Wealth management

One advisor warned that keeping clients happy should top performance chasing.

According to a survey, a majority of advisors say clients want financial planning advice.

As the race to rake in breakaway brokers continues to heat up, it seems that independent broker-dealers, are failing to spend on the areas of technology that matter most to independent advisors: customer relationship management and integration.

At a luncheon, which honored 13 women for their work with New York charities, BofA's Sallie Krawcheck talked about her devotion to the scholarship fund she set up for her childhood prep school.

Mission statements are meant to develop a purpose for family wealth that all members can support.

Over the past decade, the firm's mission has remained the same: to help women build confidence and an open dialogue around financial responsibility and knowledge.

More than one in four, 28%, of wealthy Americans with at least $500,000 in investable assets and annual incomes of $150,000 or more have or plan to cut back on charitable giving due to the economic climate.

Financial advisors are looking forward to 2010. In fact, 68% of advisers recently surveyed define their 2010 business mindset as one of acceleration and growth.

When people are afraid, they cut back on discretionary expenses, which is how most people view estate-planning services, one expert said.

Advisors believe many Americans could need double or triple their savings targets.

Less than half of advisors bill for advice on outside accounts.

Robust deal activity seen in the sector

Some advisors say selling the firm should not always be the main objective.

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.

With investor trust declining it may seem like a bad time to launch a new asset management firm, but that’s exactly what Balentine has done.

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

Fee-based financial advisers are grappling with the fallout from the crash of 2008 and see tactical asset management as the way to navigate the current market, according to a survey of 750 advisers by Jefferson National.

RidgeWorth Investments has launched planadvisortools.com, a website dedicated to the needs of retirement plan advisers.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy announced a drop in donations for its Top 50 philanthropists.

NEW YORK - Financial experts think 2010 could provide many interesting opportunities in the realm of wealth transference, particularly with the temporary, one-year expiration of the federal estate tax and reduction of the gift tax.