Bob Clark, AdvisorOne

About the Author

Bob Clark, AdvisorOne

Bob Clark is a former editor of Investment Advisor and Financial Planning magazines, and the long-time editor-at-large for Investment Advisor. 

He is also the author of the Clark at Large column in Investment Advisor and his blog by the same name at AdvisorOne.com.

• The SEC Sure Isn’t Describing the Mark Spangler I Know

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  May 22, 2012

  A cautionary tale or a rush to judgment? Why I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to the former NAPFA chairman.

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  Kindred Spirits

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  May 22, 2012

  In the nearly 30 years that I have been covering financial advisors, the fundamental problem hasn’t changed: Delivering client-centered advice isn’t as profitable as selling products.

• Consider Scott Simon’s Modest Proposal to ‘Solve’ the Fiduciary Issue

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  May 16, 2012

  Why shouldn’t an ERISA standard, the Morningstar Advisor columnist asks, be imposed on both RIAs and brokers?

• The Pregnancy Test: Can a Broker Be a Little Bit Fiduciary?

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  May 9, 2012

  For keeping the faith and shouting from the virtual rooftops, a shout-out to the keepers of the fiduciary flame.

• Fiduciary Standard: Assessing SIFMA’s Peculiar Definition

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  May 4, 2012

  With SRO for advisors back in play, comparing line-by-line SIFMA’s proposed fiduciary precepts with the 40 Act rules for RIAs.

• Can Brokers Really Avoid a Fiduciary Duty Without Hurting Their Business?

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  April 25, 2012

  Following up on comments made by a reader on previous blogs, why would a fiduciary standard for brokers actually force broker-dealers to take a hit?

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  Paychecks and Balances

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  April 24, 2012

  You know a trend is well on the way to becoming business as usual when “independent” broker-dealers start jumping on the bandwagon.

• Motion: That Serving a Client’s Best Interests Needn’t Be Complicated

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  April 17, 2012

  We can have a minimum set of standards that tell us what the 'best interest of the client' means.

• Show Me the Data: A Dose of Reality in Fiduciary Debate

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  April 11, 2012

  Why is the broker-dealer industry so concerned about the client costs of a fiduciary standard? They aren’t. That argument was simply a red herring.

• What Morningstar’s FeeCheck Tells Us About AUM Fees

  By Bob Clark, AdvisorOne  |  April 3, 2012

  A new widget on Advisor Workstation allows you to compare the fees and commissions you charge with some of your peers. Is it worth your while?