SeaCrest Wealth Management | Wirehouse to Independent
The decisions that most often shape a move: economics, transitions, regulation, retention, timing — addressed straight. Every number can be modeled against your specific practice.
Advisors typically control ~40% of fees at a wirehouse versus up to 100% at an RIA, net of expenses roughly 70%, because they own the practice and pay direct expenses rather than a captive overhead allocation.
The physical move takes 60–120 days; pre-departure planning is another 60–90. Realistic timeline: 4–7 months from serious consideration to running an independent practice.
For most advisors at $300M+ AUM, independence generates materially higher take-home over a 5-year period, even after transition costs. Break-even is typically year 1–2.
Wirehouse deals are typically forgivable loans over 7–9 years; leaving early triggers repayment of the unforgiven balance. The calculator shows whether independence still wins — for $300M+ advisors it usually does within 2–3 years.
Surveyed transitions average ~86% of clients moving with the advisor. Retention is highest with strong local relationships, a clean announcement, T+1 contact, and a steady follow-up cadence.
You don't have to start your own. Joining SeaCrest delivers the economics of independence — high effective payout, equity participation, control — without setup cost or year-one cashflow risk.
Starting your own runs ~$15K–$100K+ depending on size and complexity, plus working capital. Joining an existing RIA like SeaCrest eliminates most setup cost — you plug into the operational stack and produce immediately.
If both firms are Protocol signatories, you can legally take a limited client list. Morgan Stanley and UBS withdrew from the Protocol in 2017–2018, so advisors leaving those firms need counsel involved before announcement.
Five questions matter: economics (all-in payout), equity (ownership path), operational support (build vs. plug in), cultural fit, and succession. SeaCrest is built around all five.
Year 1 is typically lower — clients in transition, setup costs, ramp. Year 2 matches or exceeds your final wirehouse year. Year 3+ is where compounding kicks in: high retained revenue plus growing equity.
At a wirehouse, your book belongs to the firm. As an independent, it's a transferable asset with real enterprise value. The SeaCrest transition calculator estimates what your practice is worth today, how that equity grows over time, and projects your 10-year take-home, breakeven year, and lifetime value under both scenarios, adjustable end-to-end.
IBD: operates under a BD license, sells commission products. Hybrid: combines BD and RIA, the most flexible, common ex-wirehouse path. Pure RIA: fee-only fiduciary, no commissions, SEC- or state-regulated.