March 01, 2010 Sure, equities have had a nice run. But it may not be time to trim, yet....
February 25, 2010 Are Senators strong enough—and do they have enough integrity—to stand up on behalf of retail investors and insist on extending the fiduciary standard to cover those who provide advice to retail investors?...
February 23, 2010 Want to know what makes insurance policyholders feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth? It’s something so obvious you just might miss it. ...
February 16, 2010 Before they sit down with their risk advisor to renew their personal insurance for 2010, here are a few questions worth asking your wealthy clients. ...
February 12, 2010 Would Wall Street firms and executives dedicate 1% of their bonus pool, annually, to rekindle a national saving ethic and restore investor confidence? ...
February 09, 2010 Investors will flock to U.S. large-cap companies, especially those with sound dividends, while small company stocks will remain relatively unloved....
February 03, 2010 As a warm reminder of simpler times, the appeal of a roaring indoor fire is without equal. A fireplace has its price, though. And it can run much higher than the cost of a cord of wood for those owners who don’t exercise proper care....
January 29, 2010 Did the requirement to repay TARP funds in order to pay bonuses for 2009 prompt some banks to repay the bailout funds too early? ...
January 20, 2010 As Wall Street banks announce their 2009 bonus plans, estimated by WSJ to be $145 billion, what better time is there to discuss whether Wall Street firms can win back the trust of investors?...
January 19, 2010 Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein testified that at Goldman Sachs, “…we do support the extension of a fiduciary standard to broker/dealer registered representatives who provide advice to retail investors." ...
January 15, 2010 It has been an extraordinary week, by any standard, if you were paying attention to what was happening in Washington regarding the financial crisis. ...
December 29, 2009 As we emerge from a challenging economic crisis, there is reason to hope that changes and opportunities we will see in this new year—some as a direct result of the economic crisis—will be positive....
December 29, 2009 A snapshot of consumer attitudes right now is not a pretty picture and suggests there is a long road to travel before investor confidence returns. ...
December 21, 2009 A luxury car parked in a mall lot is temptation enough for opportunistic crooks. Yet many overloaded shoppers in the midst of an all-day outing will make matters worse by using their car’s backseat to store purchases....
December 14, 2009 Passage of the financial reform legislation in the House is historic and important. It may also be, unfortunately, short-lived in the current, toxic partisan environment. ...
December 10, 2009 A set-it-and-forget-it attitude among LLC members is understandable. But passive as the LLC may be in its operation, compared to alternatives, it’s hardly without governance requirements. ...
December 09, 2009 The stock market’s impressive gains have been criticized by many as the result of easy money and speculation. But as index levels continue to rise, increasing numbers of investors have joined the buying frenzy...
December 08, 2009 Many parents may not have realized that should the unthinkable befall their adult children, they may not be able to freely consult doctors on their condition and care options. ...
December 07, 2009 “I believe that all securities professionals should be subject to the same fiduciary duty," says SEC Chair Mary L. Schapiro....
November 24, 2009 Drucker would advise Wall Street to ask what retail brokers think. About being a fiduciary, brokers might “surprise” execs. Many would say “Bring it on!”...
November 24, 2009 Like most pragmatic folks, I’m used to the divergence between perception and reality. But when the numbers and the intent fail to confirm one another, the skeptic in me tends to surface....
November 19, 2009 Three themes help explain why that’s happening...
November 16, 2009 Now that we have heard from both the House and Senate committees on finance and banking about investor protection, let’s not misinterpret what they are saying. ...
November 06, 2009 Many younger people (and a few older ones) have been culturally conditioned to not only say something, but to include regrettable photos and videos, too, if that’s what it takes to get some attention. ...
November 05, 2009 Even though stocks have dropped a bit lately, there are reasons to be a little more optimistic....
November 03, 2009 You can never be too rich or too thin: Can we disclose ourselves out of obesity? Can disclosures replace fiduciary duty?...
October 19, 2009 Signs of deflation seem to be all around us. The Social Security Administration just announced that beneficiaries won’t be getting a cost of living increase for the first time since COLAs were introduced in 1975. ...
October 16, 2009 The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a year-to-date high and jumped above 10,000 on Oct. 14, and the next day hit another high of 10,062.94. Unless you are short, this is good news for you and for your clients. ...
October 16, 2009 As the rhetoric heats up over regulatory reform one is reminded how much political life has not changed all that much since Abraham Lincoln was quoted noting the following: “How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four..." ...
October 14, 2009 On October 6th, Australia became the first in the G-20 nations to raise interest rates. The surprise move signals that in some parts of the globe, the period of monetary loosening which began during last year’s market debacle is beginning to reverse....
October 08, 2009 Both investment advisors and broker/dealer registered representatives routinely give financial and investment advice to clients. What is still different is the rules that protect those investors....
October 08, 2009 Among the factors for determining future allocation decisions is the most likely direction for inflation. We have noticed a number of investment firms launching new funds to profit from the inevitable return of high prices. ...
September 30, 2009 A little inflation is a good thing, because it shows that there is decent demand for products, and an economy that’s nicely “humming along.” Runaway inflation is not a good thing, however. ...
September 28, 2009 SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro's September 24th speech, before the Financial Services Roundtable, included her most recent public remarks on the fiduciary standard. The Chairman's remarks are important. ...
September 25, 2009 Typically, stocks and bonds go in opposite directions, a tendency that has exhibited itself throughout most of 2009. But in the last four weeks, long-dated Treasuries have risen right alongside equities, as the pair has each notched a 6% gain....
September 22, 2009 Financial reform is around the corner. How will it affect you and your clients? The Capital is abuzz with discussions regarding re-regulation of financial services, something that the Administration wants to see passed by year-end....
September 22, 2009 There’s some obvious trepidation out there among buyers, who would rather save than spend. But instead of money-market accounts (and their zero yields), it seems that most folks prefer to stash their savings in the stock and bond markets. ...
September 16, 2009 In September 2013 when we look back on Lehman Bothers’ demise, will we also see a “reformed” financial system and regulatory structure? One that may be hard to recognize compared to today’s structure? If “yes,” look to Judge Jed S. Rakoff’s opinion. ...
September 08, 2009 Once an advisor has that trusted relationship with a client, can the advisor “go back” to a non-fiduciary relationship?...
September 08, 2009 Welcome to the inaugural issue of Wealth Manager Insight, our new weekly eNewsletter, bringing you the thought-provoking articles you are familiar with from Wealth Manager magazine and the additional need-to-know information that matters. ...
August 31, 2009 When Chuck Schwab talks do people listen? They ought to—even when he is off base, as he was in an August 19 opinion piece, “Brokers Aren't Responsible for Bad Bets,” in The Wall Street Journal....
August 26, 2009 President Obama nominated Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for another four-year term ...Judge Jed Rakoff wants answers about Bank of America-Merrill bonuses...the Lewis Liman defense....
August 26, 2009 President Obama nominated Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for another four-year term on August 25, “because of his background, his temperament, his courage, and his creativity,” in fighting the financial crisis that is now entering its third year. ...
August 14, 2009 Why did the SEC accept a $33 million settlement in light of its allegations that Bank of America failed to disclose that bonus payments were authorized for up to $5.8 billion? Judge Jed Rakoff wants to know. ...
August 14, 2009 Obama proposes reforms for OTC derivatives...Judge Jed Rakoff wants answers about Bank of America-Merrill bonuses...the Lewis Liman defense....
August 11, 2009 Recent discussion in some quarters has focused on the “similarities” between the fiduciary and “arm’s length” standards. The clear implication appears to be: What’s all the fuss about whether investors retain fiduciary advisors or not? ...
August 10, 2009 Depression Averted...says Paul Krugman...Should the Sec be self-funded? They make much more for the Treasury than they receive from Congress......
August 03, 2009 No matter what the economy does, donors are going to continue to shovel hundreds of billions of dollars into the social sector and wealth managers need to position themselves to help their clients give well. ...
July 31, 2009 No matter what the economy does, donors are going to continue to shovel hundreds of billions of dollars into the social sector and wealth managers need to position themselves to help their clients give well. ...
July 24, 2009 David Adler says, “not so fast,” at least when it comes to money... Global Hedge Fund assets will rise, but not very quickly, according to Cerulli Associates. ...
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