Financial planning

Dividends that increase consistently over the long-term also have their pay-offs over shorter cycles.

Why retirees whose premiums that are not deducted from Social Security payments can expect an increase next year; Plus, explaining the menu of income annuity features and options.

The Labor Department’s fiduciary hearings featured more than 70 experts and about 40 hours of testimony. Here’s what you missed.

A "cautionary" note on the third day of hearings after DoL officials quiz industry attorney in the slippery task of trying to ascertain details of common commission sales.

"When you put this in the context of rule changes that have occurred since the financial crisis, this would rank at the top," notes James Allen, CEO of Hilliard Lyons.

"You're getting them through one of the worst things in their life, whether they wanted the divorce or not," says advisor Charles Day.

As summer winds down, wealth managers, industry execs and others share their favorite titles authored by advisors. These 10 books cover a range of topics from succession planning and practice management, to investment advice and tips on smart retirement planning.

As summer winds down, wealth managers, industry execs and others share their favorite titles authored by advisors. These 10 books cover a range of topics from succession planning and practice management, to investment advice and tips on smart retirement planning.

Nearly a dozen Democratic state senators express their concerns over the Obama administration's proposed changes to the fiduciary standard; plus the crazy way Social Security punishes spouses who claim early benefits.

Critics: DoL fiduciary rule would harm investors; Advocates: Americans' "retirement savings are being depleted by conflicts of interest every day."

The DoL’s proposed fiduciary rule would likely push some commission-based brokers out of the retirement market altogether, NAIFA’s JuIi McNeely testified during the second day of DoL hearings on the proposed rule.

A federal appeals court has reversed a Tax Court decision in favor of an unmarried couple, finding the mortgage debt limit provision in the Tax Code applies on a per-taxpayer basis and allowing each of them to deduct mortgage interest up to the $1.1 million limit.

Hillary Clinton has rolled out a plan to make college affordable that her presidential campaign has dubbed the New College Compact, enabling students to pay for higher education without taking out costly student loans.

Fidelity National Information Services, a provider of banking and payments technology, agreed to buy software maker SunGard Data Systems in a deal valued at $9.1 billion, including the assumption of debt.

Clients may want to consider the impacts of headline risk on securities before pulling out of municipal bond investments.

Clients can avoid risk by replacing low-yield bonds in their portfolio with high-dividend stocks; plus how and when clients should apply for Social Security and why parent education loans can ruin your clients' retirement.

Brokerage industry leaders told Labor officials that the plan's contract requirements will compel them to drop less-affluent clients who want to retire.

The Bronfman-Highline deal is the 74th RIA M&A transaction this year, and is unlikely to be the last for the firm going forward. "We love this business…and we have capital," says Matthew Bronfman, chairman.

The acquisition of Yodlee, considered PFM's pioneering firm, would cement Envestnet's capability to serve an emerging demand for data aggregation and leveraging data insights and behavioral science in wealth management.

Chicago-based Envestnet will pay $660 million in cash and stock for Yodlee, a California firm that sells data-aggregation services to banks and others.