Practice management

Wealth management firms are risking losing clients to competitors, losing a chance to gain new business through client referrals and are missing opportunities to deepen relationships with existing high-net-worth investors, according to a new study by Aite Group, an independent Boston-based research and advisory firm focused on the financial services industry.

According to a new Barclay's Wealth report, emotional trading can cost even the most well-heeled investor about 20% in returns over a decade. Still many persist in making too many trades in the pursuit of huge returns.

The New York-based independent broker-dealer wanted something homegrown and less convoluted compared with some of the other social media systems it had explored.

Yes, the 34,000 customer records lost last month by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is a shadow of the 100 million customers affected by the repeated break-ins to the Sony Playstation Network this year.

The Technical Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions Wednesday published a Consultation Report aimed at developing recommendations to mitigate risks posed to the financial system by technological developments, such as high frequency trading.

Continued scrutiny by regulators and legislators on the fees and outcomes of 401(k)s and other defined contribution plans is pressuring revenues at asset managers, advisors and recordkeepers and will shape the future of the DC retirement plan market, according to a new study from Financial Research Corp., “Trends in Retirement/401(k) Plans and Administration.”

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is warning 34,000 of its investors to be on alert after CD-ROMs carrying their personal data disappeared when they were mailed to a state government office.

Deutsche Boerse said it completed the move of its Xetra electronic stock trading market to a new data center.

The old saying ‘sell in May and go away’ does not apply to daily investing life anymore, and many advisors know the reasons why.

A tight focus on doctors as clients keeps Ara Oghoorian, founder and president of ACap Asset Management, Inc., on top of the specialized needs of his clientele. ACap is a financial advisory firm located in Beverly Hills, Calif.

TS-Associates said its software for precisely measuring the performance of high-speed messaging systems now can run on the Microsoft Windows operating system and can directly access stored data, to speed up calculations.

Everyone knows that publicity is wonderful when you can get it. But far too many advisors think there is some sort of magic needed to get their name in print or to be interviewed on television or radio.

Growing a financial planning business for the future means developing strong talent across generations and providing holistic planning that goes beyond just investment management, according to the advisors at Dallas-based Lee Financial Corp.

U.S. retirement assets rose 3% from year-end 2010 to $18.1 trillion as of March 31, the Investment Company Institute said.

Did the Treasury Department act inappropriately when it sent a highly publicized — and very critical — comment letter to its own bureau objecting to a pending proposal? That's the question that was sparked in policy circles this week after the Obama administration blasted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's preemption plan, arguing it violated the intent of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The solution may lie in a three-step approach: segmenting your client base, defining your service standards for each segment, and then settling the appropriate client expectations.

Cautious investors, looking to boost returns should consider sectors representing different economic cycles.

Ignoring your marketing efforts for administrative work can be detrimental

Not enough Americans are saving for retirement -- and the ones who are, aren’t saving enough. Which is why ING’s Retirement division has launched a number of programs to help encourage individuals to save more in their defined contribution retirement plans.

In a thorough overview, management consultant McKinsey describes how businesses can promote creativity among employees. The authors, Marla Capozzi, a senior expert in McKinsey’s Boston office; Renée Dye, in Atlanta; and Amy Howe in Los Angeles, provide some dramatic examples that could spark ideas for your financial planning practice.