Practice

Many mass-affluent investors, those with $50,000 to $250,000 in investable assets, have thrown in the towel when it comes to long-term financial goals and are, therefore, more focused on short-term needs than they are on retirement.

A study released by the Securities and Exchange Commission Saturday has recommended that a single fiduciary standard be created for brokers and investment advisers.

The much-anticipated study found that many investors are confused about the roles of brokers and advisors and are unsure of their protections when they receive advice. The study recommended a new standard would simplify the client experience.

Is this really no big deal for bank advisors?

The number of securities lawsuits filed in 2010 increased, despite a drop in new suits related to the credit crisis, according to a new report.

Public speaking is a skill that every advisor must master to be successful in a media-rich society.

According to an internal memo released late Thursday, the company is restructuring the unit into five areas.

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged three New York-based investment firms and four former senior officers with fraud, misuse of client assets and other securities laws violations, when they masked financial troubles within their $66 million advisory business.

A greater number of U.S. households are at risk of falling short of money in retirement because of the housing and financial crisis, according to a report.On Thursday, the Employee Benefit Research Institute released a new report that found that between 4%-14% more U.S. households are at risk of not having enough income to cover basic expenses in retirement. Those at-risk households are primarily those who had smaller 401(k) plans and/or individual retirement accounts or had significant exposure to fluctuations in the housing market.

We call this the "financial planning profession," right? So here's a topic for discussion: how is it that many people calling themselves a financial planner don't actually do financial planning work for their clients?