Data Source
Rankings follow total calendar-year 2025 revenue as reported to Financial Planning's IBD Elite 2026 study, published in August 2026. The study covered 37 participating firms with combined revenue of more than $56 billion. See the printable IBD Elite 2026 rankings.
Definitions
- Revenue: Total revenue including commissions, advisory fees and other revenue, as reported by each firm.
- Producing registered representatives: The measure Financial Planning uses as the closest equivalent to the number of financial advisors.
- Client assets: Total client account assets reported by the firm at year-end 2025.
Limitations
Participation in the survey is voluntary, so some independent broker-dealers that do not report data are not included. Figures are self-reported, and Financial Planning verifies them where possible. Firms that restated prior-year data may show different year-over-year comparisons than in earlier editions. The ranking measures size only and is not an endorsement.
Updates
The ranking is refreshed each year when the new study is published. Firm profiles and news are reviewed quarterly, and the “Data as of” date on each page shows the latest review.
Current edition: Financial Planning IBD Elite 2026. Data as of: September 2026.