How Old Is Too Old to Leave Merrill or Morgan Stanley?

Summary: Bob Fragasso was 50 years old in 1996, when he walked away from a six-figure deferred-compensation plan at Smith Barney and founded an independent firm. But could he muster the energy to break away today, at age 68? “Absolutely,” says Fragasso. Though experts agree age isn’t the main thing keeping older wirehouse advisors from going independent, industry estimates suggest that the prime age range for breakaways is between 40 and 50.