It’s no surprise that compensation is a leading factor when financial advisors are considering changing firms. In the AdvisorHub study on brokerage-firm culture, done in partnership with Edward Jones, financial advisors said compensation was the top reason they’d consider leaving their current firm. While going independent is tempting for financial advisors looking to make a change, it may present considerable compensation uncertainty.

In a competitive landscape, recent enhancements to Edward Jones’ compensation structure are giving experienced financial advisors a strong reason to consider moving their practice to Edward Jones. The difference? Edward Jones compensation plans are designed to set up experienced financial advisors for success, individually evaluated and providing a competitive salary based on the assets they bring to the firm.

Transitioning experienced financial advisors can own their success on day one and avoid the compensation risk of independent practice. It’s the best of both worlds – support from a home office and autonomy to grow their practice independent of firm sales goals. Edward Jones financial advisors run their own offices, set their own goals and partner with clients on achieving their financial and life goals – and compensation reflects success in those efforts.

As a private partnership, Edward Jones has long held a transparent compensation philosophy – with less complexity and fewer modifications compared to the industry – that helps financial advisors uniquely realize their potential. First and foremost, compensation is commensurate with a financial advisor’s experience and practice maturity. New plan features are designed to optimize the financial opportunity and are tailored to support an individual’s unique practice. Key features include:

12 Months Salary: The firm will provide salary for the first 12 months based on the portability of the financial advisor’s previous assets. All commissions and fees are additive, so it closes the gap between prior year income and the commissions earned during the transition.

New Asset Compensation: Edward Jones will compensate financial advisors for new assets gathered and brought to the firm for the first 24 months.

Bonus Compensation: Financial advisors are eligible for profitability bonuses on their start date, which are paid on a trimester basis.

No “Loans”: There are no loans in the Edward Jones compensation package. No upfront or back-end payments requiring certain production levels. No claw backs and financial advisors are not contractually bound to the firm for the long term.

This “no ceiling” compensation approach is why some come – and stay. In fact, since 2016, approximately 80% of financial advisors who joined Edward Jones from other firms remain today.

For experienced financial advisors considering a transition, Edward Jones balances freedom and flexibility with the certainty of a salary. Edward Jones financial advisors are rewarded for their hard work in the short-term and provided with the support they need to reach their full potential long-term. Learn more about compensation for experienced financial advisors at Edward Jones.

Listen to some of our most successful women Financial Advisors as they share their insights on how Edward Jones has supported and guided them in growing their financial advising practices. See how Edward Jones may be the place for you to reach your full potential.

After viewing this two-minute video, consider learning more about the Edward Jones Opportunity by going to edwardjones.com/knowmore. And to start a conversation about moving your practice to Edward Jones, email us at JoinEj@edwardjones.com. A representative from Branch Development will respond quickly.

Meet Financial Advisor Bernie Franko from Greensboro, North Carolina, who recently shared with us why he decided to join Edward Jones – twice. Bernie first came to the firm as a financial advisor in 1998 after working as an intern for his parents’ financial advisor.

Bernie eventually decided to pursue work at a smaller firm and left Edward Jones in 2002. During the financial crisis in 2008, the firm was acquired by a larger bank. Bernie decided to return to Edward Jones in 2014. Today, he serves on his region’s growth team and is actively involved in the region.

Why did you return to Edward Jones?

“I returned to Edward Jones because I knew the consistency and the stability of the firm. I understood the value of what the firm has to offer, and that always appealed to me. Previously, I had worked in an office of 30 people, but it wasn’t the same collaborative spirit.”

How was the transition for you and your clients?

“It’s been fantastic for my clients and my family. I give kudos to Jill Willard, my Senior Branch Office Administrator (BOA), who has been enormously helpful in my transition back to the firm. She has made a huge difference in providing better service and building more trust to our clients.”

“It’s nice to have an experienced professional dedicated entirely to serving our clients and to partnering with me. Clients who moved with me tell me how much they appreciate receiving better service at Edward Jones. I feel grateful and privileged to be back.”

What improvements have you noticed since you left the firm?

“The biggest improvement I see is in our client-facing tools. They’re engaging and easy to use. Clients are more comfortable, which builds greater trust, so I can dive a little deeper. I use the Financial Foundation tool to create scenarios and change data live on the screen. I can make it as complex or as simple as needed, which offers a real service to our clients.”

“Also, I now can show my clients what they really want to know, such as how their investments are performing in real time and when they can retire. It helps transition the conversation from being about investment performance to helping them work toward achieving their goals. It’s wonderful to do a presentation for clients and share that their financial picture allows them to make decisions that they want to make, not ones they have to make.”

What do you see as the Edward Jones Opportunity?

“I serve on the growth team now and share my story with candidates because I’ve seen both sides of the fence. I tell them about the certainties here and that our firm is a stable partnership. I tell them about the support we receive from a dedicated BOA and from the home office.”

“Finally, I tell them about the advantages of our business model and how we value independence. We don’t use a “top-down” approach with a branch manager driving the business focus. The real opportunity at our firm is to run our own practice with the support of our home office. I can tell a difference when I call the home office at Edward Jones, compared to where I was before. The people I talk to are eager to help. And, thanks to our partnership business model, we can take the long-term view and do what’s best for our clients.”

If you’re thinking about what’s next in your career, consider learning why the Edward Jones financial advisor opportunity may be the investment of your lifetime.

Chad Burkhalter made the challenging decision to leave Edward Jones to pursue the role of an independent financial advisor. 12 years later, he’s returned. We sat down with him to learn why he chose to bring his practice to Edward Jones.

What made you return to Edward Jones?

I missed the camaraderie and the relationships I built with other people. The downside of being on your own is that you’re really on an island.

How are you able to focus more on clients with Edward Jones?

I have the opportunity to run my business the way I want, without having to worry about payroll, office problems and anything else that could go wrong with running a business. Since I don’t have to spend time working on those things, I can completely focus on my clients.

What are the advantages of working with Edward Jones?

We train our financial advisors, and everyone has the opportunity to grow. When someone is an independent financial advisor, that type of support doesn’t exist.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity of working at Edward Jones?

We all have the freedom to run our practices and focus on our clients. If someone is willing to do the work, the opportunity is limitless. What we put into this opportunity is what we get out of it – there are always new ways to challenge ourselves, continue to grow and take our work to another level.

Considering a new pathway? Discover if the financial advisor opportunity may be right for you and how Edward Jones seeks to develop your continued ambition.

Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from one of our Financial Advisors about what it’s like to build a practice in the digital age.

We recently met with Ben Zuckerman to talk about his financial services practice and learn how he uses social media to build more quality relationships within his community. After watching his father build a 27-year Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones, Ben realized that he wanted to pursue a similar career path and put his professional skills to work. Now, Ben utilizes several social media platforms to stay in contact with his current clients and find new ones as well.

What’s your primary focus when using social media?

“I focus on identifying the right people to connect with. My goal is to connect with people who will be great client partners and centers of influence. I look for those ‘stars of the city’ and try to identify the folks that are making waves in their industries.”

How do you build stronger client relationships using social media?

“Social media allows me to understand some history and background about who people are, where they come from and what they are into. During an appointment, our agenda can prevent me from gathering all those minor, but important details from a client. Initially, there is little time for building rapport, and that is a critical part of what we do. Social media lets me see things that I might have missed otherwise.”

What is your preferred social media site and why?

“LinkedIn. It’s a professional social network where I can have engaging conversations with others that add value to my practice. I use a Facebook business page to post about community service and firm news. On both LinkedIn and Facebook, I try to convey who I am as a Financial Advisor.”