Andy Sieg, head of the firm, had previously indicated that he was open to rethinking aspects of the firm's efforts to comply with the regulation.

The five-time San Antonio Spurs champion is willing to testify against his former longtime planner, according to the team's lawyer.

Consultant Peter Bielan urged bank wealth execs to incentivize long-term thinking on the part of advisers, not just hitting a monthly goal.

Once the fiduciary rule was explained to customers, many became concerned about previous financial advice, with 29% considering switching to a new institution.

The investment services unit of one regional bank is working with 10 of its top producers to whittle their books of business.

Bank and bank advisers need to improve at the tangibles (financial plans) and intangibles (corporate culture) in the future.

The firm is one of the first to issue a formal comment letter on the Department of Labor's proposal to put off the regulation's implementation date.

The firm has already standardized its variable annuities and alternative investments and is working toward doing the same for mutual funds as well as indexed and fixed annuities.

Patricia Bennett says she visited the regional's firm home office three times before deciding to make the move.

Even in the present deregulatory climate, the Treasury Department is pressing ahead with a rule to require advisors to screen for and report suspicious activity.

The long-awaited legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act proposes to phase out key parts of the law over several years.

"The number of enforcement cases is likely to be down considerably going forward," said Urska Velikonja, a law professor at Emory University.

The acting head of OCIE says the commission has abandoned "wide, full-scope" scrutiny in favor of more targeted, risk-based reviews.

The wirehouse has already paid $415 million in fines and disgorged profits in a settlement.

The majority of managers are investing in technology with the intent of streamlining operations.

Hope is dimming, but top Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren and investor advocates are unlikely to relent in their efforts to preserve the regulation.

"To me, that rule, it was about one thing and it was about enabling trial lawyers to increase profits,” acting Chairman Michael Piwowar says.

Caution to advisers: If you cop a deal with the SEC for leniency, be sure to hold up your end of the bargain.

Investors poured a combined $2.4 billion into the funds this year as a bet that firms will benefit from deregulation policies.