Deals & Comp

Payout grids, recruiting deals and retention at the wirehouses, plus the 2027 comp plan tracker.

• Merrill's 2027 Advisor Pay Plan Keeps the Grid Flat, Raises the Growth Award Bar and Adds a Lending Bonus

  Merrill's 2027 advisor compensation plan keeps the core grid unchanged and moves the incentives into growth, banking and lending awards.

• UBS Holds Its Grid Flat for 2027 While Morgan Stanley Hikes Revenue Hurdles 10%

  If you're fielding calls from UBS or considering a move there, the grid stability is real — but the real money is in the new succession advance, the 25% NNA bonus, and the banking services kicker. Run those numbers against what Morgan Stanley's tighter hurdles actually cost you before you decide anything.

• UBS Holds Its Grid Steady for 2027 While Adding a 25% Growth Bonus as Morgan Stanley Hikes Revenue Hurdles 10%

  If you're producing above $2M and posting above-average net new asset growth, UBS's 2027 plan pays you more without moving the grid—while your Morgan Stanley counterpart faces a higher hurdle just to stay even. That delta is a recruiting pitch, and UBS knows it.

• Morgan Stanley Raises 2027 Payout Grid Hurdles by About 10%, Squeezing 15,000 Advisors' Take-Home Pay

  If you're producing between $500K and $5M at Morgan Stanley, your effective pay just got cut unless you grow revenue about 10% in 2027. The loyalty bonus softens the blow only for advisors already enrolled in the retirement program—everyone else is on the treadmill.

• Wells Fargo Raises the Bar: $500K Net Worth Now Required for Strategic Planning Services

  If you're a Wells Fargo advisor servicing clients below the $500K net-worth threshold, the clock is ticking. This rebrand effectively forces a book segmentation conversation—and signals the firm will increasingly build support resources around those who can qualify. For advisors at competing firms, this is the clearest signal yet that Wells Fargo is competing hard for planning-oriented HNW producers.

• Merrill Lynch Quietly Removes Fee Ceiling for Trainee Advisors, Unlocking Top-Tier Rate Access From Day One

  If you're a Merrill trainee or managing one, the implicit discount on your advisory pricing just disappeared — your revenue-per-client ceiling is now the same as a 20-year veteran's on day one.

• Merrill Lynch Recruiting Loan Commitments Jump 47% as Wirehouses Escalate Talent War

  Merrill Lynch increased its upfront recruiting loan commitments by nearly 47% in the fourth quarter of 2025 as the firm ramped up its effort to attract experienced advisors from rivals. Wells Fargo's loan total rose 13% over the same period.

• Morgan Stanley Overhauls Advisor Compensation Grid, Sets New Hurdles for Top Producers

  The firm is raising thresholds for its highest payout tiers, a move that could push veteran advisors to explore alternatives.

• Wirehouse Recruiting Economics in 2026: An Analysis of Deal Structures, Retention Incentives, and True Transition Costs

  An in-depth examination of current wirehouse recruiting packages, the hidden costs of transition, and how advisors should evaluate offers in an increasingly competitive talent market.

• Merrill Lynch Launches Aggressive Counter-Recruiting Campaign With Enhanced Retention Packages

  The Bank of America unit is fighting to stem advisor attrition with improved economics and new platform features.

• UBS Softens 2026 Compensation Plan After Worst Advisor Exodus in Firm History

  UBS's revised 2026 compensation plan attempts to stop the bleeding with targeted concessions for mid-tier producers, but the structural damage from 2025's changes may take years to repair.

• Merrill Lynch Doubles Small Household Threshold to $500K in 2026 Compensation Overhaul

  Merrill Lynch doubled its small household threshold to $500K in its 2026 comp plan, squeezing advisors with mid-tier client bases.