Wealth management

Zsa Zsa Gabor has never been one to shy away from the limelight. But when does pursuing fame cross the line for a 94-year-old? That point may have come this week, when her husband of 25 years told CNN that he had started the process of donor matching and blood work so he could turn Zsa Zsa into Ma Ma.

One of the challenges that we have as professionals is motivating our clients to do their estate planning. Our new television special titled "Trial & Heirs: Protect Your Family Fortune!" debuts tonight and we think it will help motivate your clients to take the necessary estate planning steps that many have put off for far too long.

Making estate planning decisions can sometimes bring up uncomfortable topics for clients, but Holly Thomas, the founder of Holly P. Thomas, LLC, in Tampa, Fla., said it's a vital part of any financial plan.

It’s shocking how many rich and famous people make mistake and after mistake, which often leads to heirs fighting over inheritances. But, it’s not only the rich. Everyday across the country, people from all walks of life make the exact same mistakes time and time again. The only difference is the dollar amounts that they’re fighting over.

While many asset managers continue to fail to connect meaningfully with registered investment advisors, many are turning to such digital media as micro websites, social media and mobile applications, according to a new report from Financial Research Corp., “Winning Strategies for Marketing and Distributing to the RIA.”

Civil rights icon Rosa Parks passed away in Detroit at the age of 92 back in 2005. Almost six years later, her legacy is still tied up in a lengthy court battle. The case features allegations of abuse, cronyism and corruption by the probate judge as well as the two lawyers he appointed to oversee the estate and trust.

Ryan O'Neal is at it again. He and Craig Nevius, a Hollywood producer who used to work closely with Farrah Fawcett, are in the midst of more legal fighting against one another.

Celebrity heirs fighting over the estate is far from uncommon but it is unusual when an ugly court battle starts before the celebrity even dies. That certainly has been the case with the Dennis Hopper estate.

No, it can’t be. Has the 15-year saga started by Anna Nicole Smith, as she tried to get money from the estate of her deceased husband, really come to an end?

Last year was a good one for registered investment advisors, according to the 2011 RIA Benchmarking Study from Charles Schwab, the largest focused solely on RIAs.

A new study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, has found that when people are reminded of money, they respond differently and mimicking can backfire and make establishing a relationship and a sense of trust even more difficult for financial advisors.

In the second of a two-part series, Adam Moseley, managing director of Schwab Advisor Services' technology consulting group, talks about the benefits of making your client relationship management (CRM) system the command center of the entire RIA operation.

Clients who serve as trustee of an insurance trust may get more than they bargained for if the life policy is not performing.

A new chapter of estate planning begins after a client passes on.

What do you tell the 55-year-old who's burned out but looking at another 15 to 20 years of work?

In the first of a two-part series, Adam Moseley, managing director of Schwab Advisor Services' technology consulting group, explains how RIAs can get the most out of their IT investments.

If your clients have money in retirement accounts they won’t need to live on, they can put that money into a Roth IRA and avoid paying taxes on any gains. Now, grandkids can inherit up to $5 million tax free.