One source familiar with the deal says it also includes bonuses in the second and third years. Read more . . .

As Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and UBS move to a complex management structure, many long-time branch managers are scrambling to rebuild their client books.
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A conversation on trends in advisor recruiting. Read more . . .

Wall Street Compensation. Read more . . .

Wirehouse advisors are sticking with their channel. Read more . . .

It’s no secret that RIAs are looking to hire successful wirehouse reps. Here’s how to evaluate your options. Read more . . .

The bear market has exposed the weaknesses in both the transactional and advisory business models.  Read more . . .

Disclosure to clients could get new push: focus may turn to assets under management. Read more . . .

Plenty has changed at wirehouses recently -- except for the rich recruiting deals. Read more . . .

Dan Sontag's departure from Merrill Lynch isn't sitting well with some of the firm's brokers. Read more . . .

From the headhunter . . . read more . . .

In an effort to bolster sagging client confidence, wealth management firms are placing a premium on experience when they hire financial advisers, seeking those with advanced degrees and broader skill sets. Read more . . .

For big producers, the Wirehouse channel is home. Read more . . .

Financial advisors’ wallets have been ravaged by the current market and economy. Some of them are taking desperate measures. But most will survive and come out stronger. Read more . . .

Recruits join from firms that were decimated by the financial crisis, such as Lehman, Merrill. Read more . . .

In this interview, Danny talks about how he copes with this economy and the changes that he would like to see implemented in this industry in the near future. Most compelling is his distinction of how recruiters should present themselves in the wake of this mega-candidate marketplace. Why would a corporation want to hire a recruiter when the tables seem to be turned in their favor. Listen on... you'll be happy you did. Read more . . .

This week, Stifel Nicolaus announced it was buying 55 UBS wealth management branches spread across 24 states, which include $15 billion in assets under management, 320 reps and over $100 million in revenue. The St. Louis regional b/d will make an upfront cash payment of $27 million for the branches, which are said to consist of mostly lower level producers. UBS says the deal allows it to divest itself of producers who donÂ’t fit into its high-net-worth strategy, and sell them to a firm thatÂ’s willing to take them on. Read more . . .

With veteran Bob McCannÂ’s departure, some Merrill rank and file are concerned Bank of America may undermine MerrillÂ’s culture. Read more . . .

Q&A with industry recruiters. Read more . . .

... awarding large payouts, wirehouses are "making a business decision to shrink their margins a bit," said Danny Sarch, founder of Leitner Sarch Consultants Ltd ... Read more . . .

Here’s a possible new twist in the changing financial services landscape: A report in the New York Post raises the possibility of a “joint venture” between the wealth management divisions of Wachovia Securities and UBS. A lot of questions need answering before this one pans out. Read more . . .

Morgan Stanley is in talks to take over Citigroup's Smith Barney brokerage division, according to a person familiar with the situation. Read more . .

We all know tough times await us over the next few months. Just take a look at the recent conclusions of SIFMA's Economic Advisory Roundtable.
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Remember: If you cross the line of propriety, your boss might not be the understanding type. Read more . . .

Bank of America's ouster of John Thain left Merrill employees reeling, as they continued to absorb job cuts and a rocky integration into a bank that was supposed to offer stability. Read more . . .

Bob McCann, the chief of Merrill Lynch's brokerage unit, is leaving the firm just five days after the acquisition by Bank of America was completed. Read more . . .

The Bernard Madoff scandal could make investors more appreciative of mutual funds; and while layoffs are accelerating across financial-services companies, the pace of recruiting has been brisk in some areas of wealth management. Read more . . .

Packages get lowered. Brokers get hired. Markets have tanked. Retention offers are shrinking. And yet, according to the experts in our 10th Annual Recruiters Roundtable, there are still opportunities, if you know where to look. Read more . . .