Schwab Advisor Services™ today announced the creation of National RIA Day, an annual day recognizing independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) and honoring the work they do to support their clients each day. Unveiled onstage at Schwab IMPACT 2026®, the largest gathering of independent advisors in the country, the inaugural National RIA Day will take place February 17, 2027, and will be observed on the third Wednesday of February every year thereafter.
Why the RIA profession is getting a day
RIAs are held to a fiduciary standard, which means they’re legally required to act in their clients’ best interest. Thousands of firms have built entire businesses around that single commitment. Until now, there was no official day to celebrate it.
National RIA Day is for the firms and the people around them: the advisors weighing a move to independence, the clients who chose an RIA and value the relationship, the students discovering the profession for the first time, and the industry groups and advocates who defend the model.
“For nearly 40 years, we’ve stood alongside independent advisors who put their clients first every single day,” said Jon Beatty, Head of Schwab Advisor Services. “The RIA industry has never had a moment to call its own. National RIA Day changes that. While we are a proud supporter, this isn’t about Schwab. This is about celebrating an entire community and showing the next generation that this is a career worth building.”
How the day will be celebrated on February 17, 2027 (and beyond)
The celebration will take place through five key initiatives:
- Celebration. In advisor communities across the country, firms will mark the day with their teams and clients in their own way.
- Advocacy. In Washington D.C., advisors, custodial leadership, industry groups, and legislators elevate the profession and the standard behind it.
- Education. On college and university campuses and with partners across the profession, students and professors will learn what the work looks like day to day and how they can shape the next generation.
- Service. With community and pro bono partners, the profession will extend its reach to families who do not typically have access to financial advice.
- Schwab. Across Schwab offices, employees will mark the day alongside the nearly 17,000+ RIAs they serve. Schwab will also provide programming, toolkits, and assets that help advisors, students, and partners take part in their own way.
To mark the inaugural day, Schwab will ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on February 17, 2027, joined by the colleagues, advisors, clients, and students that inspired this day.
“Independent fiduciary advice isn’t just a regulatory standard — it’s a relationship standard – and it’s reflected in how RIAs show up for their clients every day,” said Lisa Salvi, Head of Business Consulting & Education. “National RIA Day is a chance to celebrate that, to support the advisors who live it, and to open a door for the students who will carry it forward.”
How it started
RIA Day began as a grassroots idea, where students and faculty wanted a way to put the profession on the map for people who had never encountered it. From there, it grew across university campuses nationwide. Now, Schwab is bringing it to everyone who makes and will make this industry what it is.
“The next generation of this profession is sitting in classrooms right now, and most of them have never heard of it,” said Leslie Tabor, Director of Business Consulting Services. “National RIA Day gives us one day a year to change that, and a reason to keep building the education that carries students from a first conversation to a first job.”
This day belongs to every RIA
National RIA Day belongs to every firm that chooses independence and every advisor who built a career on it. Four ways to make it yours:
- Tell your story. Share why you went independent, or what a fiduciary relationship has meant to a client, using #NationalRIADay.
- Bring your clients in. The people who chose you are the best case for this profession. Give them a reason to say so.
- Open a door. Bring in a student, host a class, or take a call from someone considering the move to independence.
- Celebrate together. This is a profession that can change lives, and it’s bigger than any one of us.
Interested in being a part of this momentous occasion? Learn more here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National RIA Day?
National RIA Day is an annual day of recognition, registered by the National Day Calendar, honoring independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) and the fiduciary model they work under.
It was created by Schwab Advisor Services and announced in October 2026. The day celebrates independent advisory firms of all sizes, spotlights the profession as a career path for students, and recognizes the fiduciary standard that requires advisors to act in their clients’ best interest.
When is National RIA Day?
The first National RIA Day is Wednesday, February 17, 2027. It will be observed on the third Wednesday of February every year after that.
What is an RIA, and why does the fiduciary model matter?
An RIA is a firm registered with the SEC or a state securities regulator that provides investment advice. RIAs are held to a fiduciary standard, meaning they are legally obligated to act in their clients’ best interest. That obligation is the reason National RIA Day exists: it marks a model built around putting clients first, and the firms that have chosen to operate that way.
Why do clients choose to work with an RIA?
Clients work with RIAs for a range of reasons, and the fiduciary obligation is central to most of them. Because an RIA is legally required to act in a client’s best interest, the advice relationship starts from a different place than one built on suitability alone. Clients also point to independence itself: RIAs are not tied to a parent company’s products, and many are structured so the person giving advice is the person accountable for it. National RIA Day is a chance for those clients to recognize the firms they chose, and for people considering an advisor to understand what the model offers.
Who created National RIA Day and why?
Schwab Advisor Services secured the national recognition of RIA Day, building on a grassroots idea. Schwab has worked with independent advisors since 1987 and today serves more than nearly 17,000 firms, safeguards nearly $6 trillion in client assets, and has more than 3,000 employees dedicated to serving advisors.
That vantage point is why Schwab took the idea a step further to have it be nationally recognized: the profession has never had a day of recognition, and most students have never heard of it. Schwab acts as convener rather than owner, providing tools and a platform for advisors to celebrate in their own communities.
Who are the inaugural partners of National RIA Day?
The inaugural partners of National RIA Day are the CFP Board, the Foundation for Financial Planning, the Investment Adviser Association, and university partners across the country. The group spans professional standards, advocacy, pro bono financial planning, community service, and education, reflecting the range of ways the RIA profession reaches beyond its own client base. Additional partners will be announced ahead of February 17, 2027.
How can advisors, firms, and students take part in National RIA Day?
Advisors and firms can celebrate with their teams, clients, and local communities using resources Schwab will make available, and can share what independence has meant to them using #NationalRIADay. Students and universities can connect with advisors to learn about the profession as a career path. Anyone interested in participating in the inaugural National RIA Day on February 17, 2027, can find details 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
The above-mentioned firms and their employees are not affiliated with or employees of Schwab unless otherwise noted. Mention should not be construed as a recommendation, endorsement of, or sponsorship by Schwab. The views expressed are those of the third party and are provided for information purposes only.
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
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