Industry News

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NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING SEP 24, 2007
TD secrecy on tech breach irks advisers

Financial advisers are questioning the decision of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. to keep them in the dark after hackers gained access to their clients’ Social Security numbers, account numbers, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 24, 2007
Broker-dealers on the clock to meet new VA requirements

Broker-dealers will need to beef up compliance and oversight of variable annuity sales by their representatives at the start of next year.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES SEP 24, 2007
Insurers push to nationalize agent registration

The insurance industry wants Congress to do something about the Byzantine system of state-by-state agent licensing and oversight.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 24, 2007
Indie brokers move toward allowing advisers to be fiduciaries

Despite initial resistance, a few independent-broker-dealer firms have begun to allow their financial advisers to serve as fiduciaries, following pressure from the advisers themselves.

NEWS PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SEP 20, 2007
Cambridge's founder passes baton

Chief executive Eric Schwartz is handing the title of president to chief operations officer Amy Webber.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 20, 2007
SEC helps move from fee-based accounts

The SEC has voted to give some non-discretionary advisory accounts limited relief from principal trading restrictions.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 20, 2007
NAPFA and Hueler offer retirement products

NAPFA has teamed up with the Hueler to launch a platform that allows fee-only planners to purchase institutionally priced annuities for their clients.

NEWS RIAS SEP 19, 2007
Evergreen to pay $32.5 million

The registered investment adviser will pay $32.5 million to settle market-timing charges with the SEC.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 18, 2007
Fidelity's 529 plans thrive

Assets for 529 college savings plans managed by Fidelity Investments grew nearly 60% for the past year to $13.5 billion.

NEWS RIAS SEP 18, 2007
Fidelity renames RIA group

Fidelity Registered Investment Advisor Group today became Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES SEP 17, 2007
Storms steps down as Marsh's CEO

Marsh & McLennan Cos. stock slipped after Brian M. Storms stepped down as CEO of Marsh Inc. on Friday.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES SEP 17, 2007
Insurance regulators join fight against bilking of the elderly

Insurance regulators are joining the attack on investment fraud that targets older Americans.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Advisers are rolling in dough, study concludes

Compensation for financial advisers continues to skyrocket, and the profession will become even more lucrative, according to a study released last week.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Munis at ‘once in a decade’ bargain levels

The municipal bond market is recovering after a period of extreme turmoil last month during which buyers disappeared and trading froze up. Despite a strong rally since then, observers say, some longer-term municipal bonds still offer yields almost equal to taxable paper — an extremely rare event — and remain attractive buys.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Credit crisis means unclogging of PIPEs

With the cost of credit rising, companies struggling to raise cash in either the debt or equity markets have been increasingly looking for alternative financing through private investments in public equity, also known as PIPEs, turbocharging an already booming market.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
A.G. Edwards suing over broker defections

The escalating battle between A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. and Stifel Financial Corp. is now in the courts.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Investors advised to monitor Fed discount-rate decisions

Investors and financial advisers should take the Federal Reserve Board’s monetary policy into account when making portfolio allocation decisions, according to a new academic study.

NEWS BROKER DEALERS SEP 17, 2007
Heavy-hitting brokers found to be scarce

Given the voracious appetite of broker-dealers, there simply aren’t enough big-producing brokers available for recruitment, according to a new industry report.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Donor-advised funds are seen becoming more popular

With the help of financial advisers, baby boomers are putting more money into donor-advised funds.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS SEP 17, 2007
Distributors guide advisers through VA maze

Variable annuities, once the misunderstood child of the financial planning industry, are finding a new place in advisers’ hearts now that distributors are guiding them through the products’ complexities.