Wealth Management Automation - For RIAs Who Don't Want Off-the-Shelf
Where RIA partner time still goes
A backbone connecting your CRM, portfolio system, custodians, and planning tools
RIAs with $50M-$1B AUM - fee-only, multi-advisor, or solo with high client touch
What we automate inside an RIA
The workflows that absorb the most partner and ops time in a $50M-$1B firm.
-
Client onboarding & KYC
Triggered from a signed engagement letter in the CRM. Custodian paperwork generated, KYC documents collected via portal, fact-find data populated, planning-software profile created, and the kickoff calendar event sent - all without a partner switching apps.
-
Portfolio reporting automation
Quarterly performance reports pulled from Orion, Black Diamond, or Tamarac, assembled per client with planning context from eMoney or MoneyGuidePro, and delivered via secure portal or email on a schedule. Partners review and send; they don't assemble.
-
Fee billing
AUM-based fee calculations reconciled across Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing, and any other custodian you use. Exceptions flagged with dollar value; invoices posted to QuickBooks or NetSuite; client statements published.
-
Compliance review workflow
Quarterly/annual compliance reviews tracked with reminders, evidence collection, and sign-off. ADV updates and Form CRS distribution workflows automated. Comms archiving via Smarsh or Global Relay verified.
-
ADV / Form CRS tracking
Annual ADV update workflow with internal review, filing reminders, and client-distribution tracking. Form CRS delivery to new clients automated and timestamped. Changes propagate to the comms archive.
-
Client communications
Birthday and life-event touches, RMD reminders, planning-meeting follow-ups, market-event explainers - templated, scheduled, and logged in the CRM as touchpoints. Comms archived for compliance.
-
RMD & required-action reminders
Required minimum distributions, beneficiary updates, account-renewal actions, IRA contribution windows - surfaced to the right advisor in the CRM with the deadline. Nothing falls off.
-
Prospect → planning-meeting flow
Prospect inquiry triggers an automated qualification and scheduling sequence, planning-software profile prep, document collection, and a complete pre-meeting brief for the advisor. The first meeting is high-context, not introductory.
WHO WE BUILD FOR
Three RIA shapes we work with
-
SOLO & SMALL RIAs ($50M-$200M)
One or two advisors plus an ops coordinator. Pain is partner time eaten by ops work. Automation wins are onboarding, reporting pipeline, and RMD/required-action reminders - the things that scale a solo without adding headcount. -
MID-SIZE RIAs ($200M-$500M)
3-8 advisors with a dedicated ops/CCO function. Pain is compliance review load, multi-custodian fee billing, and consistent client comms. Automation wins are compliance workflow, fee reconciliation, and a real prospect-to-planning pipeline. -
MULTI-ADVISOR GROUPS ($500M-$1B)
8+ advisors, multiple offices, sometimes hybrid RIA/broker-dealer. Pain is firm-wide consistency, multi-entity reporting, and rigorous compliance evidence collection. Automation wins are firm-wide workflow standardization and audit-ready evidence trails.
WHAT CHANGES IN 90 DAYS
Typical outcomes for a $200M AUM RIA
The Wealth Management Backbone
Five connected systems that let an RIA grow AUM without growing ops headcount in lockstep.
The RIA Automation Backbone
The complete operations infrastructure a $50M-$1B RIA runs on:
Onboarding & KYC
Triggered from CRM (Wealthbox, Redtail, Salesforce FSC) on signed engagement letter. Custodian paperwork generated for Schwab, Fidelity, or Pershing; KYC docs collected via secure portal; planning-software profile created in eMoney or MoneyGuidePro; calendar events sent.
Reporting Pipeline
Performance data pulled from Orion, Black Diamond, or Tamarac. Quarterly performance reports assembled per client with planning context, custodian holdings, and personal commentary fields. Delivered via secure portal or email on schedule.
Fee Billing
AUM-based fees calculated across custodians, reconciled, exception-flagged. Invoices posted to QuickBooks/NetSuite; client statements published; revenue recognition handled automatically.
Compliance Workflow
Quarterly/annual review cycles with evidence collection, reviewer routing, sign-offs, and timeline tracking. ADV update flow, Form CRS distribution, and Smarsh/Global Relay archive verification all run as connected systems.
Client Comms
Birthday and life-event touches, RMD reminders, planning-meeting follow-ups, market-event explainers - templated, scheduled, and logged as touchpoints in the CRM with the comms archive copy retained for compliance.
Prospect Engagement
Prospect inquiry triggers a qualification sequence, planning-software profile prep, document collection, and a pre-meeting brief for the advisor. The first meeting becomes a planning conversation, not an information-gathering session.
Multi-Custodian Integration
Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing, Altruist, BNY|Pershing - we connect them via the supported data feeds (Orion's data layer, Black Diamond data services, or direct custodian feeds where available). Reporting, billing, and reconciliation run across all custodians from one backbone.
How we install it
One module at a time, with the CCO in the room from day one.
- 1
Week 1. RIA Workflow Discovery
We sit with the principal, ops lead, and CCO. We map the actual flow - what happens in the CRM, what happens in the portfolio system, what happens in custodian portals, what happens in email and spreadsheets. We come out with a ranked automation backlog and a 90-day plan.
- 2
Weeks 2-5. Foundation Build
First module goes live - usually onboarding or reporting, because each has unambiguous ROI and a clear data flow. We integrate against Orion/Black Diamond, your CRM, and the relevant custodian feeds. Compliance review baked into the workflow from day one.
- 3
Weeks 6-12. Layer In Adjacent Workflows
Fee billing, compliance review workflow, prospect-to-planning pipeline, client comms - whichever ranked highest in discovery. Each module is tested on a single advisor's book before firm-wide rollout.
- 4
Ongoing. Backbone Expansion
Once core is running, we extend: advanced reporting, partner-level dashboards, RMD automation, succession-planning workflow. New requests run through a dedicated engineering channel under the retainer.
WHY RIAs PICK US
What makes us different from an Orion partner or generic agency
SEC/FINRA-aware engineering
Every workflow that touches client comms, recommendations, or compliance is built with archive integration, audit trail, and reviewer sign-off in mind. Smarsh and Global Relay are first-class integrations, not afterthoughts. We work to your CCO's standards, not against them.
Multi-custodian native
Schwab + Fidelity + Pershing simultaneously is the default assumption. We use Orion's or Black Diamond's data layer for unified holdings, and we integrate to each custodian's own data feed where needed for billing and onboarding paperwork.
No rip-and-replace stack
Orion, Black Diamond, Tamarac, eMoney, MoneyGuidePro, RightCapital, Wealthbox, Redtail - your stack stays. We integrate, we don't replace. If a vendor doesn't expose what we need, we tell you honestly which workflows we can reach.
Compliance-first defaults
Comms archive verification, ADV change-tracking, Form CRS distribution timestamps, evidence collection for reviews - built in as defaults. Your annual audit prep becomes a query, not a project.
Retainer, not project bill
Wealth management rules and tools change constantly - new SEC sweeps, ADV revisions, custodian platform updates, planning-software releases. The retainer means the automation adapts continuously instead of decaying.
Systems we connect inside RIAs
The tools we've built production integrations against for wealth managers.
Engagement & pricing
RIA automation engagements start with a $7K-$13K Foundation build (4 weeks, first module live) and a monthly retainer in the $1K-$5K range covering monitoring, optimization, and the next module in the queue.
Full backbone installs (onboarding, reporting, fee billing, compliance, comms) run $30K-$80K over 3-6 months depending on AUM, custodian mix, and compliance posture. We don't take projects where we can't show defensible ROI inside 6 months.
- Week 1 Discovery Workshop: $2K - firm walkthrough + roadmap + ROI ranking. Credits against Foundation.
- Foundation Build: $7K-$13K - first module live in 28 days (typically onboarding or reporting).
- Module Installs: $10K-$30K each - fee billing, compliance workflow, comms automation, RMD engine.
- Monthly Retainer: from $1K/mo - monitoring, optimization, new requests, vendor-update handling.
Frequently asked questions about RIA & wealth management automation
Do you replace Orion, Black Diamond, or Tamarac?
No. Your portfolio system stays. We connect to its data layer and build the automation around it - onboarding, reporting assembly, fee billing, compliance workflow. Replacing a portfolio system is a 12-month firm-wide project; we deliver measurable value in 90 days.
Can you integrate Wealthbox, Redtail, or Salesforce FSC?
Yes - all three are in our regular stack. Wealthbox has a clean modern API. Redtail's API works well for the core workflows. Salesforce FSC is the most flexible but also the most engineering-intensive. We tell you upfront which CRM-level capabilities are clean integrations and which require platform work.
How do you handle FINRA / SEC compliance constraints?
Every workflow that touches client comms, recommendations, or fee assessments is built with comms archive integration (Smarsh, Global Relay), audit trail, reviewer sign-off, and evidence collection from day one. We work to your CCO's standards. We don't replace your compliance function - we make it auditable in minutes instead of weeks.
What about Reg BI / Form CRS?
Form CRS distribution to new clients and on triggering events is automated with delivery timestamps captured for the compliance file. ADV updates run as a workflow with internal review, filing reminders, and client-distribution tracking. Reg BI evidence collection is built into the recommendation workflow where applicable.
Multi-custodian - do you support Schwab + Fidelity simultaneously?
Yes - multi-custodian is the default assumption. Unified holdings come from Orion's or Black Diamond's data layer; custodian-specific paperwork and billing data come from each custodian's data feed. Reporting, billing, and reconciliation run across all custodians from one backbone.
Can you automate fee billing across custodians?
Yes - this is one of the highest-ROI modules in a typical engagement. AUM-based fees are calculated per account, reconciled against custodian balances, exception-flagged with dollar value, and posted to QuickBooks or NetSuite. Client statements publish on a schedule and revenue recognition runs automatically.
What about prospect engagement compliance?
Prospect inquiries flow into a qualification sequence with comms archiving from the first message. Recommendations and proposals are routed through compliance review before going out. Document collection, planning-software profile prep, and meeting scheduling all run with the same archive and audit trail as client comms.
Typical engagement for a $200M AUM RIA?
Foundation build runs $7K-$13K over 4 weeks. A $200M RIA typically extends into onboarding, reporting, fee billing, and compliance workflow over the next 4-6 months - total $30K-$60K and a $1.5K-$3.5K monthly retainer. ROI usually lands in 4-6 months on partner-time recovery alone. See our Contrail Financial case study for a financial-services analog, or use the ROI calculator.
START HERE
Get your RIA Efficiency Scorecard
10 minutes. You'll see where partner and ops time leaks - onboarding, reporting, fee billing, compliance - and which modules have the highest ROI to automate first. You get the scorecard whether we end up working together or not.
Want context first? Read our AI automation guide, browse our finance industry page, or see how we approach client onboarding automation for service businesses.