Donald Jay Korn

Advisors want more control over clients' managed accounts, and such accounts increasingly tilt towards mutual funds. Judging from recent results, though, the combination of these trends might not be good news for clients.

The last century ended with a dot-com boom, followed by a real estate boom with each ending in a bust. Could bonds face a similar fate?

Almost all the planners surveyed by Tiburon called the current technology offerings merely acceptable or downright unsatisfactory.

Participation in 529 college savings plans has leveled off after years of growth, according to a Fidelity survey. Perhaps not coincidentally, the study found that most advisors do not "proactively suggest the 529 plan" to parents with youngsters.

Jody Team, heading a three-advisor firm with $40 million in assets under management, has launched Deltamark Advisors, a "turnkey" RIA support firm.

After peaking at over $1,900 an ounce in August 2011, gold prices are now down around 12% from that apex. However, investors' demand for gold bullion ETFs has not dulled.

Trust funds are typically plump with assets to manage. Now, RIAs may be able to keep those asset management fees, after trusts are funded, without having to disrupt back office operations.

Raymond James is introducing software that brings clients into the planning process. "Planners usually tell me that working with clients is the best use of their time," Patrick O'Connor, senior vice president of wealth management solutions at Raymond James, said. "Instead of spending an hour-and-a-half preparing a plan and half an hour presenting it to clients, with this software an advisor might put in half an hour of prep work and take an hour-and-a-half developing the plan along with the client."

Marvin Tuttle, the current exec director/CEO, had planned to retire in 2014 but moved up his exit due to family concerns. Schadle, who has been with the FPA and a predecessor group, the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP), since 1996, assumed her current post in 2006.

Lifelong income solutions for defined contribution plans are on the way. With defined benefit plans waning and life expectancy waxing, more retirees will need more guaranteed income than Social Security can provide.

More than a third of investors are less tolerant of risk than they were eight months ago, according to a new TD Ameritrade investor sentiment survey.

IRA contributions for 2011 were nearly 15% higher than those for 2007 and contributions to Roth IRAs have outpaced traditional IRAs by almost 63% a year over the same period.

RIA in a Box's registration maintenance service focuses on turning down an RIA's panic level from surprise regulatory visits.

TD Ameritrade Institutional claims its iRebal system will allow financial planners to rebalance client portfolios in "near-zero" time.

In the first half of 2012, tons of cash flowed out of non-qualified annuities, according to the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.

A new white paper from Forward Management LLC, San Francisco, concludes that diversifying portfolios with managed futures may enable investors to earn better risk-adjusted returns.

The independent brokerage arm of Wells Fargo & Company, now has nearly 550 practices across the country.

Schwab Advisor Services has expanded its "Insight to Action" practice management consulting program for registered investment advisors.

What is the fastest growing financial services market and distribution channel? According to Tiburon Strategic Advisors, it's the fee-based financial advisory market.

LPL Financial has announced an affiliation with Advantage Financial Group that will bring client assets of about $2 billion to LPL.