Portfolio

Many considered Dec. 31, 2013, the final date for year-end tax planning, but there are numerous planning actions that you can take in 2014 retroactive to 2013. Here's a quick and easy guide to help with planning.

An advisory group in Winter Park, Fla. with $550 million in client assets leaves Morgan Stanley to go independent.

Financial services firms' 2014 plans center on product lines, distribution capabilities and technology, according to a survey done by Cerulli Associates.

The move is part of a shift of emphasis from life insurance "to a more well-rounded protection and retirement planning approach."

Granite Financial says it hopes moving to the IBD will power growth.

Certain securities salespeople are giving the brokerage industry a bad name by putting clients into manifestly unsuitable securities, namely leveraged and inversed ETFs, which are attracting wary and watchful eyes among U.S. regulators.

Gold climbed to the highest level in a month on speculation that the Federal Reserve will slow the pace of cuts to stimulus after U.S. payrolls increased less than analysts forecast. Silver, platinum and palladium rose.

Municipal bonds remain attractive even after their divergence from Treasuries this past week, industry watchers say, suggesting the recent signs of strength in the market may carry into the new year.

Rising Treasury yields and the biggest equity market rally in 16 years are leading one measure of stock valuations to the most bearish level since 2011.

A new PriceMetrix study outlines critical factors for keeping clients connected.