Many financial institutions are significantly underestimating the impact that new cost-basis rules will have on them, according to a study by research group TowerGroup and technology vendor Scivantage.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd is hoping to introduce a revised regulatory reform bill next week. But with the fate and makeup of a bill unclear, we offer the following frequently asked questions.

FINRA expands Broker Check service to provide more information on former brokers.

Cambridge Investment Research’s 1,600 financial advisors are independent contractors who run their own businesses nationally, but legislation introduced in both the House and Senate has threatened that model.

Many banks still suffer from chronic underinvestment in the analytical tools required for measuring risk, while others are still figuring out how to translate data into key decisions used in everything from the loan-approval process to executive pay practices.

WASHINGTON — Though regulatory reform has stolen center stage on Capitol Hill, the Obama administration remains intent on wiping out the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and its demise appears to be just a matter of time.

H&R Block was fined $200,000 and a broker suspended for improperly selling complex structured products.

SEC settlements nearly doubled in the first quarter, but the percentage of company settlements that included a monetary component declined to 41% from 56%.

WASHINGTON — Paul Nash walks a difficult line. As he provides lawmakers with continuing education about the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., he finds it is hard at times not to be an advocate for an agency that has much to gain — or lose — during the financial reform debate.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. suffered a rare court defeat Tuesday, as a federal judge sided with a bank that had challenged an enforcement order.

Sen. Sherrod Brown has introduced a bill that would tax more Wall Street bonuses than similar legislation introduced a week ago.

WASHINGTON — Creating the infrastructure for regulators to collect and analyze data necessary to monitor systemic risk is going to be costly and complicated, Federal Reserve Board Gov. Daniel Tarullo told Senate subcommittee members on Friday.

WASHINGTON — Having successfully ushered Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke's troubled confirmation through the Senate, the Obama administration must soon consider how best to fill other key financial regulatory positions.

RR Donnelley has added another mobile application to its suite for mutual fund and annuity companies, broker/dealers and financial advisers, the iCOMPLi iPhone app that makes it possible to send a SEC-compliant prospectus, summary prospectus or statement of additional information to an investor.

Wells Fargo has inherited Wachovia’s fight over defecting brokers. Can it succeed?

New regulations are aimed to boost resilience of money market funds.

WASHINGTON — Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd is not the only lawmaker who stands to lose if a regulatory reform bill is not enacted this year.

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Bob Corker's decision to negotiate directly with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd on regulatory reform may boost the chances of reaching a bipartisan bill, but does not clarify how critical unresolved issues will be worked out.

The business model for independent brokerage firms is under threat, calling into question the livelihood of over 178,000 registered representatives.

WASHINGTON — With the economy showing signs of recovery, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke gave more clues Wednesday to how the central bank will return to normal and made clear that financial institutions are central to his plans. Federal Reserve Board, Ben Bernanke, House Financial Services Committee, Rajeev Dhawan, Economic Forecasting Center