Experienced Financial Advisor

Designing a Successful Advisor Succession Plan at Edward Jones

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Jason Henderson is an Edward Jones Principal who leads Financial Advisor Recruiting, bringing 17 years of experience as a top-performing financial advisor and the last 9 years leading succession planning and teaming. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Baylor University and a master’s degree in management from Harvard University. Considering a Financial Advisor career with Edward Jones? Hear from some of our current Financial Advisors about the position and the career path they took to build a successful practice.

Every day financial advisors are counseling their clients around retirement and business succession planning. Yet many neglect to plan for themselves.

The statistics are sobering: Cerulli estimates more than one-third of advisors, representing 41% of industry assets, are set to retire in the next decade1 During the same period, $84 trillion will shift from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to Gen X and Millennials2. Despite this, 80% of financial advisors approaching retirement don’t have a succession plan in place3.

Why the hesitation?

The Hidden Emotional Barriers

Prior to leading Financial Advisor Recruiting strategy, I was focused on advisor succession planning. My team and I consulted with advisors on how to create and execute exit plans that met both their needs and their clients. I quickly learned that when one of our advisors takes the first step to considering retirement, it is not just a financial decision. It’s also a highly emotional one. It’s a decision that involves purpose, identity, legacy and communication.

The Edward Jones Approach: Head and Heart

We recognize that succession planning requires addressing both the practical structure and the emotional journey. Too many advisors are going it alone, trying to navigate this complex transition without support. But at Edward Jones, we support advisors and clients with care and humanity during transition and truly live out the belief that there’s power in partnership.

Edward Jones views succession planning as a durable and continuous journey. Our clients and their experiences remain at the core of everything we do, including how we care for them through advisor transitions. A key differentiator is that our advisors support each other through coaching and peer guidance. As the firm with the largest number of financial advisors, we naturally have many advisors considering or actively in the transition process. Our less seasoned advisors see firsthand the importance of succession planning and, most importantly, the human factor to consider during this transition. This peer guidance is unique to our firm and demonstrates the true spirit of partnership that defines Edward Jones.

It’s about thoughtful placement that honors the relationships you’ve cultivated, because you know these clients deeply — their kids, their losses, their dreams. We help you ensure your clients continue receiving the dedicated level of care they deserve with advisors you trust.

Competitive Compensation That Recognizes Your Legacy

Edward Jones offers retiring financial advisors at all levels of production fair and competitive compensation that stands out in the industry:

  • Base compensation up to 3 times annual gross revenue based on past 3 years
  • Flexible payout options over 2, 3, or 4 years

This flexibility lets you design a financial plan that supports your retirement dreams, whether you want a larger lump sum or an extended income stream.

Team Practices: An Optimal Model for Succession Planning

Edward Jones views team practices as an optimal way to structure a succession plan. Our teaming model provides significant flexibility in designing your succession strategy. Teaming addresses the emotional complexity of succession by allowing gradual transitions where you maintain your client relationships while building confidence in your successors.

I recently spoke with firm veteran Tim Moore about how he’s used teaming to create a succession plan that works for both his head and his heart:

Tell me about how you got started with Edward Jones.

“I’ve been with Edward Jones for 37 years. I was a client in Texas, and my financial advisor recruited me to join the firm. My wife and I moved to Sonoma County, California, with our 1-year-old daughter to open a new practice. I later became a limited partner and for 30+ years ran a successful branch office with my branch office administrator.”

You have an incredible history with our firm. What’s changed over the course of your career here?

“I spent most of my career leading a successful solo practice, with the support of two branch office administrators, which was great for me and my clients until I started thinking about what would happen to them when I retired. When the firm introduced teaming, I saw a new way to make this gradual and comfortable transition. So, I brought my daughter and son-in-law into the practice. Now we’re known as Bertacco Moore Wealth Management. Since then, I’ve expanded the practice to include an associate financial advisor and two client support team professionals.

I still have gas in the tank, but after this many years in the industry, I knew I owed it to my clients and practice team to start planning my succession. There are a lot of us in the industry who don’t want a traditional retirement — set a date and ride off into the sunset. By moving into this teaming model, I saw an opportunity to customize my exit.”

Tell me how teaming is supporting your succession plan.

“I’m slowly transitioning my clients to the other financial advisors in the practice and other members of the team are picking up the responsibilities I once carried alone. Teaming helps ensure my clients and team will be left in great hands.

The beauty of this approach is that it addresses the emotional issues that surface with a succession plan. I’m not just handing off a book of business — I’m orchestrating a gradual transition where clients build relationships with their new advisors while I’m still present and engaged. It gives everyone time to adjust, including me. It helps me work through the identity shift rather than experiencing it as an identity loss.”

What are the challenges financial advisors face in succession planning?

“As I talk with other financial advisors, we’re all thinking about the same thing: how do we end the game well? I was lucky that I had the option to bring my children into the practice. Even if you don’t have family in the industry, teaming can be a great fit. There are different structures at Edward Jones that provide financial advisors options as they’re making the change.

The firm understands that this isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about preserving relationships, maintaining your sense of purpose during the transition and being able to communicate openly about the emotional journey you’re on.”

When it comes to succession planning, what makes Edward Jones different?

“First and foremost, we’re focused on our clients. Financial advisors don’t have to worry about their clients being indiscriminately divvied up. You have more control over the transition.

We’re also not a dog-eat-dog firm. We really do try to help one another and that gives me reassurance as I think about the future of my practice. The firm understands that this transition is personal — it’s about your legacy, your purpose, your identity and the relationships you’ve built. They provide both the practical structure through their succession planning process and the emotional support to help advisors work through this major life change.

That recognition of succession planning involving both your head and your heart? That’s rare in our industry.”

What do your clients think?

“I’m 69 years old, so whether clients say it or not, I know they’re wondering how long I’m going to be here. I’ve been serving some of my clients for 30+ years, so this isn’t a surprise. Bringing in a team has put their minds at ease. I’m getting them comfortable over time.

The idea of not seeing clients every day is hard. I know them. I know their kids. I was there when their spouses died. We’re bonded on a human level. Those are the kinds of deep relationships that make you question whether anyone else can do this job as well as you can. But if I can leave them with people I know and trust, I won’t worry. I’ll miss it, but I won’t worry.”

How do you feel about the future of your practice?

“The transformation the firm is undergoing is giving younger generations of financial advisors a chance to step up. I have confidence teaming and our new investment offerings for high net worth clients will propel us forward for many years. I only wish I was younger because this is such an exciting time at the firm.”

This is the Edward Jones difference. We recognize that succession planning requires both head and heart—practical planning and emotional preparation.

Finishing your financial advising practice here provides you with peace of mind that you’ve served your clients well, that your dedicated level of care will continue in the future, and that you’re generously recognized for the contribution of your legacy. We understand it’s not just about the transaction—it’s about honoring the relationships, preserving your purpose, and helping you see this not as a loss, but as an opportunity for growth into your next chapter.

Succession planning is an investment in your future, your clients’ well-being, and preserving your legacy. You don’t have to navigate this complex emotional and financial journey alone.

Thinking about your next chapter? Join us for a free 30-minute on demand webinar — Planning with Purpose: The Human Side of Succession.

  1. Cerulli Associates, “The Cerulli Report: U.S. Broker/Dealer Marketplace” (2019, 2025 updates)
  2. Cerulli Associates, “The Cerulli Report: U.S. High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Markets 2024”
  3. Edward Jones and Cerulli Associates, “The Pulse of North America” (2025)