May 2014

Critical Care

by Eric Rasmussen

A former ICU nurse and stay-at-home mom, Susan Kaplan is now one of the country’s top advisors.

An Incredible Opportunity

by Mark Hurley and Yvonne Kanner

A Schwab franchise will offer an owner much more than a McDonald’s circa 1960.

An Artificial Finish Line

by Mitch Anthony

Retirement is an unnatural phase of life and has run its course.

Categorizing Clients

by David Lawrence

Analyzing client groups will help you pick the right CRM software.

A Street-Smart Network

by Russ Alan Prince & Brett Van Bortel

Advisors need to be more attuned to allied professionals’ clients to get referrals.

Playing Offense

by Jeff Schlegel

Global Financial employs active management to find income for clients.

See Tomorrow, Act Today

by Bernie Clark

Taking action now that is informed by a vision of tomorrow will help advisors—who are the future makers and guardians of the RIA model—to move forward with confidence and clarity.

A Look At PCR

by Joel Bruckenstein

Private Client Resources’ services are best for advisors with wealthy clients invested in alternatives.

Slow Boat To China

by Jeff Schlegel

China’s slowing economy raises concerns in the global markets.

Muni Bonds Pose Questions For Advisors

by Maureen Nevin Duffy

Risk, regulations and choices are evolving for this once-simple investment class.

Going The Distance

by Jerilyn Klein Bier

Growing global interest in efficient transportation is expected to fuel a multitude of long-term investing opportunities.

Don’t Equivocate On Bonds

by Rob Brown

Individual bonds present risks that offer no compensating increase in expected return.

A REIT For Rising Rates

by Marla Brill

This fund decreases its vulnerability to rate swings by investing in variable-rate commercial mortgages.

Charting New 401(k) Channels

by Jerilyn Klein Bier

The latest plan offerings aim to tackle multiple retirement challenges—often for lower fees.

They Are Not Us, We Are Not Them

by Richard B. Wagner

Financial planners need to grow up and demand what is rightfully theirs.

Advisor Emporium

Vanguard Says System Helps Advisors Add Value

by FA Staff

Financial advisors can add up to 3% in net returns for their clients by using Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha, the firm’s wealth management framework that focuses on portfolio construction, behavioral...

Editor's Note

Finra Bows Out

by Evan Simonoff

It’s official, at least for now. Officials at Finra now say they are no longer pursuing their interest in becoming the regulator of RIAs.

Frontline News

U.S. Eyes Foreign RIAs

by FA Staff

The SEC’s crackdown on untaxed U.S. assets is causing more foreign wealth managers to register with the SEC.

Cash Flow Is King At Guide Financial

by Jeff Schlegel

Guide Financial recently launched a web-based service that shines the spotlight on cash flow analysis in the financial planning process.

Financial Advisors Slow To Embrace Sustainable Investing

by Juliette Fairley

Sustainable investing has grown significantly since 2005, but it’s still not a front-burner issue with many financial advisors.

New Advisor Network Focuses On Gen X And Y Clients

by FA Staff

Advisors Michael Kitces and Alan Moore have launched the XY Planning Network, a turn-key platform that is designed to support fee-only advisors on Generations X and Y.

Advisor AUM Increased, Client Retention Decreased In 2013

by FA Staff

Although their AUM and revenue rose, financial advisors saw client retention rates and average revenue on assets drop last year, according to PriceMetrix.

Fidelity Tops Investor Satisfaction List

by FA Staff

Investor satisfaction with the overall full-service investments industry has risen for the third consecutive year, according to a J.D. Power survey.

U.S. Among Countries With Low Inheritance Taxes

by FA Staff

The U.S. and other countries with low or nonexistent inheritance taxes encourage the creation of wealth, study says.