Practice

A two-year extension to the Build America Bonds program, as well as extensions to a handful of other bond provisions set to expire at the end of the year, remain in legislative limbo as Senate Democratic leaders this week continue attempts to produce a tax bill that they can pass.

The conference committee made critical changes to the regulatory reform bill in its first substantive week of work, but the hardest decisions are still ahead.

The big three credit rating agencies have long made the disclaimer that investors should not use ratings as a substitute for independent judgment. Now regulators want banks to prove they aren't doing that.

American Banker's front-page story lays out the details of how the financial regulatory reform bill, now at a critical juncture in House-Senate conference committee, would change the banking and retail investment management industries: http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/175_117/senate-financial-reform-1021072-1.html

Despite the resistance of small employers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the mutual fund industry in general, legislation to require companies with 10 employees or more to provide employees with a seamless lifetime savings plan through an Automatic IRA, is definitely gaining steam.

Is it possible the media has overhyped the interest level in conversions? Bank of America recently reported that its first quarter Roth IRA conversions surged beyond expectations (see MME 5/10/10). Earlier this year, MME reported that while Roth IRA conversions had the potential to put $3 trillion in play, some fund companies were treating this opportunity merely as a way to reconnect with clients to speak with them in a meaningful way about their retirement planning and tax situation.

Wirehouses and regionals nab financial advisors and veteran executives.

Currently in its pilot phase, the new software could be available to all of its advisors in August.

The migration of advisors continues, as RBC Wealth Management hired two from UBS to expand in Portland, Ore.

House and Senate conferees meeting to hammer out a financial regulatory reform bill appear to have reached an agreement that would allow the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board to regulate financial advisers and other market intermediaries.