Investment Advisor October 2010
Cover Story
Past, Present, Future
The year was 1980. Chrysler was rescued, CNN was launched, the Dow began the year at 824 and Investment Advisor published its first issue. Today, Chrysler...
Features
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Tom Bradley's Vision for the Future
2010 marks the silver anniversary for Tom Bradley, the outspoken head of TD Ameritrade Institutional. Reflecting on his tenure with the company and the RIA...
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A Decade of Evolution
The RIA business has evolved significantly over the past decade. Many important influences are re-shaping the advisory business, even beyond the industry's response to the...
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A Willful Purpose
For baby boomers, seeing friends and family members fall by the wayside is an unwelcome and eye-opening reminder of age. One possible result is that...
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Billion-Dollar Service
"We are the world's best high-net-worth wealth advisory firm." That's the elevator speech of Eric Kramer, founder and principal of Crestone Capital Advisors LLC in Boulder,...
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Ready to Grow Again
In 2009, revenues dropped 9.5% and operating profit shrank seven percentage points to an 11% margin for the typical independent advisory firm, according to the...
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Jewels in the Crown
Under the blazing summer sun, a long line of BMWs and Mercedes Benzes glide up outside the luxurious DLF Emporio mall in the Indian capital,...
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Overexposed and Underestimated
We know what you're thinking; how could any Janus fund possibly qualify as "overlooked?" Their returns are the stuff of legend, as are the critical...
Beginnings
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Behind the Numbers with Gary Shilling
Our bond allocation reflects the level of uncertainty that still exists in the world. Treasuries are still a safe haven. Inflation is non-existent and I...
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What Trading Volume Says About ETFs
By now, advisors and even most investors understand the way exchange-traded funds (ETFs) operate. One issue, however, that seems to be a cause of confusion...
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Obama Calls for End to Some Bush-Era Tax Cuts; Fiduciary Lobbying Continues
While Washington and the nation were focused on President Obama's early September speech in which he unveiled new economic initiatives and vowed to cut taxes...
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Implications of a Republican-Controlled Congress
The consensus is pretty clear: The mid-term elections could result in Republicans taking control of the House and gaining more seats in the Senate. On the...
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Catching up with... Robert Bigelow
State and municipal budgets are running historic deficits, and from the steady diet of less than appetizing economic news, are unlikely to rebound anytime soon....
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Exits Over Outflows
Last month, I spoke on a venture capital panel at a well-attended alternative investment conference in Chicago. As the former head of alternative strategies for...
Columns
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When Business is Personal
When it comes to employing relatives, having rules in place--such as a family constitution-can help the family business run professionally. But how many family businesses...
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Using OPM to Grow AUM
Advisory businesses deploy two types of leverage to accelerate their growth: operating leverage, which builds off infrastructure, technology, and other people's labor (OPL); and financial...
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The Empire Steps Up
Readers of this column know I haven't been a big fan of the CFP Board and its leadership of the Financial Planning Coalition during Washington's...
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Dissecting the FSI's Position on Fiduciary
The Financial Services Institute (FSI) has become, in essence, the red-headed stepchild in the fiduciary debate among advisory trade groups. FSI believes the Securities...
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Show Yourself the Money
I had a former client who constantly complained about his income and the profitability--or lack thereof--of his practice. He had good reason to be unhappy:...
Conclusions
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Four Security Best Practices That All Advisors Should Implement
When you think about the security around your technology systems and your firm's data, what level of confidence do you have? Are your computers protected...
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Custody: Why You May Actually Have It
Sweeping amendments to the Securities and Exchange Commission's custody rule 206(4)-2 became effective March 12, 2010, and will substantively impact significantly more advisors than imagined...
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Ten Top Ways to Engage Clients Now, Part II
Last month, we discussed how the best advisors are engaging their clients now--a necessity, as many high-net-worth people are re-evaluating their relationship to money,...
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Coming of Age
Advisor associations are charged with meeting the needs of their members, particularly when it comes to providing education, support and networking. Those groups whose profiles...
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Less Liberal Propaganda, and More Sports
Journalists should listen to their readers. I learned this lesson well in my last job, where I worked with the Navy Office of Information in...
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Retirement News and Products
As Congress gears up to start its fall session, Putnam Investments is wasting little time in pressing lawmakers to pass auto-IRA legislation. Two bills that...
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The Future of 12b-1 Fees
On July 21, 2010, the SEC voted to rescind Rule 12b-1 in its entirety and replace it with a new rule, Rule 12b-2. What does this...
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Life Sales Up, but Ownership Overall Down
According to the recent "U.S. Individual Life Insurance Sales Survey" by LIMRA, sales of individual life insurance improved for the second consecutive quarter of 2010,...
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An Advanced (and Unique) Investment and Tax Solution
A new and unique opportunity exists for advisors and clients to achieve significant investment and tax advantages. Cutting edge advisors who offer comprehensive solutions to...
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Annuities: A Better Answer Than Social Security
Annuities don't exist in a vacuum, yet critics voice concerns as if annuities are compared to utopia, something akin to high returns, no risks and...
Sidebar Stories
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The Seven Secrets of a Purposeful Legacy
Over the past 10 years, wealth consultant John Warnick of Family Wealth Transitions & Solutions in Denver has evolved a way of helping clients communicate...
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The Role of Multigenerational Retreats
As I've educated people to lift the taboo on talking about money, and taught them safe and respectful ways to share thoughts and feelings about...
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About Those Other SEC Studies ...
Among the litany of studies (close to 17 of them, along with 95 rulemakings) that the SEC is charged with conducting under the Dodd-Frank Act,...
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Server Rack--Don't Forget Physical Security
How secure is your server? If you are like most of us, your first thought is in regard to the anti-virus program installed on your...
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Is the Password Enabled on Your Mobile Device?
A simple but commonly overlooked security step is to enable the password on your mobile device. In the unfortunate event that your mobile device is...
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A PIF in Action
Consider the following Roth conversion situation: A client converts her $1 million traditional IRA to a Roth IRA resulting in federal tax at today's top...
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Friends in Need?
You can use outside investors to help finance your growth plans. Firms such as Asset Management Finance (AMF) and Fiduciary Network LLC, for example, have...
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When You Pay Too Much
One of my current clients is so insecure about losing his employees that he constantly gives them unwarranted raises, for no good reason--without performance metrics,...
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Resource Library
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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...
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