With the estate tax exclusion being set at $5.25 million per person, it's easy for affluent clients whose estates don't quite hit that level to write off creating estate plans or building trusts. But even those in-between clients benefit from establishing trusts in select scenarios.
LPL's chief executive discusses where the firm stands in key areas such as launching a bank, its technology and regulation. <b>Also: <a href="http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20130819/FREE/130819915">Read more about LPL's tech advances.</a></b>
LPL Financial sets major upgrades to its technology platform, ranging from mobile access to website branding, and portfolio re-balancing and trading. Good news for advisers: the firm cut prices.
Advisers take unique routes to find a meaningful name to carry through the ages.
A complete, real-time picture of a client's assets is critical for advisers to successfully retain clients, increase assets under management and attract new clients.
This all-too-human tendency to exalt our decisions and abase the road not taken can have disastrous consequences for investors.
Most clients have no idea how much their investments and their financial advisers are costing them. As a result, they may unknowingly be putting their retirement at risk.
Experienced financial advisers have <a href="http://www.investmentnews.com/gallery/20131119/FREE/111909999/PH">seen their paychecks fatten</a> over the past two years, thanks to increases in firm profitability, strong market performance and a talent shortage. But less experienced advisers aren't riding the money train.
If you have been in the industry long enough, certainly you have heard horror stories about advisers who have changed firms or broken away only to lose clients along the way.
What should you be looking for in a potential merger candidate? First, you need to have similar investment styles and fee structures. Beyond that, chemistry and cultural fit are key.
Following a road map can give momentum to your outreach efforts this year.
The CFP Board is concerned about student follow-through after a survey finds that many students who complete financial planning coursework don't actually sit for the CFP exam. What's causing this trend?
Many see big conflicts of interest if designation grantor also runs CE program.
The types of applications most commonly used by advisers
Free web-based version of popular program due out this summer
Deep South hit hard for 2nd time; Eastern Seaboard shrugs it off
