Practice

Alarmed at a set of conditions that could invite sales abuses and eventually a market correction, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority enters 2013 with a warning to investment advisors that the group plans to keep a close eye on the industry and hold advisors accountable to its new suitability rule.

As the new Head of Personal Retirement, Jeff Cimini will help grow the firm’s Personal Wealth & Retirement division to meet the changing demands of the industry.

Two former wirehouse advisors have gone independent in Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland.

CLS Investments has appointment of Brian Clark as a wholesaler, covering Southern California, parts of Nevada, and all of Utah.

Bank of America agreed to pay $62.5 million to resolve investor claims that the bank’s directors mishandled the acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co., company officials said.

Paul Lofties, who has been promoted to senior vice president of wealth management at Securities America, said that reaching wealthy investors has been a challenge for independent broker-dealers because “traditionally, high-net-worth individuals have done more investing with wirehouses” but he has a strategy for success.

The current economic recovery, while slow, is on track. Fiscal cliff fears have been grossly exaggerated, to the detriment of investors and planners. And sometimes there’s an upside to a modest recession.

Though many advisors say that they want to boost client satisfaction, most don’t know how to make it happen. By taking the right steps to keep your clients highly satisfied, you will be able to position your practice for stronger growth.

Jenni Rivera was a singer-songwriter, actress and Telemundo TV star who died tragically and now her estate will be as rocky as her life.

The Internal Revenue Service has released a long-awaited set of rules for correcting employee retirement plans that fail to meet the requirements of the Tax Code.