Kitces Research Spotlight

With McKinsey projecting a 100,000-advisor talent shortage in the coming decade, it has never been more important for advisory firms to both attract new advisors and to retain the advisors they have. Without this commitment, firms risk spending substantial time, money, and managerial attention on the costly and disruptive consequences of high turnover, including the direct loss of clients and revenue when advisors depart. Many advisory firms try to address this threat by maximizing their advisor compensation and payout rates. Yet the reality is it’s about more than just money. If advisors aren’t happy at their firms in the work they’re doing, retention will remain an issue. As a result, for advisory firms, supporting and investing in advisor wellbeing represents a vital business lever to minimize turnover and mitigate its impact on the organization.

In our latest Kitces Research study on Advisor Wellbeing, we gathered insights from over 800 financial advisors to explore how wellbeing levels vary across different advisor segments, how these patterns have evolved over time, the strategies and pathways most consistently linked to improvements in wellbeing, and which levers best promote advisor wellbeing – which is associated with reduced turnover and higher advisor retention.

Whether you’re an investor evaluating advisory firms for acquisition, an enterprise leader seeking to reduce advisor attrition, or a professional focused on developing and retaining advisor talent, this Research Spotlight session will offer actionable insights from Kitces Research data to improve advisor wellbeing.

In this Kitces Research Spotlight session, financial advisor, industry consultant, and advisor researcher Michael Kitces, along with Director of Advisor Research Dr. Mark Tenenbaum, will share trends in advisor wellbeing and explore how wellbeing connects to the following:

• Different career paths – such as entering financial services from another profession or holding various industry roles prior to a current one 

• Service models, including fully centralized support, dedicated “on-team” support, or hybrid approaches 

• Variations in revenue sources and compensation structures 

• The presence and implementation of firm Missions & Values statements 

• The demographics and affluence of a firm’s clientele 

• Advisors’ work environments – remote, in-office, or hybrid 

• Whether firms have taken outside capital from private equity firms or other investors 

• And more! 

Attendees of this Research Spotlight receive: 

• A 60-minute presentation delivering industry-leading insights on trends and best practices in advisor wellbeing. 

• 30 minutes of direct Q&A access with Michael and Mark using the live chat 

• Access to the full webinar recording after the event 

• Exclusive early access to our latest 2025 Kitces Research On Advisor Wellbeing research report, a comprehensive 80-page discussion featuring in-depth analysis of the relationship between advisor wellbeing and key business metrics, and actionable strategies for enhancing advisor wellbeing and reducing turnover.