Practice management

Advisory firm mergers and acquisitions can be fraught with danger, so proceed with caution and keep these goals in mind.

There are many benefits to living in a low-tax state, but it’s not as easy as just packing those boxes. Help clients make a move wisely and meticulously.

With a proliferation of mobile devices, developers are offering tools that keep compliant records of all types of digital communications.

Letting employees own a piece of the business increases loyalty and revenue.

Too much of it is designed to sell products rather than to enable advisors to actually provide the guidance clients are seeking.

Strategic alliances with other professionals can help advisors draw valuable clients.

The small producer is being squeezed out by the industry's focus on bigger profits and larger accounts.

Although sequencing is recommended when developing a retirement withdrawal strategy, retirees need to take a more flexible view since their tax situation varies from year to year; plus, how to figure out the amount of your client's IRA required minimum distribution.

Women are still underrepresented when it comes to owning independent firms, but there are reasons for optimism.

A manager of an errant broker finds himself the target of regulators and asks our compliance columnist: What could I have done differently?

Finding top people is getting harder, says Kathy Freeman, so putting this in a compensation agreement is now ‘mandatory.’

There are many ways firms can measure their operations performance, but which is most accurate?

Policymakers and other experts are debating just how much pre-retirement income should be replaced by Social Security; plus, student debt and savings don't add up.

An advisor, along with his 3 partners, creates a new firm but must wait a year without being able to solicit previous clients.

A 25-year-old employee with $40,000 in annual income can expect $190 more per month in retirement by saving $33 more per month now. But if clients have reached 50 with little savings, here’s how to help.

Rocketing education costs and loan debt are giving advisors a great opportunity to help clients navigate the college-planning maze.

SEC officials warn many advisors and brokers have next to no cybersecurity policies in place, exposing them to data breaches and potential enforcement actions.

Most families muddle their way through. Your goal is to make the muddling a little more sensible.

During the transition in independence, avoid running afoul of legal breaches and other quicksand that can drag you down.

Only 25% of retirement savers who qualify for this tax credit are familiar with it, according to a new survey; plus, the two best ways to structure a QLAC.