Wealth Manager Web November 2006

Cover Story

• Survival Instinct

  By James Picerno

  What happens to a high-flying Wall Street career when personal tragedy strikes? The question became all too real for Andy Kaiser on January 25, 2003, the...

• Drawing Swords

  By Lynn O'Shaughnessy

  During a lull at an insurance conference last year, the topic of equity indexed annuities crept into the conversation. The talk centered on who had...

• From the Bargain Bins

  By Stan Luxenburg

  Small value funds began surging in 2000. For the next six straight years, the group outpaced the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index. The strong showing...

• A New Look

  By Neil A. O'Hara

  Fixed income used to be so predictable. For two years, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) ratcheted up short-term interest rates 0.25 percent at...

• Prediction Friction

  By James Picerno

  What's past is prologue, Shakespeare wrote, although the Bard never had to test his theory with an investment forecast. If he had, he would have...

• VC the Hard Way

  By James Picerno

  "I spend 90 percent of my time on 5 percent of my clients' portfolios," says Dale Stevens, president of Grasswood Partners Inc., a Malibu, Calif....

• Mix and Match

  By Stephen Phillip Brown

  In the world of finance, Wall Street is generally the doyen--the leader in financial engineering, product development and implementation. But on rare occasions, Wall Street...

• Holiday Money

  By Janice Fioravante

  Hopping can be hard, time-consuming work, which is why, as December approaches, more consumers may be relying on gift cards. In fact, 75.5 percent of...

• Joint vs. Separate

  By Julian Block

  Our filing status on a Form 1040 is a category that identifies you based on your marital and family situation. More than one filing status...

• Mac or PC?

  By Mary Kathleen Flynn

  In Apple's current TV ads, a hapless but affable businessman plays the role of a PC. His nemesis is a Mac, played by a scruffy...

• Nurturing 529s

  By Janet Aschkenasy

  Now that it's clear that 529 plans will keep their tax-advantaged status, long-term planning with these versatile vehicles is more important than ever. Tom McCarthy,...

• Funding Dreams

  By Marian Miller Chang

  According to Wikipedia, angel capital is what entrepreneurs depend on before they can come to the attention of traditional venture capital firms, and after they...

• Bad Signs

  By Norman M. Boone

  When I enter a new place, I like signs that are easily viewed and easily understood. Unfortunately, most of the time when I'm looking for...

• Doctors in the House

  By Grace W. Weinstein

  Physicians can be rewarding clients, if you can get past the special challenges inherent in dealing with these goal-oriented, time-conscious professionals. Smart and highly educated,...

• The Heart Piece

  By George D. Kinder

  "It's the heart piece that's been missing," remarked the young planner who has blazed a dazzling career path. Smart and experienced, he has built a...

• Perfect Pitch

  By Nancy R. Mandell

  Emery Sheer may never have fulfilled the dream of the operatic career he pursued as a student. But that hasn't kept the Florida CPA and...

• Network to Net-Worth

  By Patricia J. Abram

  No wealth manager is an island. Successful wealth managers are both internally supported by competent, dedicated, and well-trained staff, and externally supported by a network...

• The Sky Is Falling?

  By Timothy A. Schlindwein

  I don't know a financial advisor who hasn't received the occasional, "Is the sky falling?'' call from clients. Even when the markets are reasonably well-behaved,...