Looking for a big name to put on the door…they don’t get much bigger than Morgan Stanley. They are a behemoth in both # of advisors and total assets under management.  You won’t worry about people not knowing which firm you represent. Sadly, for many advisors that may be the lone reason to consider a move here right now.  

With only a W-2 model advisors here are limited in scope and the scuttlebutt among those on the inside is the technology is good, not great.  Today’s advisors need to consider how much of the heavy lifting tech really does and if not excelling in this area will be limiting in the long-term.

PROS

• Big name
• If you are an asset manager (not so much a financial advisor), MSSB could be your place. 

CONS

• Leadership challenges
• Left Broker Protocol
• Senior management has lost credibility among advisors
• Mediocre technology
• Most comp is now deferred, especially for bigger producers