Tag: Advice

When thinking about fiduciary support services and outsourcing, really the important considerations should be about process and time management, more than fiduciary risk transfer.

While the conference is quickly approaching, there is still time to sign up. All the information you need is here. 

Through the MX partnership, participants with access to the Questis platform can see all of their finances in one place in a clear, organized, visual manner.

A new client alert published by the Wagner Law Group urges advisory firms to review and consider an update to anti-churning policies, now that FINRA and the SEC are both engaging in the matter.

Independent advisory shop founder Joe Gordon talks about winning new plan business from brokers and bank advisers who are “seriously fumbling the discussion with clients about fees and fiduciary change.”

Expert attorneys warn the new non-enforcement policy binds only the DOL and IRS; state regulators and private plaintiffs could potentially seek to bring an action for alleged non-compliance with impartial conduct standards.

Following up on a broad discussion of market volatility, John Diehl, SVP of strategic markets for Hartford Funds, encourages advisers to consider new means to separate their service offerings from the competition; he also offers a sneak peek at some forthcoming research produced in partnership with the MIT AgeLab. 

PLANADVISER presents an impromptu Q&A with John Diehl, senior vice president of strategic markets for Hartford Funds, on the subject of market volatility and keeping a long-term perspective amid big equity price swings. 

This leaves the SEC’s revised conflict of interest standards for brokers and advisers as the leading alternative.

If an adviser reduced their fee due to the receipt of 12b-1 fees, the SEC might not ask for any disgorgement; for instance, the SEC says, if an adviser regularly charges an annual management fee of 1.25% of assets but lowered that to 1% in light of the 12b-1 fees, the SEC says it is unlikely to ask for any disgorgement.

Tina Ambrozy, president of sales and distribution at Nationwide, warns of a major disconnect between what consumers think their Social Security benefit will be—and what this amount will cover—compared to reality.

An analysis from the American Institute of CPAs shows how clients can use their recently filed tax returns to map out a more efficient budget and investing plan for 2018.

The release of a thousand-page "best interest" rulemaking package by the SEC applying to all brokers and investment advisers is being hailed as a victory by some and a deep disappointment by others; either way, it's the start of another long chapter in the epic industry battle over federal conflict of interest regulations. 

It will take time for the fully detailed picture to emerge, but the SEC voted late Wednesday to propose new conflict of interest standards for how broker/dealers and financial advisers label themselves and sell products under various fee structures to retail clients.

The solution is aimed at helping advisers and home offices realize better efficiencies and increase transparency in retirement plan management.

With a focus on accessibility and ease of use, Advisor Console’s new features and functionality allow financial professionals to be more efficient when serving their clients’ plans and investments.