One investor draws criticism after comparing treatment of wealthy to Nazi Germany, plus other must-reads from wealth manager and CNBC commentator Josh Brown
Proposal would enable investors to open accounts with as little as $25. But would it turn us into a "nation of savers?"
On today's menu: The bad omen of Amazon's earnings miss; lots of people are eating burritos; the Microsoft CEO search nears an end ... and the new guy has a big job ahead; Super Bowl ads and what you need to know about the Year of the Horse.
Two companies filed this week, seeking funds that don't report daily.
MetLife Inc., the insurer reducing variable annuity sales by more than half, said rivals that are expanding are probably retaining less funds to back the retirement products.
Fixed-annuity sales in the third quarter reached their highest level since 2009, topping $22 billion. That number represents a 31% rise from the previous quarter and more than a 35% increase from the same period last year.
As the U.S. heads into its peak annual giving season, Americans feel bombarded with donation requests, but on the whole, they are digging deeper. Financial advisers said their clients this year are more confident about their financial future and are willing to increase their donations, thanks in part to the stock market tear.
Wealthy feel like giving but not all charitable vehicles created equal.
Major changes that kicked in this year, thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, likely will result in increased interest in charitable giving by clients interested in softening the bite of even higher brackets on income and capital gains taxes. As a refresher, the highest income tax rate rose in 2013 to 39.6%, while the highest capital gains rate is now 20%. To make things even more interesting, ATRA has also established a net investment income tax of 3.8%.
<i>Breakfast with Benjamin:</i> Big news from two tech giants: strong earnings and a gamechanging sale. Plus two questions: Should you worry about the rout in emerging markets and is your technology working for or against you? Also: A super price for a Super Bowl suite.
Advisers should spend more time vetting private-placement funds and their managers, commission says.
They're a great way to save on federal taxes, but state treatments differ widely.
Just as advisers have to become experts in learning the best Social Security claiming strategies, they need to learn how Medicare and tax rules could affect their clients' bottom line in retirement.
Don't move funds based solely on the word 'free,' regulator says.
State regulator charges Jordan Belfort disciple with engaging in abusive sales practices, churning a client's account and using markups to conceal commissions in the account of an 81-year-old investor.
Even as services evolve, the two groups' definitions are distinct &ndash; and should stay that way, Schweiss says.
The storied chief executive of the now-defunct Wall Street brokerage John Thomas Financial Inc. continues to face an open Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. fraud complaint that he bullied brokers, lied to senior staff and intimidated colleagues in his pursuit of penny stock riches.
