Opinion

Displaying 2109 results
NEWS OPINION JUL 01, 2009
Frozen 401(k) matches are discouraging employees from contributing

NEWS OPINION JUN 07, 2009
How deep is the investment canyon?

On a recent trip to Singapore, my wife and I took a cable car ride between two islands.

NEWS OPINION JUN 07, 2009
SEC's Aguilar urges fiduciary standard

In my last Fiduciary Corner column, I wrote about the significant benefits that would result if, as a result of regulatory reform, all who provide financial advice — including broker-dealer representatives — are held to the fiduciary standard of care established under current laws.

NEWS OPINION JUN 04, 2009
It's prudent not to count on Medicare and Social Security benefits in retirement planning

Two of the primary pillars of retirement security are not just on the ropes, but actually on life support.

NEWS OPINION MAY 21, 2009
Diversity is still king for portfolio protection

Safety and security for retired investors have been overrated, and we need to think differently about these concepts and about diversification.

NEWS OPINION MAY 18, 2009
Summer client events that generate referrals

Summertime is coming up quickly and you know you want to hold client events, however you don't have the staff or budget available in the past. How can you create events that will impress clients and gain referrals?

NEWS OPINION MAY 10, 2009
How a 'universal' fiduciary standard would change how financial advisers do business

Some time ago, a reporter asked me a simple yet profound question: “If everyone providing investment advice were held to a fiduciary standard of care, how would things be different than they are today?”

NEWS OPINION MAY 04, 2009
Keeping clients on track for retirement

NEWS OPINION APR 20, 2009
Use technology to streamline client communications

To communicate with both ends of the client spectrum, top advisers employ technology to make processes predictable, sustainable and repeatable

NEWS OPINION APR 17, 2009
Now may be the time to buy that vacation home

NEWS OPINION APR 12, 2009
For fiduciaries, loyalty is everything

Woodrow Wilson may have been right when he said, "Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice."

NEWS OPINION APR 06, 2009
Memo to SEC, DOL: Regulate target date funds — now

NEWS OPINION APR 05, 2009
Crisis challenges long-held investing truths

Two important lessons of the current bear market are that stocks don't always outperform bonds over significant time periods and that investors can't assume a 10% annual return over the long run.

NEWS OPINION APR 05, 2009
Some good news for Madoff victims

The release of Internal Revenue Service Ruling 2009-9 and Revenue Procedure 2009-20 be-fore the April 15 filing deadline has granted timely guidance to victims of Bernard Madoff.

NEWS OPINION MAR 29, 2009
Outrage, yes; tax law, no

The Obama administration and Congress should immediately halt any effort to assess a punitive tax on bonuses paid this year by companies that received bailout funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

NEWS OPINION MAR 22, 2009
SEC should modify plan to contact clients

The Securities and Exchange Commission's move to expand its examinations of advisory firms to include going directly to clients for verification of their assets managed by advisers raises legitimate concerns.

NEWS OPINION MAR 20, 2009
Markets offer younger investors a great opportunity

NEWS OPINION MAR 15, 2009
Time to embrace fiduciary standard

A consensus is forming that financial regulatory reform should include provisions to require anyone providing advice to adhere to a fiduciary standard of care.

NEWS OPINION MAR 15, 2009
Custodial services for alternatives require hands-on approach

Fed up with the recent volatility in publicly traded stocks and mutual funds, some sophisticated investors are looking to alternative investments for portfolio diversity and enhanced returns.

NEWS OPINION MAR 15, 2009
Advisers will triumph over disappointment

It isn't surprising that, as reported in InvestmentNews last week, many financial planners and advisers are feeling stressed and depressed.