Mar 4, 2011
By Diana Britton
New ETF analysis tools introduced last month from Morningstar and IndexUniverse may attract more assets to ETFs and expand the pool of ETFs that financial advisors use in client portfolios, say ETF consultants. ...
Mar 3, 2011
By Charles Paikert
Add Beacon Pointe Wealth Advisors to the growing list of registered investment advisors who want to become a national firm.
The Newport Beach, Calif.-based firm, which has approximately $4 billion in assets under management, made its first move towards expanding beyond California on Tuesday when it signed on Bruce Meyer, former managing director of Copperwynd Financial in Scottsdale, Az., Registered Rep. has learned.
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Mar 2, 2011
By Kristen French
On Wednesday, the SEC proposed open-ended rules aimed at reigning in incentive comp. The rules, which stem from Section 956 of the Dodd-Frank Act, would prohibit incentive-based compensation arrangements that encourage “inappropriate” risk-taking or could lead to “material financial loss” at broker-dealers and investment advisers with $1 billion or more of assets. ...
Mar 2, 2011
By Charles Paikert
The personal touch is still the most effective way for wealth managers to grow their business, but the use of social media is gaining fast, according to a new study by Advisors Trusted Advisor, a Medfield, Mass.-based practice management consulting firm....
Feb 28, 2011
By Hilary Johnson
One of the most challenging conversations for a financial advisor to have is getting a married couple to agree on a financial plan. Husband and wife may have very different views on risk, as well as spending and saving priorities....
Feb 25, 2011
By Jerry Gleeson
Wells Fargo Advisors has tentatively agreed to a $32 million settlement of a federal class-action gender discrimination lawsuit brought in 2009 by three women financial advisors who worked at its legacy Wachovia Securities brokerage. ...
Feb 25, 2011
By Diana Britton
As Baby Boomers retire, and switch gears from asset accumulation to asset distribution, advisors are going to have to become more sophisticated and efficient in their delivery of financial advice....
Feb 24, 2011
By Kevin McKinley
Some smart money moves adult children can make when caring for elderly parents’ finances. ...
Feb 24, 2011
By Diana Britton
Two years after many of Wall Street’s biggest banks nearly collapsed in the subprime crisis, half or more of individual investors do not trust financial services firms and brokerages, according to a report released Wednesday. And yet, brokers and financial advisors topped a ranking of individuals considered the “most credible source of information.” ...
Feb 23, 2011
By David A. Geracioti
For many years, Registered Rep. has conducted a research study comparing how advisors at various wirehouses rate their firms. During that time, we have received numerous requests to offer the same opportunity to independent financial advisors. It is now your turn. ...
Feb 23, 2011
By Jerry Gleeson
PriceMetrix Chief Executive Doug Trott has a message for fee-based advisors: think about charging more. The Toronto-based practice management and software business says it’s seeing growth among its fee-based clients but that pricing is under pressure....
Feb 22, 2011
By Lauren Barack
Advisors who hopscotch across their territories visiting clients now have mobile access to client files and financials on their iPhones (Nasaq: AAPL) — at least those who custody with Fidelity....
Feb 21, 2011
By David A. Geracioti
We'd like to invite you to contribute to our website Registeredrep.com through a cool new tool called Rep. Readers Write....
Feb 18, 2011
By Diana Britton
RIAs have long avoided variable annuities like they were bad breath. But LPL Financial (NASDAQ: LPLA), among others, is trying to change that with its new fee-based variable annuity platform...
Feb 17, 2011
By Jerry Gleeson
In his tenth edition of "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," out this year nearly 40 years after the first edition launched, Malkiel says financial advisors do matter, after all. ...
Feb 16, 2011
By Jerry Gleeson
The March 15 nomination deadline for the 31st annual “Rep.’s Altruism Awards: Advisors With Heart” (formerly the Outstanding Advisor Awards) is fast approaching. Each May Registered Rep. honors 10 veteran financial advisors who exemplify the highest standards of professionalism and are active in charitable giving and mentoring. ...
Feb 16, 2011
By Charles Paikert
The Internal Revenue Service’s latest amnesty offer for Americans with undeclared income from offshore accounts should serve as a reminder to wealth managers that some of their clients may owe money to the IRS and not realize it. ...
Feb 15, 2011
By Alan Lavine
It’s getting easier for clients with pre-existing medical conditions to get life insurance coverage today. Even those with cancer, heart disease and diabetes can qualify for “impaired risk,” or substandard-rated coverage. That’s due to technological and medical underwriting advances, as well as better patient treatment plans....
Feb 15, 2011
By Stan Luxenberg
Claims that fundamental indexes would outperform have so far been true. But is there enough data to build client portfolios around fundamental indexes?...
Feb 14, 2011
By Jerry Gleeson
Deborah McWhinney, who led a controversial restructuring among Citigroup’s (NYSE:C) bank brokers, is moving into a non-advisor role at the global financial giant. McWhinney, president of personal banking and wealth management, will take over a newly-created position as head of global digital merchant acquiring. ...
Feb 14, 2011
By Diana Britton
Charles Schwab’s daily average trades were up 28 percent month over month in January, as investors poured money back into equity mutual funds....
Feb 14, 2011
By Susan Konig
Last month, both UBS Wealth Management and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney unveiled changes in their compensation structures that have branch managers at both firms—many of whom are already disenchanted with the mounting demands and diminished job security of their positions within the industry—even more unhappy. ...
Feb 11, 2011
By Diana Britton
Liquidity may be more of a return predictor than you think, according to Roger Ibbotson, chairman and chief investment officer of Zebra Capital Management. During a presentation at IMCA’s New York Consultants Conference this week, Ibbotson made the case to advisors for a portfolio that is biased toward less liquidity, yet is still relatively liquid. ...
Feb 9, 2011
By Diana Britton
Three out of four wealthy women are looking or thinking of looking for a better financial advisor, said Susan Hirshman, a former advisor and author, who spoke at the Investment Management Consultants Association’s conference in New York Monday. ...
Feb 9, 2011
By Charles Paikert
Relationships with clients and the experience clients have with financial advisors and their companies have, of course, always been critical to success in wealth management. But since the financial crisis, firms have been ramping up their focus on all aspects of client interaction....
