Practice management

Most clients, even educated, wealthy ones, frequently have no idea how their advisor is paid.

With hedge fund advertising on the way, the impact on the industry and advisors remains unknown.

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who oversees $150 billion in pension assets, called for expanding a ban on agents who solicit investments for the city’s five pension funds.

North Carolina’s Janet Cowell has some unusual qualities for a state treasurer: For one thing, she can say “running dog of a capitalist” in Mandarin. She’s also poised to voluntarily surrender her status as one of four officials nationwide with sole control over state pension investments.

Detroit’s pensions would get more than twice what creditors who loaned the city money for those funds would receive under a proposal to restructure its $18 billion of debt.

Enterprise growth, Gen Y outreach and a "war for talent" were in the spotlight last week as more than 1,600 advisors and about as many vendors and industry consultants gathered in Orlando, Fla., for TD Ameritrade Institutional's annual national conference.

Execution for prospecting events is critical, advisors heard during a session that included both tactical tips and specific ideas at the TD Ameritrade Institutional national conference.

You've finally hired some smart young associates. Consider these ideas to make them as productive as possible.

Advisors who don't enhance the client experience are doomed to become "the travel agents of the future," according to Ron Carson, founder and CEO of Omaha-based Carson Wealth Management.

FSI President and CEO Dale Brown would rather see a consultative approach from the regulators on minor missteps, or what he calls the "administrative foot faults."

President Barack Obama’s new retirement accounts lack the most popular features of 401(k) plans. They offer no matching contributions, no prospect for eye-popping returns and no track record of employer support.

Bankers think the regulatory environment is bad already, but it could get worse as regulators crack down harder on rules violators, hold directors and foreign banks to stricter standards and tackle "too big to fail," a top banking lawyer says.

Advisors can no longer expect to hire only seasoned, mid-career professionals with an established book of business, industry experts say.

President Obama's announcement of a new retirement plan for low- to middle-income Americans drew reactions ranging from hopeful praise to scorn from advisors who say many big questions remain to be answered.

President Obama's proposal for encouraging low-income Americans to set money aside in accounts with tax advantages is a limited step that may help bolster retirement savings.

Both regulators have identified rollovers as a priority for their 2014 examinations, putting brokers and advisors on notice that they plan to scrutinize how they are working with clients who are planning for retirement.

As waves of baby boomers head into retirement, state and federal regulators expect to take a hard look at the programs firms have in place to ensure they are selling elderly investors appropriate financial instruments.

Most advisors make housing choices in their own lives, but fail to aid clients facing the issue, according to a Legg Mason survey of 506 advisors.

Pimco named four deputy chief investment officers in an overhaul of its leadership team after Mohamed El-Erian's decision last week to step down as chief executive officer.

President Obama's inclusion of retirement security in Tuesday night's State of the Union Address was mostly welcomed by the benefits community, but left some disappointed by a perceived "attack" on the 401(k).