Practice management

TD Ameritrade Institutional claims its iRebal system will allow financial planners to rebalance client portfolios in "near-zero" time.

Independent financial advisors are strong supporters of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in his presidential bid, a new survey has found.

FINRA has reconstituted its board of governors, adding three new members and re-appointing three others.

Market timing and late trading scandals in 2003 led to a substantially more demanding regulatory environment. This has included the adoption of a rule requiring funds to designate a compliance officer and implement a comprehensive program for complying with federal laws and regulations on investment fund operations.

About 35% of women report using a financial advisor and another 35% who don't use an advisor would consider doing so, according to a new survey from Prudential Financial.

Custom target-date strategies will hold 22% of 401(k) target-date assets by 2016, or $218 billion, according to research from Cerulli Associates. That will be a nearly four-fold increase from the 2011 asset level of $46.4 billion.

UPDATE: Who are the most influential people in our industry? Financial Planning is now accepting nominations for our annual Influencer Awards. We are seeking the most impactful individuals in multiple categories who are leading -- and sometimes pushing -- the industry to higher levels. The awards will recognize practitioners and thought leaders who have made significant contributions to the financial planning profession, from developing innovative portfolio and practice-management solutions to providing leadership for the advisory community.

FINRA levied almost $40 million in fines in the first half of the year and will likely doll out as much or more through the end of the year.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board released a proposal Thursday aimed at increasing protection for retail investors who trade municipal bonds online.

The independent brokerage arm of Wells Fargo & Company, now has nearly 550 practices across the country.

Genworth Financial Trust Company announced a new program to help independent financial advisors find the trust companies best suited to working with them.

A key government witness against three former UBS AG municipal-bond executives in a bid-rigging trial called one of the defendants an "idiot" and was asked today whether he disliked him so much that he put photos of tortured cats on his desk.

Insights gained at humble jobs long ago have helped these planners shape their messages to clients.

Barlow Research's Economic Pulse study found 43% of small business owners do not intend to retire and those who do said they plan to work, on average, until they're 67 years old.

FINRA has fined Wedbush Securities $300,000 and levied an additional $25,000 fine and suspension for its president, Edward Wedbush.

Schwab Advisor Services has expanded its "Insight to Action" practice management consulting program for registered investment advisors.

The head of the House Financial Services Committee is renewing his call to act on legislation to increase oversight of investment advisors, a bipartisan bill that stalled in the committee last month.

Steve Wershing, "The Referral Doctor," says the client advisory board is every firm's most important tool for gathering detailed client feedback. But to take advantage of this wealth of information, your board's preparation is critical.

As legal eagles-including regulators, cops and attorneys-continue to swoop down for the kill in the wake of the LIBOR debacle, asset managers still struggle to gauge the scandal's impact on their investments.

The online tool analyzes program data against industry averages and best practices drawn from more than 2,800 financial institutions.