Investment Advisor June 2009
Cover Story
Best of Times, Worst of Times
The business is broken, accelerated by the crisis. We need a new model, because the old way of doing business is broken," says Bob Cogan,...
Features
-
Leadership
In the middle of one of the most challenging times in the industry's history, how are independent broker/dealers coping? The leaders of 67 of the...
-
Survival of the Fittest
It may be hard to believe, but it was only last autumn when, in what seemed to be a blink of an eye, our capital...
-
Directional Advisor
Bob Whalen spent the first 16 years of his career in the American Express family, ending up as a group VP at Ameriprise Financial Services...
-
Temperament & Tools
When you consider the financial planning industry as a profession, the future is extremely bright. This is partly because the financial planner is the only...
-
Saving Grace
Tommie Monez of Focus Wealth Management in Middleburg, Virginia, is keeping an eye on current conditions in the insurance industry on behalf of two of...
Beginnings
-
Asset Allocation
Behind the Numbers, with Jeffrey Kleintop In his May 4 weekly commentary LPL Financial's chief market strategist noted that, "The prospects for recovery by year-end have...
-
Shelter from the Storm
Advisors whose high-net-worth clients have trouble getting coverage for their homes in coastal and other hard-to-insure areas might want to take a look at PURE....
-
Catching Up With: Greg Friedman
The last time we spoke to Greg Friedman, he was among the cadre of advisors interviewed for the March 2009 cover story on how industry...
-
Group Think
? The Financial Planning Coalition--CFP Board of Standards, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), and the Financial Planning Association (FPA)--has issued a call for...
-
Changes
? Former Schwab Institutional president Debbie McWhinney, who retired from that position in 2007 and was most recently CEO and president of the Dennis and...
-
Upgrades
As of May 4, Neuberger Berman Group is again majority-owned by its employees, including portfolio managers and senior executives of the company. The 70-year-old firm's...
-
Numerology: Fund Flows Bounce Back
Independent and regional broker/dealers, along with RIAs, will account for the majority of mutual fund net sales by the year 2013, reaching 55% from 48%...
-
ETF Advisor: ETFs for Cash
With investor interest in exchange traded funds seemingly endless, fund sponsors are busy exploring every nook and cranny for new fund ideas. Over the past...
-
Venture Populist: Private Practice
The cover story for April's The Atlantic was a timely article called "Why I Fired My Broker" in which Jeffrey Goldberg recounts the misgivings of...
-
Danger & Opportunity: Obama and SEC Enforcement Under Microscope
As the Obama Administration was ringing in its first 100 days in office in early May, the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement division was awaiting...
-
Danger & Opportunity: A Fool's Errand
On April 9 2009, under enormous pressure from the banking community and politicians, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement No. 157 to relax...
-
Danger & Opportunity: Fear Is Not a Growth Strategy
Do you market now or wait until things get better? I know that marketing is the last thing on your mind at this moment in...
-
Editor's Note: Different Trains
I've been covering the business of independent financial advice-givers for long enough that like high fashion, or low, I've seen styles run several cycles. As...
Columns
-
The Green Advisor: More On Climate Change Opportunities
When I last wrote about climate change (March 2009, "Climate Change Opportunities"), it generated a number of negative responses from readers, including one e-mail which...
-
Formulas for Success: Clients Have Rights, But Also Responsibilities
Okay, I know it's not cool to blame the victim. But honestly, don't you find it a bit exasperating that so many people have been...
-
Clark at Large: Embracing Change
When Tom Lydon's receptionist told me that he was on the phone and would have to call me back, I couldn't have been more surprised....
-
The Affluentialist: Best Practices for Retirement Planning
According to an in depth survey of experienced advisors who devoted a significant portion of their practices to retirement planning, demands from clients are driving...
-
The Psychology of Advice: Getting Your Act Together
While Bernie Madoff's empire was falling apart, remember how he would walk past the cameras with no sign of emotion except for a small, nervous...
-
The Fast Track: Letting Go
Recently, I had my weekly call with my client Bob Reed, of Personal Financial Advisors, LLC in Covington, Louisiana. Like many advisors today, Bob was...
Conclusions
-
Retirement Planning: Warming Up to Annuities
While still taking a cautious approach to their use of annuities, registered investment advisors are steadily increasing their use of immediate annuities for rollover dollars,...
-
From the Silver Lining Department
While the market performance of the last 18 months (at least until March 9) has hurt just about every investor and advisor across the board,...
-
Retirement News & Products
Recent data published by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) found that many Americans support the use of lower cost sharing as an incentive to...
-
B/D Briefing: Keys to B/D Success
A new study published by Moss Adams and Pershing affiliate iNautix--The Art of Efficiency: A Holistic Approach to Operations--reveals what most suspect but perhaps won't...
-
When Less Is More
It appears that the best broker/dealers limit the number of investment vehicles on their approved list. That's one of the findings of The Art of...
-
B/D News & Products
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is proposing a major expansion of its BrokerCheck service which would make records of final regulatory actions against brokers...
-
Expert's Corner: Complacency, Risk and the SEC
All too often advisors become complacent with respect to compliance matters, but all registered investment advisors must continue to recognize that compliance is an ongoing...
-
Soapbox: Algorithms vs. Arithmetic
There are security analysts and financial advisors who have no fear about taking positions in derivatives based on arcane algorithms. But for some reason, these...
Sidebar Stories
-
SEC's Walters Backs Harmonizing B/D, Advisor Rules
Yet another top official at the SEC is championing the idea of harmonizing rules for investment advisors and broker/dealers. In a speech before the Mutual...
-
States' Basic Protection
While coverage available from the 52 state guaranty associations (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) differs from state to state, basic limits of...
-
Now and Then
Bob Reed's decision to build a firm that allowed all its employees to exercise their abilities has led to growth in assets under management and...
-
How to Build a Support Network
If a client needs a type of support that you can't provide, will you be ready with a referral? Consider e-mailing your colleagues and friends...
-
A Cautionary Tale
Morris Armstrong, of Armstrong Financial Strategies in Danbury, Connecticut, is guiding a client through another problem that is becoming more common as insurance companies are...
-
A 20-Year Investment Theme
In September 2007 Schroder launched its ISF Global Climate Change Equity Fund, which is based in Luxembourg and currently only available to European investors. On...
-
Not Just the CCO
While the chief compliance officer (CCO) should of necessity be the main player in the compliance review process, whenever possible I strongly recommend that at...
-
Boomers Still Prefer Aging in Place
As in many other areas over the past few decades, boomers are poised to affect in a big way another bedrock of society: the housing...
-
Not Sitting Still
If you're busy cutting your marketing budget right now because revenues are down, I suggest you think twice. For instance, do you want to know...
-
About the Planner
Bob Whalen President Brewer Financial Services Group 200 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60604 Phone: 312-896-3930 E-mail: info@brewerfinancialgroup.com Web site: www.brewerservices.com Year firm founded: 2001 (B/D launched in 2005) Number of advisors in firm:...
-
Coming to an RIA Near You
One of the scenarios arising from the financial crisis and frauds like the one perpetrated by Bernie Madoff will be greater regulation of broker/dealers. However,...
-
What's In A Name
There are several different classifications of insurance you should be aware of. The classification determines the type of regulation that governs it; knowing a policy's...
Sponsor
Showcase
Actionable insights to help you make better global investment decisions.
Event Spotlight
Retirement Income Symposium
October 10-11, 2013
Hyatt Regency, Boston, MA
The symposium provides practical, innovative solutions to current industry challenges and provides advisors clear, actionable strategies that they can utilize to address their clients' needs.
Resource Library
View All »
Move to a Better Career Opportunity with More Independence
Thinking about switching firms, whether it's for the potential to earn more money or to...
Understand the #1 Alternative Asset for Self-Directed Investors - Real...
Are you prepared to offer innovative alternative investment solutions to your clients and explain the...
Sales & Onboarding - Your Last Chance to Make a...
Start building long-term, loyal clients and advocates today by utilizing the latest research and our...
Complimentary White Paper: "Strategies on Advising Couples"
Grow your practice by rethinking how you view, interact and approach investment decisions when working...
Breaking up is hard to do
Love being a financial advisor? Not getting what you need from your current firm? Hear...
The Best of Both Worlds with Century Securities
Our independent affiliates enjoy the freedom to make important choices and the professional resources of...
Build a Scalable Foundation for Growing Your Advisory Practice
This advice is based on industry research and the practical observations of other advisors who...
Complimentary Informational Brochure on Ameritas Life and Annuities
Ameritas Advisor Services can give you the tools you need to help your clients with...
Working Smarter: Engaging Prospects And Clients Through Social Media
For financial advisors, social media represents a powerful addition to traditional marketing and networking activities....
Complimentary Copy of "Winning Advantage: The Financial Advisor Playbook for...
Find out the four crucial steps you need to follow to choose the right technology...
Advisor Tools
Business Evaluator
The Business Evaluator tool is designed to educate advisors on career options. Get recommendations unique to your situation as the Business Evaluator intuitively guides you through exploring a change.
