The traditional model of client's investment book of business being managed by just one advisor may not be as common at credit unions and other financial institutions.

Since 2007, the number of advisers working in a team-based practice has increased by 60%, according to Cogent Research. Nearly one in four adviser books of business are managed in a team concept with more than one advisor. Wire houses have seen the biggest increase at 70%. Fifty-five percent of advisers with more than $100 million in assets under management tend to co-manage their books compared to 11% of advisers with less that $25 million in assets under management.

Rather than managing the entire portfolio, advisers may be split into asset gatherers responsible for finding and developing investor relationships and asset managers who conduct deeper investment analysis, product due diligence and other market monitoring activities.