Practice management

With the election over, when members of Congress return to Washington next week, the task awaiting them will be to hammer out what has been an elusive compromise on taxes and expenditures to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, a combination of tax increases and deep spending cuts set to take effect in January should lawmakers fail to act.

“Advisors talk about Black Swan events and tail risk – you didn’t hear retail planners talking about tail risk 10 years ago, or if you did it was the top 1% of the group. Now, it’s the new nomenclature,” said Jeff Montgomery, head of AFAM/Innealta Capital.

56% said that it is “challenging” to “very challenging” to discuss such information.

Among investors aged 21 to 50, 72% report that saving for retirement is their top financial goal, a priority applauded by T. Rowe Price’s resident retirement guru, senior financial planner Christine Fahlund, but most investors are unwilling to take on the necessary risk to improve their retirement savings.

PIEtech, Inc., maker of the popular planning software product MoneyGuidePro, has settled a patent infringement lawsuit brought against it and UBS Financial Services by its competitor, Wealthcare Capital Management.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Franklin was right. While it may seem obvious that business growth is central to any advisor’s ultimate success, in today’s highly complex and competitive marketplace, the importance of growth cannot be overstated.

Expect more financial regulatory changes, Schwab executives suggested Thursday -- and be wary of a new recession if Congress and the new administration don’t take steps to keep the country from going all the way over the so-called fiscal cliff

President Barack Obama’s re-election means his administration will push to let tax cuts enacted during the George W. Bush era expire for high earners, as scheduled, at year-end. Obama wants to increase the top federal income tax rate to 39.6 percent from 35 percent, boost rates on long-term capital gains to as much as 23.8 percent, and shrink exemptions from estate-and-gift taxes.

The firm has hired Harold Langer, a three-decade industry veteran, to be senior vice president at the Tucson branch.

If there is a constant in the investment advisory landscape, it’s change. And few things are changing faster than the independent sphere.

As advisors scramble to make an impression on prospective clients, one valuable tool is becoming increasingly apparent – blogging.

Advisors can calm clients who wanted a Romney victory.

With four more years of the Obama administration, members of the financial advisory industry share their perspectives on what the win means for the industry and the clients they serve.

As the balance of power in Washington is upheld, advisors prepare for tax increases in 2013

Buying high and selling low isn’t a portfolio-damaging behavior that only investors struggle with.

President Barack Obama’s victory positions him to claim a mandate for pushing a proposal through Congress that would let tax cuts expire for top earners and avert $1.2 trillion in automatic spending reductions.

Summit Brokerage Services expanded its team of advisors adding seven advisors over the last five months, the Florida-based company announced Tuesday.

Successful advisors chose their third-party partners wisely so that they can best use their extra time to make a greater impact on the individuals and families they serve.

In response to the damage and disruption inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, the Securities and Exchange Commission will extend the deadline for regulatory filings for publicly traded companies, investment advisors and other regulated entities.

Ninety percent of women report feeling insecure when it came to personal finance and 48% of women agree with the statement, “Investing is scary for me.” These statistics highlight the need for financial advisors working with women to foster financial confidence in their clients as part of the client engagement.