Looking to join an independent firm in NYC.

[Junior Wealth Manager]

I'm looking to court growing independent firms in NYC to join as a para-planner or junior partner. Ideally I would like to grow into a full partnership role, with the goal of buying out the firm.

A bit about me:
I recently attained my MBA, focusing my portfolio of papers on wealth management, investment management, and financial services.
I'm academically minded (I would like to get my PhD, Finance (or Economics,) eventually)
I have provided advice online for a while, have answered over 150 financial planning, retirement, and tax questions, with a ranking of 10 for politeness and 9.92 for clarity (each out of 10).

Requirements: I must be allowed to continue to custody the assets I manage with the custodian I use. I do not mind disclosing all activity to a compliance person.

Awards: various academic awards including winning an international business competition (title of grand champion, write-up in the paper) and having my marketing portfolio paper declared best in class by my professor (I actually think it may have been the best he's ever read, but I may be wrong).

Any advice would be great, and any recommendations for who I should introduce myself to would be even better.

I am trying to get in touch with the local FPA.

Thank you!

[Junior Wealth Manager]

**ahem**

[Bob H]

I have provided advice online for a while, have answered over 150 financial planning, retirement, and tax questions, with a ranking of 10 for politeness and 9.92 for clarity (each out of 10).

Are you licensed? Are you a CPA? If not, given the possibly laws and regulatory issues involved with what you are doing, you may not be an ideal candidate for anyone.

[Bob H]

Requirements: I must be allowed to continue to custody the assets I manage with the custodian I use. I do not mind disclosing all activity to a compliance person.

If I were responsible for another advisor, there is no way I would allow them to custody outside my firm. But hey, that's me. Maybe you'll find compliance people open to this.

[popcycle4]

I'm a fin. advisor with an 6 year independent practice having left Merrill in 2003. My dealer uses Pershing and First Clearing but I have some business maintained elsewhere. Call me if you like. 646 355 8533 (cell)

[Marie Swift]

Hi there,

Take a look at these two firms:

http://www.financial-focus.net - Michael Kay is in the process of expanding his New Jersey based well-established fee-only RIA. He is recruiting nationwide, offering a "hub and spoke" type of opportunity with a built-in financial life planning methodology, business systems, turnkey investment management and mentoring process. If you need turnkey office space, you could drive to Livingston, New Jersey, or you could home office or rent an executive suite in NYC. You might also want to read his new book: The Business of Life: An Inside-Out Approach to Building a More Successful Financial Planning Practice (http://www.thebusinessoflife.net).

http://www.financialprinciples.com - Mike Flower and Brad Bofford are actively looking for younger advisors to join their branch office. They are OSJs with IBD Securities America (http://www.securitiesamerica.com) so have lots of built-in benefits (a) through Securities America (b) developed on their own as tenured advisors. They have an office in New Jersey so the built-in office space is a possibility for you - or setting up your own remote work space closer to your home. Visit http://www.financialprinciples.com/ and click the "Careers" tab.

Ultimately, your choice will hinge on finding the right people and the right business model with possible succession opportunities in an independent firm like one of the two described above.

You might also went to visit these sites:

http://www.advisorintransition.com
http://www.joinsai.com
http://www.tdainstitutional.com

There's also a good podcast on Going Independent: Top 3 Things to Consider here on my blog: http://marie-swift.blogspot.com/2010/12 ... these.html

Marie Swift
Marketing Communications Coach
For FinancialPlanning.com