Larry Barrett

Investors can’t seem to get enough of exchange-traded funds and notes, a fact that has regulators on high alert and ETP providers racing to come up with ever-more creative offerings to differentiate themselves from the competition. But who is looking out for investors?

Nearly four-in-10 (38%) retiree households say they don’t have enough income to cover their monthly expenses. What can retirees and pre-retirees do to improve their monthly retirement income?

Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s global wealth and investment management unit posted a first-quarter profit of $547 million, more than doubling the $259 million it earned in the fourth quarter, and the second-highest quarterly profit since BofA bought Merrill in 2008.

Ask any advisor and he or she will tell you that clients can’t get enough of long-term growth mutual funds. Here’s an interactive slide show featuring the five best performers so far this year.

Genworth Financial this week debuted a free, web-based mobile app that lets investors and advisors calculate their expected long-term care expenses from their iPhones or iPads and, simultaneously, get down to the business of adjusting their long-term financial planning goals to meet these rising costs as they age.

LPL Financial said its RIA platform, the firm’s custody unit, eclipsed the $25 billion threshold in total assets under custody.

Advisors with a robust advisory process generally generate a high level of client loyalty and build lasting value in their firms. Here’s an interactive slide show detailing 5 things you can do to effectively manage client expectations and risk tolerance, enhance relationships and protect your firm's value.

For some Dow component stocks, the first three months of the year were forgettable. Here’s an interactive slide show featuring the 5 worst-performing Dow stocks so far this year.

By any measure, the first quarter of 2012 was a very good one for investors. Here’s an interactive slide show featuring the 5 best-performing Dow stocks so far this year.

Being a good conversationalist is a skill that many advisors seem to forget when they are with prospective clients. Here are 8 tips to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Here’s an interactive slide show detailing five important facts every financial advisor needs to know about actively managed ETFs.

Even the best-laid retirement plan can come unraveled if clients and their advisors aren’t proactive about setting reasonable spending limits and sticking to them. Here’s an interactive slide show detailing nine ways advisors can keep their clients from overspending throughout their retirements.

Chicago-based RIA HighTower has lured away HSW Advisors, a three-man team overseeing more than $1.4 billion for 50 clients, from Merrill Lynch’s private banking and investment group.

Here’s an interactive slide show detailing the best investment ideas for this election year from seven financial advisors practicing throughout the country.

For some Dow components (and their investors), February was a heartbreaker. Here’s an interactive slide show highlighting the 5 worst-performing Dow component stocks for February 2012.

For some companies, there was a lot to love about February. Here’s an interactive slide show highlighting the 5 best-performing Dow component stocks for February 2012.

Regulators are stepping up their efforts to safeguard investors and their money from unscrupulous financial advisors. Here’s an interactive slide show detailing five advisors who have already found themselves in the SEC’s crosshairs this year.

Here are 10 global investment predictions for 2012 that advisors and their clients should be monitoring through the rest of the year.

Former Morgan Stanley senior executive, advisor joins Beverly Hills Wealth Management as new senior vice president.

Only 20 years ago, more than half of all American workers said they were on track to retire before they reached the age of 65. Today, only about 23% of Americans say they’ll be able to retire by that age. Here are the seven largest obstacles standing between your clients and an early retirement.