Ruthie Ackerman

For firms that made it through the downturn relatively unscathed, the increase in mergers and acquisitions in the wealth management sector will give them an opportunity to sink or swim.

Now that the economy is stabilizing and financial services firms are looking to add employees again, companies are taking the time to focus on diversifying their hiring practices.

After taking massive losses in 2008, many on Wall Street expected investors in target-date funds to pull out their assets and invest their retirement savings elsewhere. But according to Morningstar Inc., investors have ignored the criticism and made target-date funds the focus of their retirement savings.

With the tax deadline approaching, investors are deciding whether to convert from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. But before they do, advisors have one more conversion strategy: the “charitable offset” strategy.

Rep-as-advisor managed accounts have been steadily growing in popularity and will continue to do so in the short-term, but Cerulli Associates see growth dampening because of the account’s nondiscretionary nature.

A recent survey released by the Financial Women's Association (FWA) reveals that in 2009 the presence of women at the highest levels of major corporations in New York remained flat, while the number of women in board and executive positions either increased slightly or decreased when compared to the 2008 study.

As technology has become more advanced financial advisors have turned their attention to unified managed accounts to oversee all of their affluent clients’ assets, a trend that many in the industry think is here to stay.

Even though Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, introduced his financial regulatory reform bill earlier this month without a key provision on the fiduciary standard, some industry observers who support a more stringent standard are cautiously optimistic that tighter reforms will be implemented.

ING Solutions Funds Portfolio Manager Paul Zemsky has been bullish about the economy since the second quarter of last year and he expects strong growth to continue.

Despite strong market returns in 2009, a majority of advisors have found that their clients will have to work three to five years longer in order to maintain their standard of living during their retirement, a recent survey revealed.

The former New Jersey governor and Goldman Sachs chairman was named CEO of the New York brokerage company, which aspires to become a primary dealer.

Donor-advised funds have gained in popularity as more private foundations have seen the benefits of the funds over the complexities of running their own foundation.

In a move that surprised the industry Wednesday, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s head of enforcement announced to her employees that she would step down.

But the organization remains strongly opposed to doing away with a steady net asset value, which is usually $1.00 per share, and is a fundamental feature of money market funds.

MetLife believes that the once-ignored “emerging investor” is becoming critical to advisor business as firms try to figure out how to retain and recruit new clients.

Proposed legislation by the Securities and Exchange Commission to have single family offices register as investment advisors is part of the financial regulatory reform negotiations currently being debated in the Senate.

When going through a divorce, having just any financial advisor won't do. People need a planner who specializes in the subject and can help clients navigate the difficult emotional and financial terrain ahead.

As tax season gets into full swing many investors are taking a closer look to determine whether a Roth IRA conversion is right for them.

An event Wednesday asked how we can move from turbulence to transformation economically and in terms of gender equity. And the answer seems to be clear: by including women.

Over the past decade, the firm's mission has remained the same: to help women build confidence and an open dialogue around financial responsibility and knowledge.