Schwab Advisor Services today announced the expansion of Schwab Advisor ProDirect™, making the program available to current independent registered investment advisor (RIA) client firms. Initially launched in July for advisors moving to independence, the membership-based offering now also supports established firms looking to expand their impact, streamline operations, and boost enterprise value.

As part of Schwab’s ongoing commitment to helping RIAs achieve sustainable, organic growth, Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ reflects one of the many ways Schwab works with advisors to help them strengthen their business foundations and deliver more for their clients.

“Advisors are navigating more complexity than ever, and we’re here to help clear the way,” said Jon Beatty, Head of Schwab Advisor Services. “Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ demonstrates how we champion the independent model with structure, experience, and conviction as we consistently innovate to support client growth beyond traditional custody. We’re excited to welcome our first class of both new and existing clients to the program this January and we’ll be with them every step of the way.”

Structured for Sustainable Growth

The expansion comes amid a period of strong momentum across the independent advisory space. According to Schwab’s 2025 RIA Benchmarking Study, firms of all sizes saw substantial growth, with assets under management rising 16.6% and revenue increasing 17.6% year over year. The 2025 Independent Advisor Outlook Study found that advisors’ top priorities over the next three years include gaining new clients (71%), increasing AUM per client (59%), and driving more referrals (55%).

This surge underscores the need for structured programs like Schwab Advisor ProDirect™—providing the tools, peer learning, and accountability advisors need to sustain and scale their growth. To help firms translate that ambition into action, the program is built around a framework designed to guide them through a proven, repeatable growth model:

• Launch [for new firms]: High-touch help to streamline business and operations planning as they go independent.
• Learn: Work closely with dedicated Schwab teams who provide expertise, focus, and mutual accountability to help members build digital-forward, highly efficient firms.
• Connect: Engage with a community of growth-focused peers and access curated resources from Schwab and third-party providers.
• Grow: Implement Schwab’s Guiding Principles for Advisory Firm Success, which are designed to accelerate growth based on nearly two decades of RIA Benchmarking Study insights.

“From the start, we expected Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ would resonate with new entrants as well as established RIA clients—and that’s exactly what we’ve seen,” said Shawnette Gauer, Managing Director of Enterprise Solutions, Schwab Advisor Services. “Our goal is to help firms operate with greater clarity, efficiency, and confidence as they pursue sustainable growth. This brings together consulting expertise, peer connection, and real-world best practices that help advisors become stronger leaders and business owners.”

Engaged Community Experience

The expanded program includes a refined community structure for members, featuring focused sessions supported by pre-work and guided discussions. The result is an experience that deepens engagement without overextending participants, helping firms translate learning into measurable progress.

Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ is a fee-based membership program designed for advisory firms typically with $50 million to $300 million in client assets, whether newly independent or already established. The program complements Schwab Advisor Services’ existing onboarding and custody offerings, which remain unchanged.

As always, Schwab is dedicated to industry innovation, supporting advisors with comprehensive resources tailored to their unique goals. With Schwab Advisor ProDirect™, advisors can stay focused on what matters most—running a client-first firm that grows on their terms.

Learn more about the Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ program here.

About Charles Schwab

At Charles Schwab we believe in the power of investing to help individuals create a better tomorrow. We have a history of challenging the status quo in our industry, innovating in ways that benefit investors and the advisors and employers who serve them, and championing our clients’ goals with passion and integrity.

More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com. Follow us on X, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Disclosures

Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ is a fee-based membership program, and members are subject to the terms and conditions of the Schwab Advisor ProDirect™ Member Agreement.

Schwab designed the RIA Benchmarking Study to capture insights in the RIA industry based on survey responses from individual firms. The 2025 study provides information on topics such as asset and revenue growth, sources of new clients, products and pricing, staffing, compensation, marketing, technology, and financial performance. Fielded from January to March 2025, the study contains self-reported data from 1,288 firms that custody their assets with Schwab and represents over $2.4 trillion in assets under management, making this the leading study in the RIA industry. Schwab did not independently verify or validate the self-reported information. Participant firms represent various sizes and business models. The study is part of Schwab Business Consulting and Education, a practice management offering for RIAs. Grounded in the best practices of leading independent advisory firms, Business Consulting and Education provides insight, guidance, tools, and resources to help RIAs strategically manage and grow their firms.

Past performance is not an indicator of future results.

Schwab could have a business relationship with certain third-party providers (“Providers”) or their affiliates. You are solely responsible for performing your own due diligence on any Provider prior to engaging or entering into a contract with such Provider. Schwab cannot guarantee any specific outcome or result and bears no responsibility for the output or outcome related to your decision to use any Provider and/or services offered by a Provider affiliate.

Schwab Advisor Services™ provides custody, trading, and the support services of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”), member SIPC, to independent investment advisors and Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (“CSIM”). Independent investment advisors are not owned by, affiliated with, or supervised by Schwab.

Schwab does not provide investment planning, human resources, legal, regulatory, tax or compliance advice. Consult professionals in these fields to address your specific circumstances.

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