Financial planning

Banks and credit unions are seeing high single-digit growth from their programs. They want more and the opportunity is there, says LPL’s Rob Comfort, as the industry is just beginning to tap the potential in providing investment advice.

Some advisors are great at strategic planning for others, but never plot out an ideal future for themselves.

Senator Ben Cardin, D-Md., a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has written to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, urging them to quickly resolve and clarify the tax implications for legally married same-sex couples and those in civil unions.

While an advisor's pitch to clients should be well rehearsed, it also needs to be flexible, says new solo advisor Dave Grant.

The Department of Labor’s Web site debunks the myth of the $100-per-day fine for not providing ACA-related information to employees.

The IRS issued proposed regulations on Friday that provide guidance on the tax credit available to certain small employers that offer health insurance coverage to their employees under Code Section 45R, enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Few things are more frustrating than encountering advisors who consistently provide sound counsel to their clients -- but forget to practice what they preach for their own business and personal plans. Here are the areas advisors most commonly need to start heeding their own advice.

Retirement: It's the main goal of most investing and the biggest worry of most clients. As a sneak peek to our upcoming September issue on the topic, we list the top 10 target-date funds for 40-year-old investors.

The majority of American workers accept responsibility for financing their own retirement and are relying primarily on their 401(k) to get them there, but many lack the confidence to effectively manage their retirement savings.

As we hit the 20-year mark in the ETF business, one might ask: What will that future bring? History is our best guide in that the next 20 years will look similar to the last 20. And that’s a good thing.

To ensure that your practice is meeting the needs of female clients, create goals for working with them -- and measure your success.

Here’s a sampling of bank reps who were recently promoted or moved to new organizations to assume roles of greater responsibility.

A spike in the proportion of RIA-to-RIA deals in the first half of this year may signify that the advisory field is starting to come into its own.

SEC Chairman Mary Jo White said she would push to adopt proposed automated-trading rules after system caused a three- hour halt on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Independent wealth management firm Banyan Partners is nearly doubling its assets under management to $4 billion by acquiring two firms simultaneously.

Federal Reserve policy makers were briefed last month on the potential for establishing an additional tool to aid them when they eventually seek to lift interest rates and tighten monetary policy.

The estate is arguing that a tax bill calculated by the IRS overvalued assets including real estate, a Bentley automobile and the late singer’s “image and likeness.”

When are you most efficient in the day? Figure it out -- and then organize your daily time management strategy with your own circadian rhythms in mind.

"This may sound sacrilegious for a planner, but I’ll admit it: I’m not a big fan of investment management," says solo advisor Dave Grant. Here's why Grant decided to use a TAMP instead.

Are you paying enough attention to your top 20 clients? Here are some tips to help you retain your best clients.