News

Displaying 43058 results
INDUSTRY NEWS MAY 26, 2009
Kentucky college savings plan to keep TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing

TIAA-CREFF again is being retained as the program manager for the Kentucky Education Savings Plan Trust 529 college savings plan.

By Bloomberg
INDUSTRY NEWS MAY 26, 2009
Vanguard Group cuts costs for Nevada college savings plan

The Vanguard Group Inc. today announced expense cuts across the lineup of investment options in The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan, sponsored by the state of Nevada.

By Sue Asci
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MAY 26, 2009
Progressive settles in Massachusetts over rate quotes

Progressive Insurance is paying the state $120,000 and will reimburse customers after volunteering that its Web site had provided inaccurate rate comparisons.

By Bloomberg
EMERGING MARKETS MAY 26, 2009
Russia expects 8% drop in GDP this year

The International Monetary Fund has said Russia's GDP could drop as much as 6% this year — the most pessimistic outlook so far.

By Associated Press
INDUSTRY NEWS MAY 24, 2009
Tenets for the times

Investments that adhere to Islamic law have at least one advantage at the moment: hey restrict the use of leverage, according to a report from State Street Corp.

By Sue Asci
MUTUAL FUNDS MAY 24, 2009
It's time to institute 'limited-purpose banking'

The Obama administration's strategy to ad-dress the economic crisis may be making the problem worse.

By Laurence J. Kotiokoff and John C. Goodman
IRA ALERT MAY 24, 2009
Education expenses and 72(t) plans

Individual retirement account owners under 59½ who take a distribution from their IRA are subject to a 10% penalty on the taxable amount of the distribution. But there are several exceptions to the penalty.

By Ed Slott
TAX MAY 24, 2009
Memo to the government: Dead people don't spend

In an effort to energize the economy, stimulus checks are being mailed to millions of people. Unfortunately, thousands of the recipients are dead.

By Jim Pavia
EQUITIES MAY 24, 2009
What if stocks are not for the long run?

Lubos Pastor may upend the world of equity investing. In his recent academic paper “Are stocks really less volatile in the long run?” the professor at the college's Booth School of Business argues that stocks are riskier than generally perceived.

By Evan Cooper
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION MAY 24, 2009
Brokerage industry is up in arms about Obama plan to get rid of offshore tax breaks

The brokerage industry is angry about President Obama's efforts to eliminate certain tax breaks for U.S. corporations that do business -offshore.

By Sara Hansard
WIREHOUSES MAY 24, 2009
Assets in broker-managed accounts rival those in wraps

Assets in broker-managed ac-counts reached the levels of traditional wrap fee accounts in the first quarter of the year, a milestone in the fee-based business at major brokerage firms.

By Dan Jamieson
INDUSTRY NEWS MAY 24, 2009
Investors abandon 130/30 strategies

In a risk-averse environment, 130/30 has lost its cool factor, with investors shying away from the strategy after getting clobbered in the market downturn.

By Pia Sarkar
RIAS MAY 24, 2009
Insurance industry needs federal oversight

Congress is likely to begin a review of the financial oversight system next month, with an eye toward revamping regulation. Banking, of course, will take center stage, especially now that the federal government has a direct stake in many of the nation's largest banks.

By MFXFeeder
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MAY 24, 2009
Death watch gone awry

The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled against a group of investors who tried to muscle a state guaranty association into paying about $1 million for the group's failed viatical investments.

By Darla Mercado
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION MAY 24, 2009
'Stranded' ARS investors sue for a share of pie

Investors and financial advisers who are stuck holding auction rate securities bought from “downstream” broker-dealers have begun to step up their legal claims against the major firms that marketed the investments as safe.

By Jed Horowitz
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MAY 24, 2009
Advisers cautious on insurers OK''d for TARP money

Although carriers' acceptance into the TARP program has led to share price gains and cautious approval from ratings agencies, some financial advisers are still keeping the insurers' products and securities at arm's length.

By Darla Mercado
RETIREMENT PLANNING MAY 24, 2009
Solvency of Social Security, Medicare worries advisers

Just when market conditions appear to be stabilizing, financial advisers now have something else to keep them awake at night: Both Social Security and Medicare are on a pace to disappear even sooner than expected.

By Mark Bruno
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION MAY 24, 2009
FPA, NAPFA and IAA to fight SEC's pop-quiz proposal

The financial advisory industry is bracing for a battle over the Securities and Exchange Commission's efforts to subject thousands of investment advisers to surprise exams by outside auditors.

By Sara Hansard
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MAY 24, 2009
With clock ticking, some urge clients to establish GRATs

Wealth managers and tax attorneys are advising wealthy clients who may need to minimize gift and estate tax payments to consider taking advantage of a popular tax-planning tool while they still can.

By Charles Paikert
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MAY 24, 2009
Though barred, rogue brokers often find work

Keeping track of rogue brokers is a tricky business, particularly when they leave or are booted from the confines of the securities industry, but keep peddling financial products.

By Bruce Kelly