Pamela J. Black

“I’ve been guessing we’re in the foothills of a long 20-year rise with cyclical interruptions,” said Dan Fuss, who runs the Loomis Sayles Bond Fund.

While half of U.S. banks are aware of the opportunity with mass affluent investors and are busy enhancing their online capabilities, the other half believe they distinguish themselves from the Charles Schwabs of the world with in-person advice.

Optimism reigns in the bank brokerage world, according to the first annual Kehrer-LIMRA 2011 Predictions Survey.

How can advisors take advantage of opportunities created by limitations on fees and transactions? Program managers at BISA’s bank broker-dealer breakout session presented some interesting answers. “Banks are struggling with where to get more revenues because of fee reductions,” said Rob Comfort, head of Huntington Investments. “This gives us an opportunity to play a prominent role.” …

Cetera Financial Group announced on Wednesday a new program to reward advisors for increasing their assets under management in fee-based accounts.

LPL announced on Monday that it will move all Uvest bank brokers from Pershing to LPL’s self-clearing platform.

Fixed and variable annuities each changed course, the former rising and the latter falling in January of this year, according to the Kehrer-Jackson Monthly Bank Annuity Sales Survey.

Advisors need to consider a Net Unrealized Appreciation calculation, according to C. James Johnson, a presenter of retirement planning and tax strategies for Allianz Life Financial Services.

Is this really no big deal for bank advisors?

Sam Guerrieri is listed as president-elect in the trade's group's board members section, but he will not become president of BISA until 2012, according to current BISA's president, Marc Vosen.