That they are important and that we are focused on doing everything that we can. I've been a team lead, I've been in management, and I can tell you Schwab has the best people.
We care about our RIA's, we care about the financial industry in general and making sure that we are providing the advisor the resources, the tools, and you know everything that they need to thrive.
The pledge is our commitment to advisors. It's what we know they want from us and it's what we're going to deliver to them.
Best in class technology means meeting advisors on their terms, that we really understand what it is that they need, and we're building to their specifications... not ours.
We know advisors under $100,000,000 in assets under management are the fastest growing segment of our industry and a lot of the technology tools that we're delivering for them allow them to find that skill and efficiency so that they can do what they do best: support their clients.
Getting it up to speed with technology can be a learning curve and we're here to help make that less of a battle and more of an opportunity.
It is always evolving. We have to continue to look to the future because that's where our industry is going and we need to make sure that we can provide any kind of technology to every client.
I love what I do.
I truly love going to work every day.
When it comes to independent advisors, we're all in. No matter if you're just beginning your journey or you're well on your way, we pledge that you will get our very best.
This is our commitment to you and to every client we serve.
Industry-leading custody services, with no AUM minimums, no custody fees – and no intention to raise them
Because we believe that every firm of every size deserves world-class support.
Best-in-class technology and open architecture, including a rapidly growing network of third-party providers
We give you freedom to choose technology that fits the way you want to work.
The best and the brightest service professionals in this industry
With deep experience helping firms just like yours, and a commitment to seeing the world through your eyes.
In-depth practice management consulting and insights for every firm on our platform
From our industry-leading RIA Benchmarking Study to cybersecurity resources and more, we help you grow and stay on the leading edge.
An account opening process that is digital and streamlined
We're making conversion easy for you with a digital account opening process, so you can bring clients on board securely with just a few clicks.
See what other advisors like you are asking with frequently asked questions. Don't see the answer you need? Let's talk. Fill out this form and we'll be in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Schwab does not charge custody fees or require minimum AUMs?
It's true. Schwab does not charge custody fees or require minimum assets under management to be on our platform. Furthermore, we have no intention of raising fees on any advisors, small or large. We do not aim to change the economic relationship we have with advisors by instituting a different fee structure, unless advisors tell us they would like to do something differently.
Is Schwab committed to serving advisors with under $100 million in AUM?
Advisors with under $100 million in AUM have been important to Schwab Advisor Services since the very beginning. In fact, working with individual independent entrepreneurs is how we started out in this business. Below are examples of how we invest in technology and design experiences to support these and all advisors we serve, including:
Portfolio Connect, which is available to advisors at no additional cost
Introduction of a virtual practice management program designed to help advisors plan and prepare for the future and protect the trust they've built with clients
Targeted live-streaming events covering topics ranging from regulatory and legislative updates, thought leadership and cybersecurity
We view this segment of the RIA industry as the future of this industry.
What is Schwab Advisor Services' commitment to advisors?
Our Pledge lays out how Schwab supports advisors and what they can expect from us. It represents our unwavering commitment to advisors of all sizes and re-affirms our ongoing support to advisors at every stage of their journey.
We will fulfill our Pledge to advisors by continuing to do what we've always done – deliver service and support in a way that meets the unique needs of the advisors we serve. Schwab has a team of unmatched service professionals dedicated to custody, trading and operations support. Each and every one of us begins each day committed to helping advisors succeed.
What are Schwab Advisor Services’ technology and product offerings?
We have 180+ tech platforms1 with direct integrations to our comprehensive digital platform, and we have plans to add more. Many of the largest 3rd party providers recognize us for having the most secure, high quality APIs, making it easy to build meaningful experiences for advisors. With over half of our advisors using these capabilities to work more seamlessly, we're committed to continuing to expand and deepen these capabilities to support the way you want to work.
Schwab was proud to announce in August 2020 our plan to adopt TD Ameritrade's thinkpipes® trading platform, iRebal® rebalancing platform, and Model Market CenterTM and we are actively working to integrate these into Schwab's technology stack. We plan to integrate these platforms and associated tools to create an experience for independent advisors that will thoughtfully combine the great capabilities, education and service clients enjoy at both firms. We'll continue to communicate as more decisions are made.
If you currently custody with Schwab or TD Ameritrade, what happens next?
For now – it's business as usual. There will be no immediate changes, and you don't need to take any action. The custodial platform you're familiar with will continue to be supported as Schwab Advisor Services and TD Ameritrade Institutional work together to combine the strengths of our firms to bring you more than we ever could alone. We expect the transition to be between April and September 2023.
Until then, Schwab Advisor Services and TD Ameritrade Institutional will continue to operate as two separate custodians. You should continue to call your existing service team.
(0922-2X0V)
As of October 28, 2021
TD Ameritrade Institutional, Division of TD Ameritrade, Inc. and TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc., members FINRA/SIPC, are separate but affiliated companies and subsidiaries of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation. TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
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