely client conversations and personalization across a growing practice.
WSRIA Roundup
This month’s roundup of top RIA news features M&A by Wealth Enhancement, Concurrent, Beacon Pointe, Waverly and Trilogy; recruiting by CAPTRUST and Indivisible; Latigo’s launch; Mercer’s refinancing; Wealthspire’s move into sports; Choreo appointing its Chief Technology Officer; and research by Cerulli.
Clients who grow their wealth through sports and creative industries face unique challenges compared with those who grow wealth in more traditional ways. Wealthspire’s move to advise athletes and entertainers is part of a broader trend of increasing service for this clientele.
Deals & Recruiting Roundup
This week’s roundup includes M&A by CAPTRUST and South Atlantic; recruiting by LPL, Stribling~Whalen, Raymond James and RBC; appointments by Dynasty, Mercer and Bluerock; and research by ECHELON, Cerulli and AssetMark.
Enterprise RIAs are growing faster than the broader RIA market, but Cerulli’s research suggests size alone is becoming less of an advantage. Competition increasingly centers on what firms can deliver.
Schwab Expands AI Tools For RIAs
Schwab announced access to Claude for Financial Advisors and Wealth.com’s Ester through Schwab Advisor Center, along with an investment and strategic partnership with Nevis.
The tools cover research, tax and estate planning, and operational tasks. We report on what’s available now and what Schwab plans to add in 2027.
SurgeONE.ai Adds Avery Actions To Compliance Platform
SurgeONE.ai added Avery Actions to its platform, extending its AI assistant’s capabilities across compliance, cybersecurity, data and AI governance.
The update includes communications archiving, off-channel monitoring, custodian data feeds and video marketing review.
CAPTRUST Adds About $1.1 Billion In Assets By Buying Washington RIA
CAPTRUST acquired Pacific Sage Partners, an RIA advising on about $1.1 billion in client assets. The transaction closed Sept. 30, and Pacific Sage has adopted the CAPTRUST brand.
CAPTRUST has announced 10 M&A deals so far in 2026, compared with three in 2025.
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Wealth Solutions Report
