# Fidelity Raises RIA Asset Minimums Alongside New Regulatory Guidance Industry shifts highlight custodial thresholds, regulatory updates, and wealth management strategies. - **Source:** [Nerd's Eye View | Kitces.com](https://brifing.si/source/c3dd3d07-ecf0-4aad-94c5-a65e2173600d) - **Published:** 2026-10-09 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/9400359c-9e84-4e4a-8f6f-4d7767fe015c ## Fidelity Sets New RIA Threshold Fidelity is raising its minimum asset threshold for registered investment advisors to $100 million. Affected advisory firms have until June 30, 2027, to reach this target or transition to a different custodian. This change directly impacts hundreds of smaller practices relying on the platform. ## Custodial Revenue Model Friction The threshold hike underscores structural issues in current custodial models where firms and clients pay indirectly through cash sweep accounts and lending spreads. Shifting toward explicit fee structures could create sustainable alignment across custodians, advisors, and underlying investors instead of relying purely on indirect monetization mechanisms. ## SEC Examination Selection Framework The Securities and Exchange Commission published an updated examination handbook explaining its criteria for choosing which advisory firms undergo annual audits. This manual clarifies institutional risk scoring methods and operational compliance targets, offering practitioners actionable visibility into regulatory oversight patterns and supervisory priorities across the industry. ## Crypto Custody Rules Progress The SEC released a proposed framework addressing advisory custody of client cryptoassets, establishing clearer compliance boundaries for digital asset exposure. This initiative aims to provide institutional safeguards for wealth managers seeking compliant ways to custody alternative digital holdings without incurring severe regulatory enforcement actions or custodial liabilities. ## HSA Succession and Drawdowns Advisors are focusing on Health Savings Account succession planning to protect tax advantages upon account owner death. Because inheriting an HSA as a non-spouse triggers immediate income taxation, strategic deathbed drawdowns for accumulated medical receipts help families liquidate account balances efficiently before transfer. ## High Interest Rate Mortgages Elevated borrowing costs are driving advisors to deploy intra-family loans and disclaimers to help next generations purchase property. Studies show high-income buyers frequently overpay by failing to shop mortgage quotes, making advisor evaluations around paying points for lower permanent rates critical for family finances. ## Extreme Wealth Divergence Data Recent data reveals wealth concentration among the top 0.1% is rapidly outpacing households just below that tier, creating an unprecedented ultra-wealthy subgroup. Concurrently, broader net worth gains across younger generations and lower wealth brackets expand opportunities for advisors delivering scalable wealth management services. ## Strategic Advice Under Shifts Rising platform asset hurdles, tighter SEC scrutiny, and volatile interest rates demand comprehensive advisory evolution. Financial planners must move beyond passive investment management into structural tax optimization, generational wealth transfer architecture, and transparent operational practices to navigate custodial consolidation and regulatory oversight successfully. ## Sources covering this story - https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/971196662/0/kitcesnerdseyeview~Weekend-Reading-For-Financial-Planners-October-%e2%80%93/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._