Steve Garmhausen

A flood of new exchange-traded funds are enticing many investors to move out of mutual funds and into these chic funds despite their relatively scant -- if not nonexistent -- track records. But one S&P analyst said that shouldn't stop investors from hoping on the ETF bandwagon.

If you’re an advisor, you probably have a website. And you may belong to a social network such as LinkedIn or FaceBook. But to really make your website and social media efforts pay off, you’ll need to do more, experts say. The good news is that it’s not that difficult to strengthen your online presence -- and a stronger online presence can lead to more business. Here are eight tips for financial advisors to build a compelling online presence:

Charles Schwab is a bit late to the party with its new U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF -- but the company may use its brokerage platform to help even the playing field.

As the fruitless debt-ceiling negotiations make a U.S. default ever more likely, planners face a question: Should they recommend that concerned clients shift their assets or, even more boldly, short U.S. Treasuries?

There ride may be bumpy, but the economy and the markets continue to be headed in the right direction, according to top executives at Raymond James Financial, Inc.

The financial industry is stabilizing, but one area that is positively bustling is that of independent insurance-product distribution through banks.

Amid industry consolidation, PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., has enjoyed growing success over the past few years in signing its bank partners to longer contracts.

Memories of the 2008-2009 market crash are keeping Baby Boomers from investing at a time when many are fearful they'll outlive their retirement savings, according to a new survey by Allianz Life Insurance.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch will double the ranks of what it calls its Financial Solutions Advisors by year's end.

Writing out retirement income plans is a great way for financial advisors to increase client satisfaction, gain more referrals and ultimately increase assets -- yet few of them do it, according to a new study from Fidelity Investments.

The stars in the world of socially responsible investing are companies like Pax World, Parnassus and Ariel, which have leveraged the model to gain billions of dollars of assets under management.

Life insurance sales through banks, which set records in 2010, are now trending downward sales fell 30% in the first quarter, according to research firm Kehrer-LIMRA.

Workshops have long been a popular tool for financial advisors looking to connect with potential new clients but one advisor is taking the traditional workshop to a new and more effective level by getting CPAs, bankers and other influencers to co-host the events.

A subpoena from the Manhattan district attorney's office looking into its role in the financial crisis that devastated investor accounts in the middle and latter part of the last decade and compelled Congress to enact a sweeping regulatory overhaul of the financial services industry could have wide-ranging ramifications for the investment bank.

Poll of more than 200 financial advisors finds serious investor angst about their retirement prospects and apprehension about making the investments necessary to improve their outlook.

Emigrant Bank now helps clients appraise and sell antiques and art to round its wealth management services.

Guaranteed living benefits were adopted, when they were offered with variable annuities, 86% in the first quarter, according to LIMRA. That was down from a peak of 90% in the first quarter of 2009, notes Dan Beatrice senior analyst, retirement research with LIMRA.

Fears that new SEC rules could ding asset managers’ profitability are misguided, according to a new report from investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

Continuing a comeback after a difficult 2010, annuity sales through banks topped $4 billion in March to reach their highest level since exactly two years earlier, according to research firm Kehrer-LIMRA.

Allianz Global Investors white paper authored by UCLA professor Shlomo Benartzi is offering several tools drawn from the field of behavioral finance to help advisers help their clients.