Financial planning

Positive actions like increases and initiations hit a 35-year high for the first half, but payouts are still below the historical average.

Considering alternatives to retiring; Managing an old 401(k); What to do when retirement accounts are maxed out

Immediate annuities surge, but lag other types; Never too late to plan; Different opinions on 4% rule

What's driving this new interest? Follow the money: U.S. retirement assets totaled $23 trillion in the first quarter of this year.

High-risk behaviors put investments at risk; Theme songs for retirement; Right (and wrong) questions for clients

Opponents argue that the long time horizon and heated controversy could convince the White House to back away from the retirement plan proposal.

Amid an outreach overhaul, the agency's Division of Investment Management says it wants asset managers to give advisors and investors a 'clear and concise' picture of their investment strategies.

The high-profile hiring of David Bach creates a revved-up marketing engine for Edelman Financial, which already has $13 billion in AUM. Can other firms use the same technique?

The Justice Department announced a criminal plea and settlement with BNP Paribas on Monday, in which the French bank will pay nearly $8.9 billion to settle charges it willfully continued to do business with countries and entities on the U.S. sanctions list. It was the largest sanctions fine in the Justice Department's history — more than four times larger than #2 on the list. The following are the largest penalties paid by banks for sanctions violations.

Treasury Department approves new annuity; Advisors keep clients' emotions in check; Important questions about Social Security

The recruiting firm awards exam fee reimbursements to three new planning graduates -- as long as they pass the test.

Financial products and markets are so thoroughly intertwined that regulators need to take a more holistic approach than they have in the past.

New options could stake out a middle ground between a lump-sum payout from a 401(k) and putting the entire plan into an annuity.

The errant sales assistant allegedly converted funds from an LPL business bank account.

Trust is critical to establishing good relationships with clients, but the financial industry has long suffered a trust deficit. Time to talk about it.

Retirees ignoring biggest assets; Spending habits more important than income; Situation improves for 65-year-olds

Triad believes it can attract advisors who are "more entrepreneurial" with its hybrid model.

Some advisors have found that covered calls outperform bonds and provide savvy selling strategies.

Security experts say it's now crucial for advisors to understand that the fraud landscape has changed: Planners and their clients are both targets, and new federal rules (and custodians' policies) make advisors primarily responsible for fraud prevention. Advisors and other experts recommend a number of techniques for keeping clients safe.

After the first year of running his own RIA, an advisor reflects and offers some lessons learned.