Practice management

Each firm’s succession plan and transition will be unique, but whether it’s an internal transition, merging and staying involved or selling and moving on, not enough advisors are planning for it.

As more wealth management firms are emphasizing non-financial services to target high- and ultra high-net-worth clients, a new report recommends the benefits of family foundations.

Investment outlook among millionaires and affluent soured in February, affected by a decline in expected future household income and a drop in confidence over the economy, according to Spectrem.

In a highly regulated and competitive market, how do you stand out? It’s about your brand, David Avrin, the Visibility Coach, told advisors at Fidelity’s Inside Track conference in New York City on Thursday.

Experts say that clients should wait to collect benefits from Social Security. But there is actually an exception. And it has to do with the relationship between Social Security and Medicare.

If you’ve built a productive advisory practice, you know that the single most important resource for prospective clients is your existing book of clients. Unfortunately, Ken Haman says asking for referrals from your current clients can do more harm than help.

The justices unanimously ruled in favor of two Gabelli Funds LLC officials seeking to block SEC claims that they improperly let a client engage in market timing, a practice of making frequent, short-term trades at the expense of other investors. They contend the SEC missed the five-year deadline to file the lawsuit.

“Investors can find their account balances anywhere,” said Kevin Crowe, head of solutions for SEI Advisor Network. “We found they want their advisors’ technology to help identify clients’ goals, create plans, and show what progress is being made towards meeting those goals.”

The growing effects of climate change should be a wake-up call for art collectors and their planners, says a top art insurance executive.

In its second big recruiting move of the year, HighTower has picked up a former branch manager from Morgan Stanley.

Mobility would significantly improve customer interactions, 84% of those surveyed said, and 83% said the technology would significantly affect their business.

Are you steadfastly relying on the estimates provided by Social Security? Are you 59 years old and about to get married for the second time? There is a lot of misunderstanding about Social Security, but today's tips could help clients down the road.

In conjunction with America Saves Week, new website presents consumers with online resources to assess their retirement savings.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management has lured five advisors with $619 million in assets and about $2.9 million in production in its latest move in the hunt for advisory talent.

There's a shift afoot in advisor compensation.

When planner Gordon Bernhardt began focusing his practice on entrepreneurial clients about three years ago, he discovered all of them lacked one important asset: time.

Are your clients planning to use Social Security? If they’re not, it’s probably because they do not know enough about it. You should be the one to start this conversation.

The SEC plans to take a close look at potential conflicts of interest in the investment-advisor practices that its examiners oversee, and will ramp up scrutiny of the marketing and performance claims of federally registered advisors, according to the examination guidance the agency recently issued for the coming year.

The most successful advisors intentionally create a brand that is distinct, stands for something, and creates an emotional connection with clients.

Question marks remain when it comes to Social Security, but client over the age of 40 will see Social Security as an important source of retirement income. So advisors must take steps now to help their clients.