Financial planning

Converting a traditional Roth IRA for the benefit of heirs doesn't always work as planned. Help your clients run the numbers.

A group of plaintiffs are suing the Treasury Department, the Social Security Administration, and the District of Columbia, claiming the federal government is continuing to hold onto their tax refunds to pay for supposed overpayments of Social Security benefits decades ago.

A former executive at the REIT giant co-founded by Nicholas Schorsch has dropped a suit accusing the company of firing her for blowing the whistle on financial improprieties.

Paul McCulley is leaving Pacific Investment Management less than a year after rejoining the firm, a departure that further diminishes the influence of co-founder Bill Gross at the $1.68 trillion money manager.

Experts recommend that employers be more flexible with workers who borrow money from their 401(k) plans, such as giving more time for repayment or allowing loans to be rolled over to the next employer's plan.

A Stifel-Sterne Agee merger would dwarf other moves made last year.

Understand the importance of fostering trust in client and professional relationships in order to create a stronger business.

Plus, how long-term capital gains are taxed; the smartest ways clients can use their returns; and ways to turn a client's tax losses into gains.

The IRS warned tax preparers and other tax professionals to be on guard against bogus emails seeking updated personal or professional information.

While regulatory costs pulled-down full-year profits, the giant IBD seemed to turn a page at year end with a 9.8% spike in fourth-quarter earnings.

The fiscal 2016 budget includes proposals to limit the value of itemized tax deductions for IRAs and 401(k)s and other expenses to 28%.

The robo advisor plans to add 90 to 120 new employees and add resources to Betterment Institutional, which already works with 90 advisory firms.

The aggregator's latest addition adds 23 people and, it says, $2 billion in AUM. "It's a sign of strength," says Alois Pirker of Aite Group.

The industry has largely moved to a team model, but some advisors may finish out their careers as 'bachelors,' says John Taft, CEO of RBC's U.S. wealth management division.

Charles Schwab and New York agreed to settle a 2009 lawsuit in which the state accused the firm of promoting auction-rate securities as safe while failing to disclose the risks before the market for them froze.

The Obama administration is expected to endorse more stringent fiduciary rules requiring brokers to have their clients' best interest in mind when recommending retirement-account investments; Plus, the retirement investment mistake clients don't know they're making.

Many advisors are failing to communicate the best strategies to clients. Here are some common trouble spots you should steer clear of.

This tax season is particularly bitter for gays and lesbians who live in states that still don't recognize same-sex marriage.

"The bad guys are out there all the time looking for vulnerability," a cybersecurity and business continuity consultant told advisors at the T3 conference last week.

Clients who have the option of receiving a sizable lump-sum payment of their pension or life-long payments need to consider the advantages each has in certain situations.