Wealth management

FINRA appears to be pulling back from its campaign to regulate RIAs -- and advisors couldn’t be happier.

Many investors are carrying the scars of the past five years into 2013. Some may lose money sitting in cash or fixed income while failing to recognize some long-term opportunities. Others may be too keen on trying to time the market to avoid potential downside. To clear up some misconceptions, Wells Fargo explains some of the less focused-on market trends that investors and advisors should keep in mind and also offers some timely reminders that are relevant no matter what direction the market turns.

The acquisition increases Atlanta Capital’s AUM to $950 million

For Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, offering financial advisors more choice in terms of how they want to practice helped propel the business to a record year in recruiting in 2012.

How can advisors be more productive and take more time off? According to Jimmy Williams of Regier, Carr & Monroe in McAlester, OK and Randy Thurman of Investment Advisors Inc., by focusing on a dozen simple steps, the big picture becomes simpler.

Demographic shifts, technology implementation and investing challenges were in the spotlight this week in San Diego, where about 3,000 advisors and other industry professionals came together for TD Ameritrade Institutional’s annual conference. Between the presentations, meetings and hallway conversations, Financial Planning heard lots of smart takeaways for advisors.

A new addition has helped Focus Financial Partners, the largest partnership of independent wealth management firms, further develop its New York presence.

Senior editor Ann Marsh wrote that more new RIAs were hanging onto commission income rather than choosing a pure fiduciary role. Investment advisor Tom Brakke weighed in on Twitter: “I wanna be called an RIA but I sure like that commission income.” What’s your opinion? Weigh in with your comments below.…

An ethical will can ensure the positive impact of your client's life on future generations.

Finding a way to keep clients safe while generating more income in the markets.

The professor of law and taxation at the University of Virginia discusses the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Take the money and run? It is a question advisors face as retirees get offered lump-sum bonanzas.

This year's tax deal could radically shift the way your clients handle tax and estate issues. Here are some strategies to consider.

Chicago businessman Urooj Khan jumped for joy when he learned he had the winning numbers for a million-dollar lottery drawing last summer. Too bad he never had a chance to enjoy it.

Lack of knowledge is the top reason for not using alternative investments followed by lack of track record, according to Cambridge, Mass.-based consulting firm Cogent Research. As popular of an investing tool as they have become, there are different theories about what role alternatives play in a portfolio as well as what actually constitutes an “alternative,” so it’s easy to understand why there could by some misunderstandings.

Taxes and the economy colluded to make 2012 a record year for grants and contributions.

With the new office, the Ric Edelman-owned wealth management firm now has 32 offices in 13 states.

While the number and size of RIA mergers and acquisitions stayed relatively constant last year, the players shifted sharply, according to a new report released Monday by Schwab Advisor Services.

Here we present a new look at our Top 50 Bank Advisors list, reshuffled and ranked by percentage increase in annual production (and then we cut it down to just the top 20).

What makes an online trader successful? Fidelity Investments surveyed its top trading customers, those with a 12-month portfolio performance of at least 20%, to find out the secrets to their investing success.