On Saturday, all eyes at the Financial Planning Association’s annual conference in Seattle were on keynote speaker Christopher Gardner, the financial adviser whose rags-to-riches story was celebrated in the 2006 hit movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith.
As regulators and Congress scrutinize the proliferation of financial advisory designations aimed at bilking elderly investors, the organization that grants the certified financial planner credential is investigating whether its name is being improperly used by groups that promote bogus certifications.
Industry observers and financial advisers are welcoming a series of management changes announced Tuesday by AIG Advisor Group Inc., which hopes the changes will lead to better services for advisers.
The next generation of investment advice for defined contribution participants is here. After years of offering advice on the accumulation phase of retirement, several providers now are planning services that focus on the withdrawal phase.
It’s back to school for Monica Malanoski, a high-school teacher, and that means loading up her students with facts about marginal costs, market moves and equilibrium prices to prepare them for the next Maryland Economics Challenge.
Poor planning leaves his heirs with unnecessary legal fees and an onerous tax bill The way his terrible estate plan is unraveling, if the late James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” could see from wherever he is, he wouldn’t be screaming his most-famous three words: “I feel good.”
For years, critics have slammed the Morningstar rating system for elevating faddish offerings while ignoring out-of-favor funds toiling away in difficult environments.
Sixteen years ago, Jessica Abrams’ life revolved around her pony. To buy the horseshoes and other accessories she needed for shows, the then 14-year-old baby-sat several days a week and carefully saved.
Pension funds would be adversely affected if taxes on private-equity were raised, said witnesses.
In a marketing and business coup, Pershing has hired Mark Tibergien, a leading consultant in the industry.
The biggest B-D is buying Independent Financial Marketing Group from Sun Life Financial.
Senate hearings on taxing-carried interest begin tomorrow, but reports predicting its impact are out now.
Fidelity debuted a Web-based tool designed to help advisers create and manage retirement income plans for their clients.
The firm has added services for shareholders that invest in its $100,000 no-load, low cost mutual funds.
Nationwide Financial Services Inc. has kicked off enhancements to its Lifetime Income Rider.
NEW YORK — Recent market volatility is unlikely to curb investors’ appetite for collateralized debt obligations and other complex securitized-debt products despite the risks, wealth management executives said.
NEW YORK — NEXT Financial Group Inc., which is in the middle of a scrap with the Securities and Exchange Commission over its use of confidential client information when recruiting representatives, is getting strong support in some corners of the independent-contractor brokerage industry.
SAN FRANCISCO — After years of being heralded as the next big thing in banking, reverse mortgages have come into their own, morphing from a mom-and-pop industry to big business in just the last six months.
DETROIT — Financial advisory firms that concentrate on holistic planning and leave the investment management to outside professionals are seeing the benefits in real dollar terms, according to a recent study.
NEW YORK — Another independent broker-dealer has shut its doors, months after one of its brokers got in trouble with regulators.
