Practice management

Brian Ourand, former president of SFX Financial Advisory, stole $670,000 from clients, the SEC alleges; his former CCO and SFX agree to pay fines to the SEC.

Harvesting data can ensure that accounts you manage are meeting their objectives and can offer marketing opportunities.

The three advisors all joined the super-regional firm from Janney Montgomery Scott.

Silicon Valley firms like Apple and Lending Club are happy to partner with banks — so long as they get to be the face of customer interactions. But banks may not easily give up that ground.

Don't despair, industry leaders say. Even wealthy and digitally minded millennials will still want personalized advice.

Two former National Planning Corporation brokers "are just normal dudes and they just screwed up," says a lawyer for one of the men.

In order to ensure maximized value of their retirement benefits, clients must be aware of Social Security rules; Plus, why automated retirement contributions are helpful for clients who intend to develop a spending budget

The head of a global standards-setting body argues that regulators overreacted to the financial crisis and says banking-style regulation is a poor fit for the asset management industry.

Female clients have a more positive outlook when it comes to approaching retirement over their male counterparts, according to a new study.

Robo advisors are gaining traction, especially among millennial investors, who are very sensitive to competitive pricing. Extensive automation will be needed to defend against them.

Grading clients on actions they have taken over the years can be valuable in helping advisors know where to expend their energy.

A yearly withdrawal of 4% of savings, adjusted by inflation every year, may sometimes outperform annuities; Plus, five critical mistakes people make with Social Security.

Although the 4% initial withdrawal rule has historically done well for retirees, it may not always produce the same results; Plus, tips for retirement savings and why bonds should be a part of your client's portfolio.

Pershing CIO Ram Nagappan offers a framework to help advisors think about how to transform their businesses to digital.

Wealth management is still a work in progress and must be sculpted to meet the demands of wealthy individuals, says Sebastian Dovey of Scorpio Partnership.

Advisors who defect from wirehouses notice almost immediately the benefits of no longer facing constraints set by a large employer's compliance officers. But the newly independent advisors must ensure that they stay within the boundaries of regulatory requirements and that compliance never becomes too time-consuming.

Some breakaway advisors duplicate some of the rah-rah found at their former employers, others relish the newfound informality, but either way, they get to set the tone.

With roughly half of American marriages ending in divorce, advisors are likely to find themselves helping clients navigate the process. Financial advisor and divorce expert Michelle Fox warns advisors not to make clients promises they may not be able to keep.

The promise of a multimillion-dollar contract won’t be a factor in whether Tim Duncan returns for his 19th National Basketball Association season, even though the San Antonio Spurs’ All-Star lost more than $20 million to what he says is a dishonest financial adviser.

“The ‘couples conundrum’ is a real risk for financial advisors, who need to get closer to couples and make a deeper connection with them,” says Jennifer Pedigo, managing director for TIAA-CREF Asset Management.