How Much Is That Advisor in the Window?

TD Waterhouse has 160 advisors and $1 billion in its referral program. Bradley said those participating in AdvisorDirect will need to have either 10 years managing assets as a primary occupation or either a baccalaureate degree or CFA certification and five years of money management experience. Advisors will need have at least $25 million in assets and be registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission to sign up, although Bradley said that TD Waterhouse may have to review that decision in light of SEC plans to raise from $25 million to $40 million the level where it takes over supervising RIAs from the states.

In the past, Bradley has spoken about his desire to win assets away from wirehouse brokers. In the interview, however, he signaled that TD Waterhouse would now try to persuade wirehouse reps themselves to join the RIA community and custody assets at his firm. Bradley has joined with Moss-Adams, the Seattle accounting and consulting firm, to produce sets of print- and Web-based tools for registered reps to help them evaluate the economics of jumping ship, Typically, wirehouse brokers eventually planning to become RIAs spend some time as independent broker/dealer reps before making their final move. However, Bradley urged them to “skip that step. Why go through two changes when you need to make only one?”