The financial advice industry has seen seismic shifts over the past decade. Technology has been, and continues to be, a major driver of change in the industry. Every type of business – from wirehouses to independent broker-dealers to registered investment advisors – has integrated technology into the foundation of their services and processes.

However, all technology is not created equal – and neither are the benefits it can bring to advisors, institutions, and the investors they serve.

This study seeks out the answers to three fundamental questions: 

• What does the future of technology investments at both institutions and independent advisory firms look like?
• What are the differences in perceived value of technology when comparing institutions and independent advisors?
• How are major institutions evaluating technology at a large scale, and what are the institutions’ findings that can be applied by independent advisors?