Practice management

A FINRA panel ruled Wells Fargo’s lack of supervision allowed a third party to syphon funds from a client account.

Banks could boost the profitability of their wealth management programs if they integrated their private banking, trust and brokerage businesses.

Three new reports suggest that the wealth management industry still needs improvement — and hint at a slowdown after recent growth.

One key element separates the fastest-growing RIA firms from their peers, according to a new Schwab report.

One expert predicts that at least half of the top 30 U.S. banks will move advisors to a salary-based compensation system in the next two to three years.

Warning of a growing public pension debt crisis, Sen. Orrin Hatch introduced reform legislation on Tuesday that would allow state and local governments to invest in annuity contracts with private life insurance companies.

For a financial advisor, unpredictable stock market fluctuations, hostile calls from clients, being responsible for managing clients’ retirement nest eggs, overwhelming paperwork, and compliance/fiduciary issues are events and situations that potentially could cause such a fear. The key word here is “could,” because fear and anxiety do not have to result from dealing with such situations.

Michael Brannam and Patrick Brannam will join the firm’s Jacksonville, Fla., branch, where they will be equal partners of Brannan Wealth Management of Raymond James.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management hauled in four advisors with $434 million in assets from Morgan Stanley.

The Milford, Mass.-based bank was drawn to Infinex’s technology and lead generation process.

FINRA has delayed consideration of a highly contentious proposed rule on recruitment compensation disclosure.

For many years top advisors have been telling you what clients want and need, how best to communicate, what types of events to host, all the way down to what to wear. But the only way one can really know, is by asking clients and prospects directly write advisor coach Matthew Halloran.

The Financial Planning Coalition submitted a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission saying it would "vigorously oppose" attempts to weaken the fiduciary standard for broker-dealers and submitted research showing a client-first standard does not limit advice to “mass market” clients.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s custody rule governing investment advisors’ custody of client assets imposes various requirements and, in turn, costs on investment advisors, who often need to hire independent accountants to conduct surprise examinations, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

It may be difficult to resist, but responding to emotionally charged emails instead of initiating a verbal discussion can be a slippery slope. Not only can it harm relationships, it tends to be a distraction from what really matters write Dave Grant.

Third-party money manager CLS Investments announced the launch of a new multimedia educational initiative for financial advisors on Monday.

With a roster of clients that keep round-the-clock hours, one group created a strategy for keeping up without working advisors to the bone.

When wirehouse brokers consider shifting to independence, they need to weigh a lot of factors and ask a lot of questions. John Stuart and Mag Black-Scott of Beverly Hills Wealth Management provide 11 questions that should be top of mind before making the move.

Keeping track of your firm’s marketing metrics allow you to work smarter - not harder.

If federal regulators move ahead with a plan to impose a uniform fiduciary standard of care on investment advisors and broker-dealers, financial professionals anticipate that the cost of doing business will increase, with a result of higher client fees and more limited services, according to a new survey.