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How many times have we said to ourselves, “If I’d only known then what I know now?” At this year’s Securities America Assistant University, a panel of experienced advisor assistants shared the benefit of hindsight and the top things they wish they had known in their first year as an assistant.

This year was a “slower year than many expected,” in terms of financial advisors departing major firms for other pastures, according to Chip Roame, the managing partner at Tiburon Strategic Advisors. “I believe 2013 may be slower, too,” he says.

With little more than a day remaining to avert tax increases for almost every U.S. worker and to halt federal spending cuts, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell worked to bridge gaps over income tax rates, the estate tax and other issues.

Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Bill Gross, manager of the world’s biggest bond fund, expects stocks and bonds to return less than 5 percent in 2013 as high unemployment persists, he wrote in a Twitter post.

As we head into 2013, most of us have made some personal resolutions, but what about your practice?

President Barack Obama made a last- minute appeal for compromise as three senators said the chances were greater than 50-50 for a deal to avert more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. In an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Obama warned of “an adverse reaction in the markets” if Congress doesn’t act.

Access to advisors and brokerage accounts is getting even easier for some investors.

If there is one sentiment that fiscal policy debates in Washington have taught investors not to expect over the years, it’s optimism, according to the chief market strategist at LPL. Time and again, we have seen our politicians respond to serious questions on the future of our nation’s economy by kicking the can down the road, or worse. Could it be different this time around for 2013?

Total money market mutual fund assets increased by $28.39 billion to $2.665 trillion for the week ended Wednesday, December 26, according to data from the Investment Company Institute.

Morningstar has reaffirmed or identified 38 funds as Morningstar Medalists, giving out Gold ratings to 17 funds.

Federated Investors is looking to fold a 2-Star rated fund into a 4-Star rated fund.

Mohamed El-Erian, chief executive officer and co-chief investment officer of Pacific Investment Management Company, is adding another title to his business card.

This holiday season has been a mixed bag for TCW Group.

For the week ending Wednesday, December 26, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds reported net inflows of $3 billion, excluding the inflows of $18.2 billion to money market accounts, according to data from Lipper.

Small and mid-sized firms look to maintain momentum from 2012 by offering more services and leveraging social media.

Wells Fargo financial advisor John Handley, number 37 on On Wall Street’s list, remembers getting that very first client and the cadre of business relationships he’s had for years.

Growing a financial advisory practice comes with many challenges. From bringing in new assets to finding a work-life balance, these challenges consume much of an advisor’s time and attention. However, a challenge many advisors seem to ignore is also one that offers the most opportunity - hiring an associate wealth advisor.

Congress is scheduled to return Thursday, with one of its top priorities a deal to avert the December 31 “fiscal cliff” deadline of looming tax increases and automatic spending cuts, but it will need to work quickly or reach some type of interim agreement.

Small businesses may be facing a variety of regulatory changes after January 1.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued an Investor Bulletin to help purchasers of municipal bonds better assess the bonds’ credit risks.