Practice management

As more investors manage money with so-called direct providers, many advisors -- whether they're in the RIA or wirehouse spaces -- worry they'll be left in the dust

For financial advisory firms, branding can be a balancing act between the strength of individual advisor’s brand and the larger, unified brand of the firm.

Kara M. Stein and Michael S. Piwowar, both senior U.S. Senate aides, were nominated by President Obama to join the SEC.

Can you say “no” to referral prospects? Bill Cates says it is a critical skill if you want to expand your practice.

A House subcommittee Thursday looked at draft bills that would slow down the progress that the SEC is making toward implementation of a new, uniform fiduciary standard for broker-dealers and investment advisors.

Many financial advisors struggle with the issue of efficiency and complain they simply don’t have enough time to execute new ideas in their practice because they are so busy managing clients. Ken Haman says advisors spend too much time responding to incoming telephone calls from clients—in fact, prioritizing the demands of various clients above their own business priorities. Its time for all of that to change.

A generation of millennials faces a slew of challenges in trying to save for retirement.

Rick Ketchum, CEO of FINRA, announced that the regulator will discuss a proposal at its board meeting in July that would require brokers to publicly disclose the compensation they receive when switching firms.

If there is no silver bullet, what actions should be taken by an advisor who wants to grow his or her business? Put simply, give clients what they need, and they will give you what you need.

Building your own business, even with a team of experts behind you, requires making tough decisions regarding resources, clients and employees. But most of all it requires leadership. Dynasty's CEO Shirl Penney offers a few lessons his firm has learned as it continue to build a business.

With markets at near historic highs, investor confidence still lags. Both regulators and financial firms share the responsibility to do something about it, said Richard Ketchum, CEO of FINRA on Tuesday.

Former three-term Republican U.S. Senator Judd Gregg, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association's new chief executive officer, said Monday that he wants to improve the image of the industry and make sure Dodd-Frank rules are focused and not overly burdensome.

Hackers backed by China's military appear to have resumed a campaign of cyberattacks on U.S. businesses. The targets, which in previous attacks included financial firms, are thought to remain the same.

Advisors have not done enough to prepare the majority of wealthy investors for long-term care costs and financial support for extended family, according to a study conducted by U.S. Trust, a unit of Bank of America.

FINRA has increasingly put more firms on notice that they should expect their branch office doorbells to ring more often. In the past two years, FINRA has changed its approach when conducting examinations, favoring branch office inspections in lieu of the home office visits that it used to emphasize, said Susan Axelrod, executive vice president of regulatory operations at FINRA, at the self-regulatory organization’s annual conference on Monday.

A great wealth transfer may indeed be looming, but advisory firm executives are still focusing their creative energy on their boomer (and older) clients.

SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter endorsed a uniform fiduciary standard for all investment pros … then invited her audience to fight industry fraud and abuse by becoming whistleblowers

Only about 2,100 SEC-registered investment advisors switched their registration to state oversight, according to the North American Securities Administrators Association -- roughly half the number that the SEC estimated would switch as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority will present the latest on fiduciary rules, enforcement and other issues affecting financial advisors at its annual three-day annual conference opening today in D.C.

Fidelity Investments has rolled out a smartphone application for NetBenefits 401(k) plan participants.