Wealth management

Advisors pass through London monthly, so expansion opportunities are vast.

Fewer of the wealthiest are giving more and small family foundations are giving more than required.

Schwab Charitable reported Thursday it received record annual contributions to its donor-advised fund in fiscal year 2010, driven by the surge in the stock market last year and the conversion of private foundations to donor-advised funds that were less costly and time consuming.

Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., have introduced a proposal to reform the federal estate tax, which temporarily expired this year but is slated to increase to up to 55 percent next year for estates over $1 million.

The San Diego-based company, which announced it was going public in June, hopes to expand its network of financial advisors.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said they are more concerned about their finances today than they were at the beginning of the financial crisis.

Despite feeling the pain of the economic slowdown in 2008, Americans continued to give generously to charities, though few as generously as Warren Buffett who has promised to donate 99% of his riches.

While using technology, advisors expect aggressive growth over the next five years, according to a Schwab study.

Robert S. Matthews worked for Smith Barney and Citigroup for the past 25 years in its global private banking, wealth management and family office services units. He replaced Kevin McCabe, who was president and chief executive officer since Fieldpoint was founded in 2008.

As the rich get richer across the globe, high net worth clients in North America have tightened their grip on their wallets.

For three days in late June, advisors, industry executives and fund managers descended on Chicago for the 2010 Morningstar Investment Conference. The audience received insight on the flash crash, international investing and the impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Industry bigwigs, including Vanguard's William McNabb, were among the speakers. (See part 1 here.)

Bank Investment Consultant Magazine's Top 20 Program Managers Awards honored program managers who bring out the best in their advisors. At a dinner sponsored by New York Life/Mainstay Investments in New York last week, the awards program celebrated managers whose advisors perform well above industry benchmarks.

For three days in late June, advisors, industry executives and fund managers descended on Chicago for the 2010 Morningstar Investment Conference. The audience received insight on the flash crash, international investing and the impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Industry bigwigs, including Vanguard's William McNabb, were among the speakers. (See part 2 here.)

While some financial companies worry about the ramifications of the sweeping financial reform that is set to pass, asset managers won’t feel the heat.

A lack of investor confidence in the market has triggered advisors to work feverishly to strenghten client retention techniques over acquiring new customers.

While half of RIAs’ new business comes from referrals, only 20% of advisors ask clients and centers of influence for leads.

SourceMedia's Women Advisors Forum descended on Chicago on June 16. The event offered an opportunity to network with the most successful and influential women financial advisors in the nation, while gaining insight into their career experience and rise to the top.

Advisers are missing opportunities to expand existing relationships and attract wealthy clients, according to a survey by ByAllAccounts, an account aggregator in Woburn, Mass.

Registered investment advisor firms need more capacity to handle client demand for professional financial planning advice. That aligns with the recent trend of wirehouse brokers getting fed up with that channel and considering doing business in the independent channel instead.

Charles Schwab opens the doors to its "virtual university" to help RIAs better utilize its technology