Practice management

Worried about possible flooding from Hurricane Sandy, Lancaster, Pa., planner Rick Rodgers spent Monday night at the fortified headquarters of his namesake firm -- a building that looks like a mansion on a Southern plantation.

While many major financial firms and residents have geared up for Hurricane Sandy and its potentially devastating impact, are advisors and their practices ready for such inclement weather? Do they know what to do? Jude Boudreaux, an advisor whose practice, Upperline Financial, based in New Orleans, has some tips.

State securities regulators brought 399 enforcement actions against investment advisor firms in 2011, nearly double the total from 2010.

When the CFP Board embarked on an ambitious four-year, $40 million marketing campaign to boost public awareness of its certification, the group knew that measuring effectiveness would be an integral part of the effort.

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on the East Coast, people in the path of this storm are preparing, but are they prepared for its aftermath, when the life and property damage has to be assessed?

Financial advisors on the East Coast have solid reasons to be worried about Hurricane Sandy – and even those far from the wreckage should be concerned, too. Advisors’ and clients’ safety rank first, but advisors also have to be concerned about their offices and property, as well as those of their clients’ and their clients’ relatives. As vital as proper insurance coverage is, it often will not cover all losses, nor losses from the disruption of business. How prepared are you and your firm to deal with a major disaster, like Sandy? Far too many advisors have no disaster recovery plan to rely on for times like this. Here are 5 questions to consider regarding you, your firm and your clients after the worst of the hurricane strikes.

Microsoft's new operating system and tablet officially launches today. ING Direct in Canada already has a tablet and desktop banking app for Windows 8; Bank of America and USAA are developing them.

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network has added four practices. With these advisors its independent brokerage arm, FiNet, has over 1,100 owners and advisors in more than 540 practices, with over $55.5 billion in assets under management.

The CFP Board prides itself as the issuer of a leading credential for financial planners, and that means that certificants are expected to adhere to a rigorous set of professional standards.

Do you have any examples of when client feedback was significant, either in a good or bad way? Steve Wershing writes that client feedback is invaluable, but advisors need to use their best judgment.

Neil Barofsky, a former special inspector general overseeing Troubled Assets Relief Program aimed at strengthening financial institutions during the financial crisis, calls the program a failure.

Two investment teams from Merrill Lyncch have joined RBC's Leadwood, Kan., office.

The firm hopes that Karein Heintz can help grow its presence in the twin cities.

An entrepreneur argues that the accelerating pace of technological change has implications for both investing and philanthropy.

With October 15 behind us and April 15 still comfortably far away, it’s a good time to start boning up on ways to save your clients money once things start getting serious.

Securities and Exchange Commission officials downplayed the potential for the so-called budget "sequestration" Thursday, but said dealers selling Build America Bonds should inform investors of any potentially risky call provisions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is not pursuing the idea of imposing a three-strikes-and-you're-out system for issuers with disclosure failures, like the one floated last week by an SEC commissioner, John Cross, the director of the SEC's Office of Municipal Securities said here on Thursday.

The executive listed a few areas where the organization is targeting rule-breakers.

A better informed, better educated assistant, can help an advisor improve his practice exponentially.

Strict new reporting rules on global assets and earnings is prompting blowback from financial institutions.