Banking

Covered call writing is often seen as an alternative income strategy, but it also can enable advisors to reduce risk in a concentrated portfolio while preventing clients from getting clobbered by taxes when selling.

As the bull market in stocks thunders on, clients may doubt the advantages of non-correlated alternative investments. Here's what advisors can do.

Structured products generally have some protection against loss plus a play on equities or fixed income.

With stocks soaring, some advisors are turning to alternatives as a way to trim downside risk while maintaining market participation.

These pass-through vehicles often yield around 5% or 6%, though they can present tax-reporting headaches and are far from risk free.

These pass-through vehicles often yield around 5% or 6%, though they can present tax-reporting headaches and are far from risk free.

While actual hedge funds may be limited to the very wealthy, advisors are using their strategies to reduce risk in the portfolios of everyday clients.

While actual hedge funds may be limited to the very wealthy, advisors are using their strategies to reduce risk in the portfolios of everyday clients.

Hedge fund alpha is going from bad to worse. Why the decline in performance?

For advisors, the choices among alternative beta portfolios are numerous. Which ones make the most sense for clients?

How does owning gold compare to owning precious metals equities?

Long-term gains on some gold investments can be surprisingly high, under the rules for collectibles.

Long-term gains on some gold investments can be surprisingly high, under the rules for collectibles.

Investors often make mistakes when buying and selling art. Most novices will first call an auction house, which may not be unbiased about its own program.

Investors often make mistakes when buying and selling art. Most novices will first call an auction house, which may not be unbiased about its own program.

A small amount of gold in a portfolio can act as a good alternative asset to diversify risk.

To include real estate in a portfolio, buying rental property may be more practical than investing in tax liens or making private loans.

Though private, non-traded REITs have very high loads and ongoing expenses, low cost REITs can have a place as alternatives in our clients' portfolios.

Though private, non-traded REITs have very high loads and ongoing expenses, low cost REITs can have a place as alternatives in our clients' portfolios.

Gold’s role as an alternative investment might be reduced with Washington moving back from the brink of default.