RIA News

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LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
AIG agrees to sell Alico to MetLife for $15.5B

Last week, AIG announced it was unloading its Asia-based operations. On Monday, the embattled insurer agreed to sell its Alico unit to MetLife for $15.5B. Is Nan Shan next?

By Associated Press
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
Deconstructing AIG: Insurer to sell its Asian ops to Prudential PLC for $35.5B

The quest for cash continues, as the besieged company agrees to sell off its Asian unit to Prudential PLC for $35.5B. The next to go? Ask MetLife.

By John Goff
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
VA assets surged in 4Q – but sales dwindled

Variable annuity assets climbed to $1.35 trillion in the fourth quarter — thanks in large part to the recovery in the stock market.

By Darla Mercado
RIA NEWS FEB 26, 2010
Five things investors can learn from Olympic athletes

By John Goff
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
Little life in individual-life-insurance sales in 2009

New annualized premiums for individual-life-insurance policies were down in the fourth quarter and for the full year of 2009, with the most dramatic declines hitting variable universal life, according to LIMRA.

By Darla Mercado
FIXED INCOME FEB 26, 2010
Does Citizens United ruling spell the end for pay-to-play laws? Attorneys disagree

The recent Supreme Court decision makes pay-to-play regulations unconstitutional — or at least, that's the take of one securities attorney. Others don't see it that way.

By Dan Jamieson
Insurers dead set against life settlement securitization
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
Insurers dead set against life settlement securitization

Industry group worried that securitization would encourage promoters to entice seniors to sell their life insurance policies, even when it's not in their best interests to do so.

By John Goff
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2010
Brokers push to put annuities into planning framework

In an attempt to pull further away from the transactional nature of annuity sales, brokerage executives are using tools to help their advisers fit product sales into a planning context.

By Darla Mercado
RETIREMENT PLANNING FEB 26, 2010
The 150%-return investment vehicle? Your 401(k)

If you had money in the stock market over the past decade, you probably agree that it was one bumpy experience. It might lead you to think your retirement account didn't fare too well. A new study by Fidelity Investments shows consistent contributions and staying in the market paid off for many, but the gain was due more to a commitment to saving than stellar market performance.

By Associated Press
MUTUAL FUNDS FEB 26, 2010
Citing adviser frustration, TFS Fund backs away from performance-based fee

After nearly four years of linking its management fee directly to its investment performance, TFS Small Cap Fund (TFSSX) is raising the white flag and reverting to a more traditional static expense ratio.

By Jeff Benjamin
Advisers need to get their clients back in the game
RIA NEWS FEB 26, 2010
Advisers need to get their clients back in the game

Despite double-digit unemployment, big deficits and a raft of other looming concerns, the economy isn't bad enough to justify the more than $9 trillion sitting on the sidelines in various low-yielding bank instruments.

By Jeff Benjamin
Price of five gold rings hikes '12 days of Xmas' bill to $87K
RIA NEWS FEB 26, 2010
Price of five gold rings hikes '12 days of Xmas' bill to $87K

Making one's true love happy will cost a whopping $87,403 this year, a minuscule increase from last year, according to the latest cost analysis of the items in the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

By Associated Press
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 25, 2010
Allianz Life's MasterDex X still top of the indexed-annuity heap

Sales of the popular indexed annuity helped Allianz maintain its place as the top seller of IAs.

By Darla Mercado
RETIREMENT PLANNING FEB 25, 2010
So what do advisers really think about 529 plans?

The financial crisis took a toll on 529 college savings plans, but plan participants are for the most part staying put and looking to the future, according to the results of an exclusive InvestmentNews survey, conducted for and presented today at the College Savings Foundation conference.

By Hilary Johnson
RIA NEWS FEB 25, 2010
Cashflow Insite has integrated with CashEdge AllData Advisor service

By Davis Janowski
RIA NEWS FEB 25, 2010
JPMorgan picks up RBS commodities biz in $1.7B deal

Royal Bank of Scotland PLC said Tuesday that its joint-venture commodities unit RBS Sempra Commodities has sold its metals, oil and European energy businesses to investment bank J.P. Morgan for $1.7 billion.

By Associated Press
FINTECH FEB 25, 2010
Indian national admits to hacking TD Ameritrade, other online brokerages

An Indian man has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to access online brokerage accounts to jack up stock prices and reap thousands of dollars in illegal profits.

By Associated Press
RIA NEWS FEB 25, 2010
Aberdeen to buy RBS money management units for $135M

U.K. goverment-controlled Royal Bank of Scotland on Friday said it will sell some of its asset management businesses to Aberdeen Asset Management PLC for 84.7 million pounds ($135 million).

By Associated Press
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION FEB 25, 2010
A uniform fiduciary standard a good bet, one way or another

While brokers who provide advice will likely be held to a fiduciary standard this year, a battle is raging on Capitol Hill over what that standard would look like and how it would work.

By Bloomberg
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT FEB 25, 2010
Reps' game of musical chairs seen unlikely to miss a beat

Although the number of brokers who change jobs in 2010 won't approach the level seen during the financial crisis, expect this to be a good year for broker recruiting.

By Dan Jamieson