Investment News articles from May 2008

Investment News archives from May 2008

ADVISERS, FUND MANAGERS DISAGREE WHETHER 12(b)-1 FEES NEED FIXING; But they aren't holding their breath on sweeping regulatory changes.(Round Table: Mutual Funds)
May 5, 2008... Byline: David Hoffman The mutual fund industry is facing waves of baby boomers who will retire and a volatile market that has scared many investors, but nothing has the potential to affect the industry more than a Securities and Exchange...

IN events.(Short Interests)
May 5, 2008... May 12, 14 and 16 Workshop: What You Need to Know About Going Independent These free one-day workshops aim to help advisers determine if becoming an independent registered investment adviser is the right move. For more information or...

The week ahead.(Short Interests)(Calendar)
May 5, 2008... May 5 The National Association of Active Investment Managers' three-day "Uncommon Knowledge'' annual conference gets under way in Irvine, Calif. Speakers include Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at Standard & Poor's in New York....

IRA ROLLOVER MARKET A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVISERS; Segment is expected to grow at least 13% over the next five years.(Round Table: Mutual Funds)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Sue Asci The estimated $2.75 trillion IRA rollover market is poised for significant growth in assets and is expected to take on more prominence in advisers' practices. The individual retirement account market as a whole is expected...

Most taxpayers don't plan to spend their refund, study finds; Shift to saving, debt reduction is indicated in consumer responses.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Sara Hansard The government may not like it, but most people who expect tax refunds plan to save the money. A study released last month by TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. of Omaha, Neb., found that 85% of survey respondents who...

Some question Schwab reparation for losses of YieldPlus investors; Custody giant is ignoring clients of RIAs, critics contend.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Brooke Southall The Charles Schwab Corp. is choosing the least sophisticated investors among those who lost money in its YieldPlus fund for settlement offers, according to industry sources. One effect of this approach by the...

Hispanic middle class, young and entrepreneurs are often overlooked; Many lack enough assets to attract advisers.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado Financial advisers have found ways to adapt the tactics of major insurance carriers, which have the cash and personnel to implement outreach initiatives, on a smaller scale for their firms. The potential for...

'I trusted Chuck,' investor says of his Schwab YieldPlus losses.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Brooke Southall Jim Phillips, a retiree of Sears Holding Corp. in Hoffman Estates, Ill., said he turned down two offers from The Charles Schwab Corp. because they covered less than a third of his losses that he realized by owning...

For advisers, tapping Hispanic market not as easy as uno, dos, tres; Understanding cultural distinctions is key, say experts.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado To Jan Dahlin Geiger, the new financial planning sweet spot is San Antonio. In fact, the Atlanta-based financial adviser is in the midst of moving to the central Texas city, where she intends to build a practice...

Target date funds criticized over risk; Equity allocations rise, but exposure varies widely among funds.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler Target date mutual funds, long criticized for being too conservative to meet their goals, are now being taken to task for taking on too much risk. At the end of December, the average target date fund had 68% of its...

Why pick on exchange traded notes? None of the proposed 'fixes' would solve the tax issues surrounding ETNs.(The Tax-Conscious Adviser)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Robert N. Gordon The time is drawing near for comments requested by the Department of the Treasury regarding changing the taxation of exchange traded notes and other prepaid forward contracts. ETNs have many attractive...

Citi and UBS wealth units tough it out; Despite parents' woes, executives running wealth businesses remain confident.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Charles Paikert Wealth management executives at Citigroup and UBS, two of the financial institutions hardest hit by the subprime loan crisis, are working overtime on damage control to protect their lucrative franchises. ...

Subprime debacle incites change among advisers, clients; More resumes are being passed around, industry recruiters say.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Charles Paikert The headline-grabbing subprime losses at some major financial institutions have set off a game of musical chairs among advisers and their ultra-high-net-worth clients. "We're seeing a lot more resumes from...

Conference focuses on blacks in finance; MetLife, American College team up to host third annual event.(News)(Conference news)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Andrew Coen MetLife Inc. and The American College this week will host the third annual conference aimed at enhancing the success of blacks in the financial services sector. The Conference for African-American Financial Services...

Paul Schott Stevens; The ICI's president and CEO talks about keeping the mutual fund industry competitive on a global stage.(Newsmakers)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Sue Asci ith some 90 million investors and more than 44% of American households owning mutual funds, the fund industry has continued to grow significantly in spite of weathering more than a few storms in the last decade. As...

Fidelity takes aim at dual registrants; Firm to unveil 'hybrid' trading platform in June.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Sue Asci In a move clearly aimed at luring breakaway brokers, Fidelity Investments is about to take the wraps off a program intended for brokers who are dually registered as investment advisers. The Boston-based company...

Genworth awards have artist's touch.(Short Interests)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler These awards just might be keepers. Genworth Financial Investment Services Inc. has commissioned an artist to create original awards for each of the 129 representatives who will receive performance citations...

Rich give economy a thumbs down; They also are less inclined to seek financial advice, survey finds.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Andrew Coen Wealthy Americans are down on both the economy and financial advisers. A record 50% of high-net-worth investors surveyed by The Phoenix Cos. Inc. were pessimistic about economic conditions, and 32% said the worst...

Indie brokers wary about CFP Board's ethics code; Executives worry that reps, advisers will face more paperwork.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Bruce Kelly Independent-contractor broker-dealers are gnashing their teeth over the possible consequences of an updated professional code of ethics for certified financial planners, coming this summer. Brokerage executives...

Changes may be afoot for Putnam executives; Hiring of search firm suggests that an outsider will be the next CEO.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Douglas Appell Power Financial Corp. executives insist that the turnaround of Putnam Investments, the long-suffering money manager they bought last year for $3.9 billion, remains "on track,'' but there are signs that they could be...

Finra to close disclosure loophole; But its threshold for reporting settlements would rise to $15,000.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Dan Jamieson The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. aims to close a major loophole in its disciplinary reporting process. Late last month, New York- and Washington-based Finra asked for comment on long-awaited changes...

SEC staff members push for splitting 12(b)-1 fees; Separating funds' sales and servicing charges will increase transparency, they say.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: David Hoffman Separating funds' sales and servicing charges will increase transparency, they say Staff members at the SEC will recommend that 12(b)-1 fees be broken into at least two parts. "We would seek to regulate the...

Rental market stays afloat amid housing turmoil; Those who can't buy, rent - and investors are taking notice.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Janet Morrissey One person's nightmare is someone else's dream. As the credit crunch deepens, mortgage defaults climb and the housing market turmoil shows no signs of letting up, rental apartment building owners are smiling....

Estate planning is going to the dogs.(Short Interests)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Andrew Coen Few pet owners plan for the day they die, leaving their beloved dogs or cats to fend for themselves. "Estate planning for dogs and other companions has been largely ignored by many estate attorneys,'' said Frances...

Proposed rule changes could drive up appraisal costs; Reform aims to rein in lenders, mortgage brokers.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Janet Morrissey Proposed changes to home appraisal rules could drive up costs for prospective homebuyers. "A few of the policy changes go overboard, and these should be modified to better protect homeowners,'' said Gibran...

TEXAS TECH DEGREE OPENS DOORS; School's planning program graduates are seen as well-rounded people with a good work ethic.(Special Report: Next Generation of Advisers)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Aaron Siegel The trick to finding qualified candidates for the financial planning business is to know where to look for them. For Pennington Bass & Associates in Lubbock, Texas, a 35-year-old advisory firm, that has meant...

Firms rush to go 'paperless,' saving money, time, trees; But advisers are unsure when they'll see the benefits.(Tech Update)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Davis D. Janowski Most everyone in the financial industry wants to move from paper to electronic documents, but firms that have rolled out systems to do so - and the broker-dealers providing technical assistance - agree that it...

Equal-weighted ETFs mark five-year anniversary; Debate over funds' strategy rages on.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: David Hoffman Introduced five years ago, the Rydex S&P Equal Weight Exchange Traded Fund opened the gates to investments pegged to indexes that use some measure other than market capitalization to determine company weightings. ...

Brokerage firms struggle to finance auction-rate loans; Regulators provide some capital relief, but bank lenders balk.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Dan Jamieson Brokerage firms are struggling to finance loans to investors in auction-rate securities who can't get out of their now-illiquid holdings. Even though all the major brokerage firms are offering loans to these...

Closing quote.(Short Interests)
May 5, 2008... "My sense is that Buddy has made a personal commitment that come hell or high water, [a proposal] will come to fruition.'' -Jeff Keil, president of Keil Fiduciary Strategies LLC of Littleton, Colo., on Andrew J. "Buddy'' Donohue's efforts as...

At the bell.
May 5, 2008... Morningstar developing target-date indexes Morningstar Inc. of Chicago has been quietly developing an extensive family of target-date indexes that aims to make life easier for corporate plan sponsors, who increasingly rely on the funds to...

Prime numbers.
May 5, 2008... Go figure 15: The number of U.S. stores The Home Depot Inc. intends to close. The 2,258-store retailer plans to take a $586 million pretax charge this fiscal year in connection with slower expansion plans. Source: The Home Depot Inc....

Let the HSA experiment run its course; Editorial.(Viewpoint)(Editorial)
May 5, 2008... The House of Representatives is trying to cripple the experiment with health savings accounts by burdening it with extra layers of bureaucracy. It has passed a bill requiring that every HSA transaction be reviewed and verified as a legitimate...

Fund seeks to thrive amid rockiness; Long-short mutual fund avoids use of puts to trade downside protection for higher returns.(Street Wise)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Jeff Benjamin Like a lot of newcomers, the Aston/MB Enhanced Equity Income Fund (AMBEX) owes a certain amount of credit to those that already blazed the trail. In the case of this four-month-old, $15 million fund, a nod has to...

TWO GRADUATES, TWO PATHS; Dallas McKee and Joshua Mungavin stand at the precipice of life as planners.(Special Report: Next Generation of Advisers)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Aaron Siegel ntering their final month of college, Dallas McKee and Joshua Mungavin, financial plan- ning students at Texas Tech University, have traveled on different paths toward their graduation. When the 25-year-old Texas...

LPL offers new custody service; Firm says that it is 'unbiased about the business model' selected.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Brooke Southall LPL Financial Corp. is dropping restrictive rules and fees on the custody of assets in an effort to appease its restless big brokers and to win the assets of prospective ones. The Boston-based broker-dealer...

Her work is never done.(Short Interests)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado The best gift for the working mom on Mother's Day could be disability insurance. Only a minority of working mothers are protecting the income they earn with disability insurance, according to a survey of 241...

Advisers remain guarded on catastrophe bonds; Finra issues investor alert amid forecasts of more hurricanes.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado As hurricane season approaches, financial advisers continue to look warily upon catastrophe bonds. Known as cat bonds, the securities are issued by special-purpose entities set up by insurers. The bonds offer...

Implement software carefully; Create a repeatable process and train assistants on the system.(Practice Management)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Robert Patrick A hypothetical adviser I'll call Jim French was excited to implement new financial planning software his firm had introduced. He had been using a basset allocation program and some glorified Microsoft Excel...

Financial advisers act to snag 401(k)s; Poor markets are forcing plan sponsors to consider their options.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler The volatile stock market has created a period of frenzy for financial advisers in the 401(k) area, who have seen a substantial increase in the number of new prospects. They see a chance to attract new clients...

Backing up is dull to do for advisers; Many ignore the chance of a hard-drive meltdown.(Tech Tips)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Davis D. Janowski Backing up computer files is a vital but tedious way to protect a financial practice. Nevertheless, many financial advisers don't do it, perhaps because they think a hard-drive meltdown almost never happens or...

TEXAS TECH'S FACULTY AIMS HIGH; Division of Personal Financial Planning strives to offer students mix of real-world planning, academia.(Special Report: Next Generation of Advisers)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Aaron Siegel Professors who skillfully combine the theoretical and the practical are the key to growth at Texas Tech University. "The way we are adding permanent faculty, the program will have a much greater likelihood of being...

Americans shut their purses as the economy slows; Study reveals they are spending less and saving more.(News)
May 5, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler As the U.S. economy slows, more Americans are cutting back on spending and trying to save, according to a recent nationwide survey conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. for the AICPA. The survey found that 25% of...

Correction and Clarification.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
May 5, 2008... An article in the April 28 issue, "Advisers are taking defensive tack,'' misidentified three bear market offerings launched by Foliofn Inc. of Vienna, Va. The story should have said that the three stock baskets are designed to increase in value...

Round-table transcript.(Round Table: Mutual Funds)(Company overview)
May 5, 2008... The following is an edited transcript of the round-table discussion: InvestmentNews: How should mutual fund companies address clients' concerns about the market's volatility? Mr. Jones: We approach it by keeping our financial advisers...

Benefit extension would help today and tomorrow; Just thinking.(Viewpoint)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Pavia Do members of Congress read daily newspapers and watch the evening news? If they did, they would know that the American economy has been shedding jobs for four straight months. April saw 20,000 job losses, on top of the...

A duty to monitor proxy voting; Investment managers are obligated to vote in the best interests of shareholders.(Fiduciary Corner)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Blaine F. Aikin Upon the conclusion of a talk about achieving fiduciary excellence that I delivered April 28 at the Mountain States Public Employee Retirement Systems Forum in Denver, and sponsored by the Investment Management...

The week ahead.(Short Interests)(Calendar)
May 12, 2008... May 12 Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank president Sandra Pianalto will be on a Global Interdependence Center panel in Paris at 4:15 a.m. ET. The Department of the Treasury will release April budget data for the government at 2 p.m. ET....

Bill to alleviate student loan crisis awaits Bush's signature; About 50 lenders have pulled out of the business since last year.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Charles Paikert The College Savings Foundation's summit meeting of experts on college savings, loans and financial aid in Washington next week could not have been better-timed. Following a national uproar over lenders' pulling...

Proposed privacy rules rile small brokerage firms; Reg S-P changes are costly, burdensome and may provide little benefit, charge executives.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Kelly Small and independent-contractor brokerage firms are convinced that the SEC's proposed changes to privacy rules related to client information will crush them with new costs and burdensome procedures. The Securities...

Berthel Fisher's president, Jeff Auld, exits the firm; Second time in two years he has left a B-D.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Kelly Jeff Auld, the president of Berthel Fisher and Company Financial Services Inc., has left the company for personal reasons. This is the second time that he has left his position as the head of an...

Self-made confident they can weather recession.(Short Interests)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Sara Hansard Most affluent Americans earn their wealth and are more likely to feel secure during challenging economic times, compared with wealthy people who inherit their money, according to a survey by PNC Wealth Management, a...

SMAs continue to win over advisers despite drop in growth; Independent advisory market seen as key to long-term survival.(Separate Accounts)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jeff Benjamin In the midst of a pause in a decade-long growth spurt, the separately managed accounts industry continues to win over independent financial advisers, many of whom are generally wary of the products' complexity. ...

New fund offers technology twist to alternative energy investment; Firsthand Capital Management is investing in green technology.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Aaron Siegel Amid concerns about rising energy costs, Firsthand Capital Management Inc. is widening its focus on technology to include alternative energy. In October, the San Jose, Calif.-based company unveiled the Firsthand...

High oil prices fuel Brazil's ethanol boom; Hot market lures institutions; retail access may come through funds.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jeff Benjamin Record-setting oil prices are driving investments in Brazil's bustling sugar cane ethanol industry. Private-equity investors in particular are leading the way by funding ventures to buy ethanol plants and sugar...

Housing bailout faces tough road; Proposal would offer up to $300B in loan guarantees to stem 500,000 foreclosures.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Janet Morrissey A massive bailout package passed last week by the House and touted as the government's most aggressive effort to date aimed at resolving the housing crisis faces an uphill battle in getting passed into law. ...

SEC chief to unveil data-reporting plan; Likely to call for transition to XBRL format.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Davis D. Janowski Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox this week will likely lay out a plan for U.S. companies to incorporate interactive data into their financial reporting. The SEC on Wednesday will...

Online opinion poll.(Short Interests)
May 12, 2008... Previously, we asked you: If the election for president were held today, for whom would you vote? John McCain: 61.4% Obama: 27.3% 11% of 593 readers would vote for Hillary Clinton. CAPTION(S): Previously, we asked you:

Tech manager sees reason for optimism; Columbus Circle Investor's Craig Chodash finds gems among the ruins.(Street Wise)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jeff Benjamin There are signs of life in the technology sector and reasons to be optimistic, according to Craig Chodash, senior vice president at Columbus Circle Investors, a Stamford, Conn.-based firm that manages $15 billion in...

Suits by day, guitars by night.(Short Interests)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Coen Financial services professionals left their suits at home May 5 in a charitable effort to improve New York's schools. Peace Rocks New York was held at Manhattan's Hard Rock Cafe and featured bands made up of...

Hedge funds win in California; State steps back from regulation proposal, fearing funds would flee registration mandate.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Sara Hansard California has backed away from a controversial proposal to regulate hedge funds under strong opposition from its hedge fund industry. The state's move comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission struggles...

The merits of small companies; International small caps are overlooked despite their impressive track records.(Investment Strategies)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Joseph and Randy Farina Although U.S. investors have poured billions into international stock investments in recent years, most have overlooked international small- and mid-cap stocks. Consider this comparison based on...

Stars align for movie-theater REIT; Entertainment Properties Trust proves recession-resistant.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Janet Morrissey When the going gets tough, the tough go to the movies - or so it seems for Entertainment Properties Trust, the lone real estate investment trust that invests almost solely in movie theaters. The Kansas City,...

ICI meeting covers use of alternatives in funds; Other key topics included independent directors and 12(b)-1 fees.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: David Hoffman The use of alternative hedge-fund-like strategies within mutual funds was a hot topic of discussion last week at the Investment Company Institute's 50th annual general membership meeting in Washington. That trend...

Micro-cap funds may present an opportunity; Many are trading below book value.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: David Hoffman Micro-cap stocks are beaten down to the point where the mutual funds that invest in them are starting to see new opportunities. It's the reason the $95 million Wasatch Micro Cap Value Fund (WAMVX), and $47 million...

Rule change would strip investors of control; Other voices.(Viewpoint)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Knut A. Rostad The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a new exception to Regulation S-P privacy protections - one that would allow departing representatives to take customer information to their new firm without...

People.
May 12, 2008... Investors Capital Corp. of Lynnfield, Mass., has hired Bill Miller, 47, as senior recruiter. Previously, he was a recruiter with the independent broker-dealer Commonwealth Financial Network of Waltham, Mass. Rochdale Investment...

Valuation critical to earning hefty returns; But price multiples are the most commonly used and misused tool.(Adviser's Bookshelf)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Pat Dorsey Valuation is critical to ensuring that your careful, competitive analysis pays off in attractive portfolio returns. Let's look at price multiples, our first tool. Multiples are simultaneously the most commonly...

Presidential candidates' policies put forth at SIFMA conference; Democrats would hike capital gains tax; McCain would retain 15% maximum rate.(News)(Conference news)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Sara Hansard If Sens. Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama were elected to the White House, capital gains taxes would increase, but if Sen. John McCain were to become the next president, he would maintain the status quo. Under a...

Insurance carriers gear up for VA product season; New offerings such as enhanced riders, more subaccount choices mark 'new model year'.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado As the weather heats up in May, so does the competition among insurance carriers that are releasing new features for their variable annuities. Offerings this season include enhanced riders as well as glitzy...

Bear acquisition may upset clearing 'balance of power'; Retention or sale of unit will tip the scale, report says.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Kelly With JPMorgan Chase & Co. likely to stay in the clearing business after it completes its acquisition of The Bear Stearns Cos. Inc., the giant bank "could throw a new dynamic into the competitive landscape'' in the...

Prime numbers.
May 12, 2008... Go figure 75%: The percentage of U.S. homes estimated to have declined in value over the past year; 19% increased in value, and 5% were unchanged. Source: Zillow Inc. $123.69: The May 8 closing price of a barrel of light, sweet crude...

Inside XBRL.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Davis D. Janowski Extensible business reporting language, or XBRL, is a language standard used to communicate business and financial information electronically. Like other standards - red traffic lights meaning "stop'' or...

Millionaires who use advisers have a more diverse portfolio, survey finds; Most respondents prefer to communicate with advisers more frequently.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Sue Asci Millionaire investors who use financial advisers have diverse investments and would like to communicate more frequently with their advisers, according to a recent survey by Fidelity Investments. The Boston-based firm...

IN events.(Short Interests)
May 12, 2008... May 12, 14 and 16 Workshop: What You Need to Know About Going Independent These free one-day workshops aim to help advisers determine if becoming an independent registered investment adviser is the right move. For more information or...

GAO finds big jump in HSA plan participation; 40% of enrollees do not open health savings accounts, however.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler Participation in health-savings-account-eligible plans reached 4.5 million in 2007, up dramatically from 438,000 three years earlier, according to a recent government report. That said, the report, released April...

LETTERS.(Viewpoint)
May 12, 2008... Clinton's estate tax plan is the wrong approach I really get wound up reading Sen. Hillary Clinton's proposed idea of using estate taxes to provide a new matching, refundable tax credit for retirement savings as reported in the April 14...

Home care for seniors can be an expensive choice; Less costly at first, home care may top other choices overall.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Darla Mercado Home care for the elderly might appear to be a comforting alternative to assisted-living and nursing homes, but its cost can easily surpass both of those options. Yet the cost difference is not always apparent,...

Boulevard R offers actionable financial plans; Web service adds new wrinkles, including a $49 basic retirement-planning tool.(Tech Tips)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Davis D. Janowski BoulevardR.com, an interactive website that has been used primarily as a tool for retirement planning, is launching a three-step process that provides an actionable financial plan prepared by a financial planner...

Banks seize on hybrids to patch balance sheets; But regulatory limits may force financial firms to move to common equity.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Marine Cole Hybrids are hot these days, whether you are talking about cars that help curb gas emissions or securities that blend features of debt and equity, and help banks fix their balance sheets. But just as hybrid cars may...

Advisers are wary of retirement income funds; Products that draw down to zero seem the most troubling.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Lisa Shidler As fund companies experiment with retirement income solutions, financial advisers and investors are worried about products that are designed to leave participants with a zero balance. Last fall, Fidelity...

Health care is part of wealth care; Rising costs and longevity make health-related issues an integral part of retirement planning.(Retirement Watch)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Lewis J. Walker If health is wealth, what would be the financial consequence if one of your clients lost his or her physical and/or mental independence? That is difficult to assess, but getting a handle on future health care...

At the bell.
May 12, 2008... Palaveev to join Fusion Advisor Network Top industry consultant Philip Palaveev next month will join Fusion Advisor Network of Elmsford, N.Y., which has more than 200 financial advisers who manage more than $7 billion in assets. He...

Obama wins second prize among financial advisers.(Short Interests)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Aaron Siegel While financial advisers in general would rather have a Republican in the White House for the next four years, if they had to choose between the two Democratic candidates regarding who would be a better president in...