April 2014

The Rise Of The Robo Advisors

by Eric Rasmussen

Are online advisory platforms like Bill Harris' Personal Capital a friend or foe to flesh-and-blood advisors?

2014 Independent Broker-Dealer Survey: Indies Ascend

by Dan Jamieson

Pressures are increasing, particularly on small independent b-ds, but various trends are creating plenty of opportunity for the industry overall.

The Old Normal Is Scary Enough

by Evan Simonoff

A long-term bear market for bonds changes all the retirement calculations.

Where Advisors Are The Clients

by Mary Rowland

Advisors have flocked to work with this bank. Here’s the secret.

King For A Day

by Roy Diliberto

Changes I would implement to improve our profession.

Timely Matters

by David Lawrence

Don’t let five myths of time management impede your office operations.

The Leadership Vacuum

by Bill Bachrach

You can’t be an effective leader if you spend time on technical work.

Advisor Boo-Boos

by Russ Alan Prince & Brett Van Bortel

When working with teams, advisors often misread the situation.

Avoiding Biases

by Cathy Seeber

Here are some steps to help you provide the best advice for clients.

First Look

by Joel Bruckenstein

A new “all-in-one” product from Advyzon may become one of the rare successes in its category.

New World Borders

by James Picerno

Globalization is reinventing international investment strategies.

Banking On Volatility

by Marla Brill

The return to volatility puts the spotlight on ETFs that aim to protect against such swings.

True Believer

by Marla Brill

Lyle Fitterer sounds like a true believer when describing the attractiveness of municipal bonds versus other sectors of the fixed-income universe...

New Rules For Condo Investors

by Gail Liberman

Restrictive rules risk damaging resale values.

The Detroit Bankruptcy Plan

by Leon C. LaBrecque

A lose-lose for retirees and a math problem, says this financial advisor.

Retirement Anxiety

by Jerilyn Klein Bier

Challenges continue to mount for many older workers and retirees.

Advisor Emporium

Franklin Templeton Launches Retirement Income Program

by FA Staff

Franklin Templeton Investments has created the “Income For What’s Next” investment program.

Frontline News

Taxing Matter

by Jeff Schlegel

In the debate over taxes, black-and-white conclusions often ignore the multiple shads of gray embedded in this complicated issue.

Where The Young Folks Are

by Jeff Schlegel

Most advisors younger than 35 work at $1 billion-plus firms, even as a growing number in this group are striking out on their own.

Metric System

by FA Staff

Financial advisors keep tabs on traditional growth metrics, but aren’t as focused on gathering client feedback.

A (Nearly) Stress-Free Advisory Practice

by Jeff Schlegel

Atlanta-based advisor Kevin Latty has found balance in his practice and in life.

Quantifying The High Value Of Advisor Advice

by FA Staff

According to Vanguard, financial advisors can up as much as 3 percent in net returns to client portfolios.

Money Market Funds As Alternatives?

by Ted Knutson

A lot of investors still don’t have a clear idea about what alternative investments are.

RIAs Lead The Way In Advisor M&A Activity

by Jeff Schlegel

The number of deals jumped last year, even as total assets purchased in those deals and average deal size dropped.

Best Retirement Countries (No, They’re Not Tropical)

by FA Staff

The top 10 places for retirement are in Europe and Down Under, according to a recent report.

Impact Notes: An Alternative To GSEs

by FA Staff

These triple-A rated securities from the IFC and Incapital invest in private enterprises in the developing world.

Letters to the Editor

An Imbalanced World

by Evan Simonoff

Forgive me for being in a grouchy mood, but it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I’m in the office closing a big issue.