The internet is awash in videos created by self-styled financial influencers peddling investment strategies. Yet nearly all of them lack the qualifications considered necessary for providing financial advice, finds Legalaes, a financial licensing consultancy. The firm examined more than 1,700 posts that had been viewed more than 692 million times and determined that 29% were misleading. Just 2% of the social-media influencers were qualified to give financial advice, the firm found.

Among other most-read wealth management articles this week:

Morgan Stanley's 2027 pay grid. On Thursday, the Wall Street giant unveiled its 2027 advisor compensation plan, which follows the brokerage industry practice of using a grid to determine pay. Under Morgan Stanley's new compensation plan, the revenue thresholds for each of its 16 grid bands will increase by approximately 10%. That could shift some advisors into lower bands, reducing their payout percentages. Morgan Stanley is the first of the big four national brokerage firms to issue its annual compensation plan.

Schwab to pay up for crypto scam. An arbitration panel has ordered Charles Schwab to pay more than $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it failed to respond to red flags indicating an elderly client had fallen prey to a crypto scam. Swindlers apparently convinced the man, 82 at the time, that he owed money in connection with a refund they said he received in error and gained access to his computer, according to Scott Greco, the lawyer for the claimants. Schwab acknowledges the now-deceased client's losses but says it shouldn't have been responsible for reimbursing his sons.

New Jersey man charged in Ponzi scheme. The Securities and Exchange Commission accused Ernest Ossei Boateng and two New Jersey-based companies he controls of operating a $16 million Ponzi scheme, according to a civil complaint the regulator filed last week in a federal court in New York. The regulator says the affinity-fraud scam targeted inexperienced investors, many of whom are Christians of Ghanaian heritage in New York and New Jersey.

Veteran advisor's top lessons. Spuds Powell, a managing director at Kayne Anderson Rudnick, is ranked No. 3 in Barron's 2026 Top 100 Independent Advisors list and is a member of Barron's Hall of Fame. In a recent Barron's Advisor: The Way Forward podcast, he lists the most important lessons he's learned during his long career, including that "difficult" clients can help advisors grow and that lighthearted moments can build client relationships.

The real MVPs at wealth firms. In wealth management, team members who are technically in support roles can be the most instrumental to the success of a practice. They are essential for preventing mistakes, recognizing opportunities, and fostering client loyalty. For this week's Barron's Advisor Big Q, we asked team leaders to tell us about the significant contributions of employees who don't sit in the advisor chair.

Write to advisor.editors@barrons.com