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Self-regulatory officials may assess fees on municipal advisors based on their advisory activity and are focused on disclosure to retail muni investors.

Frustrated by the lack of progress with a global settlement between the 50 state attorneys general and the top mortgage servicers, federal banking regulators are expected to move forward with their own enforcement actions against 14 servicers as early as next week.

On a nationwide basis, unemployment and jobless-claims data have slowly improved. But the metrics vary widely from market to market and, complicating matters, many bank operations, even those of regionals, straddle strong and weak markets.

The new gift-tax exemption of $5 million opens the door to lots of gifting strategies, ranging from simple to more complex.

BIC's survey shows that advisors have been making more money across the board

Supporters argue the new agency has unprecedented power that needs to be checked, but others contend the GOP simply wants to undercut an agency it never liked to begin with.

Fixed and variable annuities sold in through banks each changed course, the former rising and the latter falling in January, according to the Kehrer-Jackson Monthly Bank Annuity Sales Survey.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch's retirement services unit is generating significant new business, much of it from existing clients of the bank.

Union Bank of California enjoyed a steep increase in brokerage revenue last year, due to increased referrals to its advisors from a beefed-up corps of licensed bankers.

According to the first annual Kehrer-Limra 2011 Predictions Survey, executives from responding banks are not only bullish on hiring, but they report that sales are shifting toward newer hybrid products, and institutions are more optimistic about succeeding at an integrated approach across brokerage, trust and private banking.

We're all guilty of allowing little things to distract us from what we should be doing. But the more efficiently you work, the bigger the returns you will receive. Follow these 11 rules to keep time-eating distractions at bay.

It is imperative to understand what women want, which can be summed up in one word: relationship. Studies show that intrapersonal, relationship-driven factors are key to overall satisfaction.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney recruited the following advisors from Merrill Lynch. Joseph Viviani and Robert DiGregorio joined in Melville, N.Y. They managed assets of $398 million and generated $2.1 million in production. Rosalie Schlaen and Izhar Shefer joined in Aventura, Fla. They oversaw $177 million in assets and generated $1.3 million in production. David Cohen joined in Melbourne, Fla. He had assets of $150 million and production of $1.6 million. Sam Pyle and Shauywn Smith joined in Woodland, Texas. They oversaw $111 million in generated $2.9 million in production. MSSB also hired Keith Kline from Raymond James in Fort Myers, Fla. He had $73 million in assets and $1.1 million in production.

Five experts offer smart strategies to use in these uncertain times.

Experts predict that social media may be the next area of scrutiny for the self-regulatory organization.

Have you helped your clients decide exactly when they will retire? It can make a significant difference-down to the month-in determining how much they will get in Social Security benefits.

If your clients want to know the best way to buy gold, the answer may depend on whether they are acting as collectors or investors.

Our legal expert answers your questions about providing disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.

Are you using one of these tried-and-true referral methods to reach new prospects?

The good branch managers stand out in a crowd, but the bad ones can make your life miserable - so how do you recognize the one worth following?