Practice management

“The primary reason for the drop-off in fines was because there were no auction rate securities cases in 2012,” said Brian Rubin, partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan.

Charles Schwab is deepening its dedication to technology with a new agreement with DST Output.

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers introduced legislation that would make it easier for workers to repay loans or withdrawals they take from their employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, drawing praise from a leading trade group representing retirement-plan advisors.

After experiencing nearly 30 years of benign, cooperative capital-markets behavior, Ken Haman says many advisors are baffled or frustrated by how difficult it has become to get clients to accept new investment ideas. But if we can understand more accurately how humans cope with anticipating various outcomes, we can structure our messaging to be more effective at getting clients to take the right kinds of actions.

MyNewFinancialAdvisor.com has created an online referral, or eReferral, system, connecting financial advisors and prospective clients based in the United States.

A former Massachusetts CFP and his colleague spent $1 million of their clients’ funds on personal expenses, including fast food, legal fees and ATM withdrawals at casinos, the SEC alleges.

Four firms agreed to pay $105,000 in fines for violations of pricing, political contribution, supervisory and other rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

The Pasadena-Calif.-based bank decided to move its program because of Cetera’s technology platform, product menu, reporting capabilities and the training it provides advisors.

The Senate Banking Committee approved Mary Jo White’s nomination to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission on a bipartisan vote, clearing her way to become the first ex-prosecutor to lead the agency.

Morgan Keegan employees were required to make a home office visit after their firm was acquired by Raymond James.

Recruiting and hiring experienced, client-facing advisors with ultra high-net-worth experience is extremely difficult right now, with demand high and supply low, say a number of executive search specialists.

The Internal Revenue Service is reminding tax professionals that they must implement safeguards to protect taxpayer data.

Federal regulators would “like to codify exemptive relief” from provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, so they can focus on more innovative fund applications.

Almost half of American workers and 36% of retirees lack confidence that they will have enough money for a comfortable retirement—but few are turning to advisors for help.

Through less promotional posts, advisors may be able to avoid the red tape.

Wealth is shifting to new demographic groups, requiring advisors to re-evaluate their approach to client engagement. Here, we explore the key business factors driving the urgency behind advisors’ need to focus on women.

Wells Fargo has hired 17 advisors to its standalone branches and added nine advisors to its independent brokerage business, Financial Network.

Personal devices can pose a serious threat to businesses if strict policies and preventative cybercrime measures are not put in place, according to a study. Advisory firms may be wise to maintain a watchful eye on employee communication.

As the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement and litigation activity in 2012 demonstrates, the agency's focus on municipal market enforcement has increased dramatically, and this trend seems likely to continue under the SEC's new leadership.

When small business owners become successful, they become a magnet for questionable deals and speculative investments.