Portfolio

While financial advisers have been relying on internal wholesalers more heavily since the financial downturn, they are also finding those contacts not as accessible or responsive as they would like, according to the latest installment in Financial Research Corp.’s Advisor Insight Series, “Wholesaler Effectiveness.” FRC concluded that fund companies may be underestimating and spreading this valuable resource too thinly.

Jackson National Life Insurance announced it achieved record sales and deposits of $15.2 billion and record profit of $670 million in 2009. Sales and deposits were 8% higher than 2008, and net income increased from a net loss of $1 billion in 2008, primarily due to the positive impact of movement in non-operating derivative holdings and hedging practices for its annuities.

Folio Institutional, a division of FOLIOfn, has teamed up with Alliance Benefit Group Carolinas to offer a turn-key, web-based 401(k) platform that offers transparency, simplicity, low cost and is customizable. It includes custody, trading, recordkeeping and administration, and is available to advisers for just 95 basis points.

How can advisors broach this touchy subject with Boomers?

Eagle Asset Management has launched the Eagle Investment Grade Bond Fund, a mutual fund modeled on its High Quality Taxable fixed income separately managed accounts portfolio.

Prospects and clients might say they're feeling upbeat about the economy, but their money isn't talking.

The company increased sales by 14% last year, surpassing $1 billion for the first time in its history.

The reasons to buy long-term care insurance aren’t new. What is new, though, is who boomer clients are buying such insurance for: their parents.

The Michigan-based wealth management, CPA and business consulting firm is moving custody of its $2 billion-plus in assets under management.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is expected to file long-awaited rule changes with the Securities and Exchange Commission that would implement the final phase of its transparency system for auction-rate securities and variable-rate demand obligations.