Financial planning

The new gift-tax exemption of $5 million opens the door to lots of gifting strategies, ranging from simple to more complex.

March is Women’s History Month, which seems like the perfect time to highlight leading women who put their money behind women's causes. With 61% of wealth now in the hands of women, and the majority of the world’s poor being women, it makes sense that wealthy women are giving powerfully. Some of the women on our list are big names, while others are rising stars.

The financial turbulence of the last several years has left many professional athletes subject to losses from real estate, unprofitable business ventures and fraud schemes. From Hall of Famers to Super Bowl champions, here’s a look at ten current and former professional athletes and how they were personally affected by the financial turmoil of the past five years.

If your clients are considering long-term-care insurance, you might steer them clear of the following typical mistakes.

If your client and referral events seem a little stale, freshen them up with these creative ideas for activities, themes and locations.

The winners of the fourth annual awards, sponsored by New York Life/Mainstay Investments, will be feted at an awards dinner in Manhattan in May.

Through extensive trial and testing, TopTenREVIEWS narrows it down.

Financial firms are still trying to develop coherent social media strategies. But don’t race into it: the risks are not well understood.

For three days, 610 bank investment advisors, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors assembled in Hollywood, Fla., for insights and ideas on the industry. Check out some of the images in this photo gallery.

"No amount of government stimulus will prevent it,'' said forecaster Harry S. Dent Jr. That's because additional stimulus, driven by more federal borrowing, will have less and less effect on the economy, much like the dwindling effect of more cocaine on a crack addict, he said.

Are you searching for a little inspiration? Maybe something to push your team a little harder? Check out the list created by Impact Books.

Advisors face two major challenges in today’s environment: intense competition for client assets and pressures on profitability. Kelly Coughlin of GlobalBridge says that unified managed accounts have evolved to provide a solution to both challenges at once. But how can advisors use UMAs to expand their business?

Take a fresh look at your clients' life insurance planning to see if changes are necessary in light of the 2010 Tax Act.

According to a FINRA study, brokers paid 1,310 fines valued at $45 million last year. But what were the most frequent categories of fines? What type of activity should you avoid to avoid the wrath of regulators? Check out the FINRA countdown

With tax season upon us, most advisors are looking for ways to help clients maximize their tax savings. But with some converting to Roth IRAs, the folks at Allianz offered some cautions to help navigate rocky conditions.

Bill Dwyer, the independent giant’s president of sales and national marketing, talks about his firm’s progress.

Americans held $15.6 trillion in retirement assets at the end of the third quarter of 2009, according to the ICI, but as we emerge from the Great Recession, advisors and investors want to know what they need to do to retain and grow assets from here.