Investment Advisor September 2006

Cover Story

Features

  • Income & growth

    By Kathleen McBride, AdvisorOne

    When a client's primary goal is income from their portfolio, there are a number of options to choose from: dividends are popular because of the...

  • Going Mobile

    By Lauren Barack

    Just as any fashion starts to look old after a season, so, too, does technology. Moreover, those early-adopter advisors who rejoice while playing with the...

  • Panning for Gold

    By Staff Writer

    Over the last 25 years there have been three distinct cycles of outperformance by high Quality Ranking (QR) companies.The longest of the high-quality rallies lasted...

  • Risk Manager

    By Mike Patton

    When financial planners talk about how the profession has advanced over the years, one of the prime examples given is that of Monte Carlo simulation...

  • Native Sons

    By Robert F. Keane

    The Villere family has been in New Orleans as long as nearly anyone. Jacques Phillipe Villere was born near the city in 1761, son to...

  • Five Years After

    By Olivia Mellan

    It's hard to believe that five years have passed since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, unfolded before our eyes.

Beginnings

  • Simple, Not Simplistic

    By Staff Writer

    I just finished reading your "High Definition" article in the August issue of Investment Advisor--thank you! This is probably one of the best marketing articles...

  • RIAs Turning to Alternatives

    By Staff Writer

    A more hands-on approach to investments is being taken by registered investment advisors, including the use of alternative products, according to a survey by an...

  • Asia-Pacific Means More Than Japan

    By Staff Writer

    Japan has long dominated the economies of what is called the "Asia-Pacific" region. However, in recent years as Japan's economy faltered, the landscape there has...

  • ASSET ALLOCATION

    By Staff Writer

    To learn this month's recommended asset allocations of Investment Advisor's panel of distinguished economists and money managers, click here

  • Insurance Streamlining

    By Elizabeth D. Festa

    Insurers and investors of all stripes are having their day in the sun this summer with action on major legislation, including the streamlining of specialty...

  • UPGRADES

    By Staff Writer

    SEC Commissioner Christopher Cox said August 7 that the SEC will not appeal the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in Goldstein v. SEC, which...

  • CHANGES

    By Staff Writer

    Mary Schapiro was scheduled to become chairman and CEO of the NASD as of August 31, 2006 following current CEO Robert Glauber's earlier-than-scheduled departure from...

  • LPL Buys UVEST

    By Kathleen McBride, AdvisorOne

    In a move that catapults two strong firms to the forefront of third-party brokerage services to financial institutions, Linsco/Private Ledger Corp. (LPL) of Boston and...

  • Pension Act Signed

    By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne

    While pension experts say the recently passed Pension Protection Act of 2006 will indeed help remedy the funding problems that have plagued defined benefit (DB)...

  • An Education Summit

    By James J. Green, AdvisorOne

    This year, the annual meeting of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards was not only a multiday affair in the first week of August...

Columns

Conclusions

  • Some Good News on Pensions

    By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne

    Advisors are hailing the recently passed pension reform legislation as a treasure trove of goodies that's long overdue. The whopping 900-page legislation, called the Pension...

  • Behind the Numbers

    By Staff Writer

    A quiet revolution is going on in the retirement planning industry. As a financial education company working directly with pre-retirees and retirees, we at Financial...

  • Retirement Advisor Profile

    By Elizabeth D. Festa

    When Jason Mattox speaks at broker/dealer and investment advisor conferences, he has one message to convey: real estate should be in clients' portfolios, preferably non-publicly...

  • News & Products

    By Staff Writer

    A recent report by Hewitt Associates has found that while the majority of employers have been slow to adopt Roth 401(k) plans, a number of...

  • Raymond James Gets Results

    By Kathleen McBride, AdvisorOne

    In the continuing evolution of the investment industry, one consistent trend has been the gradual reduction in fees, expenses--and commissions--that investors pay for most investment...

  • News & Products

    By Staff Writer

    The SEC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) due August 24 for phase one of a major study of how regulators' rules for investment professionals...

  • Shelter from the Storm

    By Marlene Y. Satter, AdvisorOne

    Tsunami. Hurricane. Earthquake. Civil war. Each is a disaster, with human costs beyond calculating. The destruction of material goods, however, in the form of homes,...

  • The Fiduciary Audit File

    By Staff Writer

    One of my favorite stories concerns a horse that was found wandering in the countryside. No one knew where it had come from, since the...

  • Extending Savings

    By Staff Writer

    Careless treatment of retirement plan assets at the owner's death could cost beneficiaries hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax-deferred growth. However, even those with...

  • Are You in Pandemic Denial?

    By Staff Writer

    On the morning of September 11, 2001, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson was scheduled to deliver a speech in which he...

Sidebar Stories

  • On the Workbench at Sungard: Offering a Helping Hand

    By Staff Writer

    Salt Lake City-based SunGard puts a big emphasis on providing help for users of its platform. However, the financial services software firm's edge, it believes,...

  • On the Workbench at ADP: Aggregation and Breakpoints

    By Staff Writer

    Michael Ford at ADP Securities Industry Software agrees that aggregating many functions into one interface is something most broker/dealer representatives want. ADP already offers some...

  • On the Workbench at AFS: Online Trading, but Not Yet Mobile

    By Staff Writer

    Terry Thorsen knows all about mom-and-pop shops. As the founder of New York-based Automated Financial Services, which provides front-office software, Thorsen knows first hand how...

  • Rules and Results

    By Staff Writer

    2006 was the 16th year in which Investment Advisor has asked its readers who are representatives of independent broker/dealers to rate their own B/Ds. Those...

  • If I weren't already happily married . . .

    By Staff Writer

    One of the most telling questions on the annual "Rate Your Broker/Dealer" ballot is the one that inquires "If you were to affiliate with another...

  • Good News/Bad News

    By Staff Writer

    While no one likes to finish second in any contest, when it comes to the Broker/Dealers of the Year contest, it's not only those who...

  • Division I

    By Staff Writer

    Contemporary Financial Solutions Year founded: 2003 Producing reps: 96 Est. gross revenue (2006): $1.4 million Avg. annual gross production per rep (2005): $12,000 Ratio of reps to home office: 48 to...

  • Division II

    By Staff Writer

    The Investment Center, Inc. Year founded: 1986 Producing reps: 325 Est. gross revenue (2006): $33 million Avg. annual gross production per rep (2005): $195,000 Ratio of reps to home office: 9.3...

  • Division III

    By Staff Writer

    NEXT Financial Group, Inc. Year founded: 1999 Producing reps: 756 Est. gross revenue (2006): $76.5 million Avg. annual gross production per rep (2005): $90,000 Ratio of reps to home office: 10.8...

  • Division IV

    By Staff Writer

    Woodbury Financial Services Year founded: 2001 Producing reps: 1,822 Est. gross revenue (2006): $204.6 million Avg. annual gross production per rep (2005): NA Ratio of reps to home office: 8.9 to...

  • About the Manager

    By Staff Writer

    Next year will mark Charlie Johnson's 50th year with Franklin Resources and as manager of the Franklin Income Fund. In 1957 he joined the predecessor...

  • Where Will You Go From Here?

    By Staff Writer

    Here's a practical yet respectful way to honor those who died five years ago, while recalling and perhaps reviving the resolutions you made then. On Monday...

  • Coping With Tragedy

    By Staff Writer

    Investment Advisor's October 2001 issue was in full-blown production and nearing completion when the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 occurred. As did many others...

  • St. Denis Villere Co.

    By Staff Writer

    601 Poydras Street, Suite 1808 New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Phone: 504-525-0808 info@villere.com www.villere.com Year firm began: 1911 Number of advisors in firm: 4 Number of clients: 600 Compensation method: Fee-only AUM: $1.5 billion Fee for...

  • How Many Trials?

    By Staff Writer

    The number of trials you should run in Monte Carlo simulations is related to the number of variables and the number of occurrences per trial. Let's...

  • Doing Something About It

    By Staff Writer

    As with most education programs, the earlier you get the student, the more effective the teaching will be. That's why the National Council for Economic...

  • A Home Is Not an ATM

    By Staff Writer

    A recent Securities Industry Association (SIA) study on retirement identified a "wealth effect" that surfaced as homeowners amassed equity in their properties and perceived they...

  • Disclosure Diversion

    By Staff Writer

    over the years I've observed that disclosure was the direction in which financial services firms diverted the attention of well-meaning, largely clueless regulators who were...

  • How Much Is Enough?How Old Is Old Age?

    By Staff Writer

    Some time ago, I was invited to present our business transition capabilities to a well-known talent agency in Beverly Hills. The owner and founder of...

  • Hidden Assets

    By Staff Writer

    John Levitt, Esq., a licensed estate attorney and financial consultant with Professional Planning Services, LLC of AXA Advisors in Long Island, maintains that artwork must...

  • IPS Essentials

    By Staff Writer

    Every Investment Policy Statement (IPS) should accomplish the following: o Evaluate the specific needs of the plan and its participants o Describe the investment objectives and goals...

  • Behind the Numbers, with Richard Bernstein

    By Staff Writer

    During a recent television appearance on Consuelo Mack Wealth Track, Merrill Lynch's chief investment strategiest had some comments both about the equity market and the...

Web Extras

  • What Do Reps at Independent B/Ds Want?

    By Staff Writer

    As part of the annual balloting process that culminated in the announcement of the 16th annual Broker/Dealers of the Year, Investment Advisor asked voting representatives...

  • INCOME & growth

    By Staff Writer

    When a client's primary goal is income from their portfolio, there are a number of options to choose from: dividends are popular because of the...

  • In The Running

    By Staff Writer

    When we look for a mutual fund to profile for the Mutual Fund Spotlight feature in Investment Advisor, we often see other funds in the...

  • Raising the Bar

    By Staff Writer

    Independent broker/dealers are always looking to find the perfect middle ground for their representatives when it comes to technology: making the offerings fit their, and...

  • Podcast: Broker/Dealers of the Year

    By Staff Writer

    The September issue of Investment Advisor contains coverage of our 2006 Broker/Dealer of the Year winners. In preparing that cover story, Editor-in-Chief Jamie Green and...

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