News

Displaying 43093 results
MetLife reins in popular VA benefits rider — again
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 11, 2011
MetLife reins in popular VA benefits rider — again

Regulator filing details second benefits cut since May launch

By Darla Mercado
House votes to kill 3% withholding tax on government contractors
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION OCT 11, 2011
House votes to kill 3% withholding tax on government contractors

Bill should be good news for FAs who work with state and federal agencies; FSI lauds passage

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
IRS boosts caps on 401(k) contribution, death tax exemption
RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 11, 2011
IRS boosts caps on 401(k) contribution, death tax exemption

The bad news: the hike for retirement plan kick-ins is puny, while the estate tax exclusion plummets next year

By John Goff
RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 11, 2011
LTCI too pricey even for Uncle Sam as CLASS Act yanked

Citing costs, government pulls plug on controversial long-term-care insurance plan; 'we're right where we have been operating'

By Darla Mercado
Wasserstein haunts Harry & David in buyout doomed to bankruptcy
RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 11, 2011
Wasserstein haunts Harry & David in buyout doomed to bankruptcy

Bruce Wasserstein, dead for two years, still casts a pall over the Rogue River Valley of southern Oregon, home of Harry & David Holdings Inc.

By Doug Cubberley
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 11, 2011
Nine mistakes clients make when buying insurance

By John Goff
Guilded age? Allstate's independent contractors one step closer to union
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 11, 2011
Guilded age? Allstate's independent contractors one step closer to union

Long time come, but agents finally form guild to have leverage over corporate office decisions

By Darla Mercado
Wells Fargo has record year while Goldman's earnings collapse
INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 11, 2011
Wells Fargo has record year while Goldman's earnings collapse

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. may report its lowest quarterly profit since the 2008 financial crisis while Wells Fargo & Co. is headed for record earnings.

By Doug Cubberley
INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 11, 2011
Asset allocation for the long haul

Most individual invest-ors have one major investment goal — to save enough for retirement

By MFXFeeder
BROKER DEALERS OCT 11, 2011
Ladenburg chairman boasts about growth

Investor Phillip Frost, the largest shareholder in, and chairman of, Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc., issued a challenge Friday to the independent-brokerage business, saying that his firm's plans to expand are second to none

By Bruce Kelly
MetLife to take charge of up to $135M to pay death benefits
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 11, 2011
MetLife to take charge of up to $135M to pay death benefits

MetLife Inc. will take a charge of up to $135 million for unpaid death benefits based on Social Security Administration records.

By Doug Cubberley
Bill to cap cap gains rate may hit Senate turbulence
RIAS OCT 11, 2011
Bill to cap cap gains rate may hit Senate turbulence

Sponsors of legislation that would limit on the federal levy on investment income at 15% are confident of strong support in the House. The Senate is another matter, however.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
That retirement calculator is lying to you and your clients
RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 11, 2011
That retirement calculator is lying to you and your clients

Forecast returns built into most retirement tools no longer valid, experts say; 8% is history

By John Goff
Ameriprise, Lincoln have strong VA hedging programs: Moody's
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 11, 2011
Ameriprise, Lincoln have strong VA hedging programs: Moody's

Ameriprise Financial Inc. counts on controlled distribution and Lincoln National Corp. 'goes Greek' to hedge variable annuities.

By Darla Mercado
INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 11, 2011
Recession fears spook market, advisers

If they weren't already concerned about the economy, last week's precipitous stock market decline led many financial advisers to conclude that the nation is headed into another recession.

By Andrew Osterland
Finra proposal could aid broker class actions
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION OCT 11, 2011
Finra proposal could aid broker class actions

The regulator wants to ban from its arbitration forums so called “collective action” claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act or the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

By Dan Jamieson
Dodd-Frank panel's delays create financial 'guessing game'
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION OCT 11, 2011
Dodd-Frank panel's delays create financial 'guessing game'

A team of regulators charged with preventing another financial crisis is fending off criticism it's moving too slowly to identify the firms whose failure could pose a threat to the economy.

By Doug Cubberley
ICI to regulators: When knocking ETFs, please be specific
ETFS OCT 11, 2011
ICI to regulators: When knocking ETFs, please be specific

The Institute is worried that a recent report about synthetic ETFs actually tarred all exchange-traded funds. That, in turn, led to 'inflammatory media coverage.'

By Jessica Toonkel
MUTUAL FUNDS OCT 11, 2011
ICI to SEC: What's your say on pay-to-play?

With the Sept. 13 deadline on pay-to-play rules looming, mutual fund companies are in heated discussions with broker-dealers about getting access to customer information that they need to comply

By Jessica Toonkel
401(k) balances at record level, Fidelity says
RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 11, 2011
401(k) balances at record level, Fidelity says

Average balances of 401(k) retirement plans reached the highest level since Fidelity Investments began tracking account values in 1998.

By Doug Cubberley