Financial planning

Here's a closer look at the compensation rankings for top-producing advisors at the nation's leading wirehouses and regional B-Ds. Also see: Ranking the Top-Paying Independent Broker-Dealers Top 40 Financial Advisors Under 40: No. 20 through No. 1 40 Under 40: No. 21 through No. 40 Top 5 Regional Advisors Under 40

These 12 bad brokers not only did harm to their clients' portfolios, but their clients themselves. Check out BrokerCop's "Dirty Dozen" with offenses ranging from mail fraud to murder. Source: BrokerCop Also see: 5 Financial Advisors Caught in the SEC's Crosshairs 7 Ways Bernie Madoff's Scam Forever Changed Advisors' Lives 10 Mind Tricks That Keep Your Clients in the Red

June was a terrific month for the market overall, but these stocks didn't deliver the goods last month.

Investors sold in May, but then they didn’t go away. Here’s a closer look at the top-performing S&P 500 stocks in June. Also see: June Swoon: 20 Worst-Performing S&P 500 Stocks 10 Dividend-Paying Stocks Your Clients Will Want in 2012 5 Best-Performing Growth Mutual Funds This Year May Flowers: 10 Best-Performing S&P 500 Stocks May Flounders: 10 Biggest S&P Laggards

Here are five tips to help financial advisors make optimal use of their time during their first sit-downs with retirement plan participants.

When advising clients, advisors normally operate with the "family first" mentality. But what about social responsibility and charitable giving? In a Scorpio Partnership and Kaiser Partner special report on wealth and social responsibility of 250 multi-millionaires with an average wealth of $3.5 million, findings show the majority of clients want to do more to be effective, responsible wealth creators.

The macro-economic conditions that have supported gold’s bull run over the past decade have not changed; in fact, they’ve become progressively worse. This is the calm before the storm.

Check out what FINRA's top leaders and executives are making, according to the organization's annual report.

The Women Advisors Forum returned to Chicago on June 12 for the fourth event this year. The day included popular sessions on preparing clients for decumulation in retirement, how to effectively use social media and success secrets from multi-million dollar financial advisors. There were also new sessions on acquiring practices, marketing through video and targeting younger generations. Check out these photos for some of the day's highlights, and mark your calendars for upcoming Women Advisors Forum events on Oct. 30 in Boston and Nov. 15 in Newport Beach, Calif.

Wealth managers and financial advisors are using the iPad more than professionals in any other industry. Here’s a closer look at how and why. Also see: 11 Essential Tech Tools for Advisors 10 Must-Have Mobile Apps for Financial Advisors 10 Online Tools Advisors Can’t Live Without 10 Critical Social Media Tips for Advisors

See which executives made the list. (Hint: One just purchased a Hawaiian island.)

Gaining access to the treasure and collectibles market is easier now than ever. Rather than investing in collectibles like art, many are investing in their passions, like automobiles, wine and even furniture. Research by Barclays and Ledbury Research takes a deeper look into these "treasure trends." Also see: 6 Simple (But Important) ETF Trading Tips 10 Gigantic Mistakes That Can Cripple Your Clients’ ETF Portfolios 10 Undervalued, Dividend-Paying Stocks 10 Dividend-Paying Stocks Your Clients Will Want

Commission revenue, mutual fund revenue and securities revenue are critical for broker-dealers. Who are the top dogs?

For bank reps looking to advance their careers, there’s no better news than a promotion or a job offer that’s too good to refuse. Here’s a sampling of bank reps who were recently promoted or moved to new organizations to assume roles of greater responsibility.

Snapshots from TD Ameritrade Institutional's 2012 Elite Summit in Laguna Beach, Calif.

For breakaway brokers, looking to grow and succeed in a competitive market can be hard, but according to Mindy Diamond, one of the industry's top recruiters, these firms allow advisors to maintain their independence and remain part of a team.

May was a lousy month for investors, especially for those holding these 10 particularly hard-hit S&P 500 stocks. Also See: May Flowers: 10 Best-Performing S&P 500 Stocks

May wasn’t the best month for investors but these 10 S&P 500 stocks managed to buck the trend, delivering healthy returns to shareholders. Also See: May Flounders: 10 Biggest S&P Laggards

Snapshots from the 2012 Pershing Insite Conference in Hollywood, Fla.

The Women Advisors Forum traveled to Dallas for the first time on May 22 for a full day of sessions on what's next for the economy, advising clients through divorce, reaching younger generations, success secrets from multi-million dollar advisors and more. Check out these photos for some of the day's highlights, and stay tuned for more Women Advisors Forum news from our next event in Chicago on June 12.