Practice

Employees are gaining confidence in their short-term finances but the majority is still not saving enough for retirement.

Clients must digest that they will likely pay more for taxes in their lifetimes than anything else.

A retired couple alleges their advisor lost millions through negligence and misrepresentation of certain securities, but the firm says that the clients were sophisticated self-directed investors.

Many retirees fail to boost savings after their last child leaves the house, and instead go on a spending spree that can last for years; Plus, how to make volatility work for you.

Clients can consider gifting up to $14,000 to as many individuals each year before gift taxes kick in.

Clients can consider gifting up to $14,000 to as many individuals each year before gift taxes kick in.

But watch out for the pitfalls of this common end-of-year-practice.

Clients should consider spreading out transfers over their lifetime to lower tax liabilities.

Low-cost competition will force fee-based advisors to restructure how they are compensated, said Brian Leitner, senior vice president of practice management at Mariner Wealth Advisors.

"We can shuffle women from one firm to the next all day long, but we're still going to be at that 15%," says Michelle Lynch, director of Raymond James' Network for Women Advisors.