Financial planning

The flexibility and broad selection of a regular investment account could outweigh the tax advantages of a 529 plan for funding higher education.

Why can’t your RIA operations be as beautifully integrated as the functions on your mobile?

A number of seniors opt to relocate in retirement to live closer to their adult children and grandchildren; plus, three ETFs to fund a happy retirement.

"We've got great momentum," says Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network president Kent Christian.

Michael Donnelly was sentenced for defrauding elderly clients of about $2 million, which he used to make car payments, pay his children's private school tuition and other expenses.

Edward Jones and Raymond James, among others, are steering clear.

Parthemer worked with pro athletes and frequented South Beach clubs with rap stars.

Does the newest iteration of a favorite advisor tool stand up to scrutiny? Our tech columnist takes it for a test drive.

It doesn't necessarily make sense to pay off student loans early if that means foregoing saving for retirement; plus, how the life-expectancy gap between rich and poor skews Social Security.

Richard Ketchum, former critic of the rule, calls the final version "much better" than the earlier proposal. But he still wants to see the SEC develop a uniform standard.

Advisors should be “prepared to defend their recommendations,” the low-cost planning pioneer says, and predicts the demise of high-fee products.

Find out what complications arise when family members co-own real estate investments. Plus, strategies that make paying taxes optional and tax breaks for hiring new employees.

In a succession play, Advisor Financial Services gets snapped up by Retirement Advisors of America.

Today's young workers can learn from their parents' example on making early sacrifices and managing debt wisely; plus, how clients can save by automating their portfolios.

These are fundamentally different ideas for retirement income planning, but it doesn't need to be an either/or situation; plus considerations for clients looking to work in retirement.

Why these are better investments than your clients may think.

Voices: The DoL is restricting investor choice and casts an unnecessarily critical light on existing B-D relationships that only follow a suitability requirement.

Chairwoman Mary Jo White tells lawmakers that a uniform standard for advisors and broker-dealers remains a priority, but that says it's a long slog.

Firms can't keep up with the demand for new recruits, which will keep the bigger payouts coming, On Wall Street's annual recruiter panel says.

Voices: If clients are already comfortable with DIY-investing, they could have already done so themselves with a robo advisor or low-cost brokerage.