Transfer Time – When Decoding B/D Transfer Options, Don’t Focus on The Money
by Jonathan Henschen, CFS and featured on Henschen Associates
May, 2008:
For advisors pondering a move from a wirehouse to an independent broker/dealer with visions of large, forgivable transition loans dancing in their heads, it’s time for a reality check.
That’s because, as an esteemed economist famously said, there’s no such thing as a free lunch! With reps at independent B/D reps earning 90% payouts, independent firms have much smaller margins to work with than do their wirehouse counterparts.
Times have certainly changed when it comes to a broker’s transfer options. It was once common for reps joining a firm to be responsible for covering all their own expenses, including registration costs, business cards, stationery and ACAT transfer fees. While some firms still take that approach,