Wealth management

Looking at the most probable future reduces uncertainties to a more manageable level while not concealing risks.

Financial advisors want to know the most important key to becoming a top producer. Most think the answer must be a magical new product, an innovative new sales idea or a remarkable new marketing strategy. However, their jaws drop when they learn the truth. Nathan Bergeland, the CEO and founder of USAdvisors Network, offered some insights.

While endowments for the last fiscal year were able to post an 11.9% investment return, Commonfund President and CEO Verne Sedlacek said yesterday that most funds are “probably still 25% below where they were in 2007.”

The Boston-company attracted assets from 146 breakaway brokers last year as average assets per breakaway increased by nearly 50% from 2009.

“The outlook for investors in 2011 is as positive as we have seen in years,” says Joseph R. Dancy, Adjunct Professor of Law at Southern Methodist University and manager of the LSGI Venture Fund L.P.

In 2008, when the global credit crisis exploded, the SEC conducted 772 examinations of the operations of brokers and dealers of financial instruments in the United States. In 2010, that number fell to 490 examinations. The cause? The increasing complexity of the exams that take place. Here are the numbers that result, when the SEC takes on brokers.

James Carney, president and chief executive officer of ByAllAccounts, says profitable and effective practices are changing their priorities and being more progressive in their thinking this year. He offered seven habits that will help firms regain profitability.

The third largest broker-dealer by headcount and the fifth largest by revenue has grown into a powerhouse of a financial services company over the past decade. Its top executive said in an interview Thursday it plans to add at least 400 more this year.

The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., investment advisory firm bought Weiss Capital Management Inc, an independent registered investment advisory firm.

On Wednesday The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and the Association of Small Foundations announced a new white paper titled “The Best of Both Worlds: Using Private Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds” to inform donors and advisors about how these two giving vehicles complement each other.

Estate tax reform in 2010 was marked by significant disagreement from both the House and Senate on whether any changes should be temporary or permanent.

According to Wealth-X, the top executives at the ten biggest banks and asset managers on Wall Street have an average net worth of $210 million. Their combined net worth is at least $2.1 billion. Check out the top ten.

Almost every advisor is committing one or more of the seven deadly sins. This is not a reason to beat yourself up, but an opportunity to improve your effectiveness.

In an effort to develop jumpstart its exchange-traded fund business, Russell Investments announced Wednesday it plans to buy U.S. One Inc., a registered investment advisor and ETF provider.

Donors gave to Fidelity’s donor-advised fund in record numbers in 2010 - a sign of the critical role donor-advised funds are playing in charitable giving.

Have you decided that 2011 is the year to become an independent advisor? Tom Nally, a managing director of institutional sales at TD Ameritrade Institutional, gave us 10 of the best tips for going independent.

The possibility that there will a $1 million estate-tax exemption, plus a higher tax rate, in two years makes a compelling case for the wealthy to give money to their family now.

Each year, Janney Capital Markets produces a list of events it deems reasonably likely could shake the markets. Check out the surprises Janney expects could make for a bumpy ride in 2011.

BlackRock’s Bob Doll announced some pretty bullish predictions for the year ahead. But what are the potential upside and downside risks for 2011?

A dire diagnosis will drive many people into an advisor's office, whether to free up cash for treatment, finally confront the need for an estate plan or update an existing one.