1. Let's Turn Billing Upside Down!
(Matching tags: Advisor businesses,investment advisors,compensation)

As I write this article, I’m feeling pretty good from a cash flow standpoint.  After all, the market was cooperative last quarter and my bank account is grateful.  I, like most of you, ...

2. Lincoln Financial Advisor Defamation Case Highlights The Limitations Of Brokercheck
(Matching tags: FINRA,investment advisors)

Conflicting stories about a former rep that are now costing Lincoln Financial $2 million, but there's no trace of them in FINRA's publicly accessible database. That's probably a good thing.

3. From Roshomon to Rosebud: I'll Tell You My Story About Building A $500 Million AUM RIA; Please Tell Us Your Story
(Matching tags: ensemble firm,business strategy,Advisor businesses,management,RIAs,investment advisors,asset management,managing,business planning,advisor industry people)

I'm happy to be writing for Advisor4Advisors. This maiden entry details the intent of the blog, which aims to provide shared experiences to a community of like-minded advisors who can benefit from our ...

4. Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) Moves Consultant Into Director Of Education Role
(Matching tags: Advisor businesses,investment advisors)

The move toward better advisor education is gaining momentum. The Investment Management Consultants Association’s (IMCA) just hired a new director of education. Jim Dobbs could be considered ...

5. More Comment Time Needed For Fiduciary Redefinition
(Matching tags: fiduciaries,investment fiduciaries,investment advisors,interest rates)

The Financial Services Institute (FSI) is trying to get more time to comment on the proposed redefinition by the Department of Labor (DOL) regarding fiduciary responsibility. FSI claims some of the data ...

6. Seven Free Consumer Financial Apps That Represent A Hidden Competitive Threat To Advisors Serving The Mass Affluent
(Matching tags: new investors,business strategy,technology,Advisor businesses,profession,strategic planning,online financial advice,competitors,prospects,investment advisors,asset management,Financial Planning Apps)

For financial advisors tracking the growing competition from consumer finance apps, here’s a roundup of seven free personal finance apps and a fuller explanation of why these types of apps pose a ...

7. Is The Certified Financial Planner Designation Out Of Synch With Today's Financial Advice Consumer?
(Matching tags: profession,investment advisors,financial planning,CFP Board,profitability)

“The revolution that began in December 1969,” according to the opening page of "The History of Financial Planning: The Transformation of Financial Services" (John Wiley and Sons, ...

8. FINRA Requests Comment On Ways To Increase Investor Use Of BrokerCheck: My Suggestion Is To Consolidate Advisor Licensing Databases And Open It To Search Engines
(Matching tags: RIAs,SRO,investment advisors,broker-dealers,compliance,Dodd-Frank,FINRA,sec)

FINRA is requesting comment on ways to boost investor use of BrokerCheck, the self-regulatory agency’s website where consumers can find a broker’s disciplinary and employment history.   ...

9. Tech Survey By A4A Shows Schwab PortfolioCenter Remains No. 1 Portfolio Reporting App But Field Of PMS Vendors Is Growing
(Matching tags: RIAs,investment advisors,practice management,Portfolio Management Software)

Based on data from 2,129 members of Advisors4Advisors, the most popular portfolio management software among independent financial advisors is Schwab PortfolioCenter, followed by Albridge, and Advent Axys. ...

10. An Advisor Affiliated With Retirement Income Industry Association And Its Retirement Management Analyst Designation Responds To My Post Saying Designation Proliferation Is A Disaster For Consumers
(Matching tags: profession,RIAs,investment advisors,financial planning,CPAs,CFP Board,NAPFA)

Dana Anspach, a fee-only financial planner and licensed Retirement Management Analyst, has responded graciously to my post yesterday with a personal letter addressed to me on her blog on About.com. My ...

11. Mark Zuckerberg's Advisor Becomes A Star, Even Though Facebook Founder Faces $2 Billion Tax Liability
(Matching tags: investment advisors)

The looming Facebook IPO has people taking about Mark Zuckerberg's financial advisor, Divesh Makan, who stands to generate a lot of AUM once his client's company goes public.

12. RIAs Are More Optimistic And Less Worried About Reducing Operating Expenses
(Matching tags: custodians,RIAs,investment advisors,managing,niche management,practice management,business planning)

... in 2012, upgrading technology was the No. 1 response selected by investment advisors. Though 40% of advisors polled said they planned to upgrade technology systems to overcome obstacles, that represented ...

13. Social Media Adoption By RIAs and Broker/Dealers
(Matching tags: RIA compliance,RIAs,investment advisors,broker-dealers,independent broker-dealers,client communications,Social Media)

Investment advisers and independent broker/dealers are adopting social media as I expected they would: B/Ds are using crappy content and automation technology, while the large majority of RIAs mostly ...

14. 10 Top Industry Stories Of 2011, A4A Readers' Choices
(Matching tags: investment advisors)

For many advisors, the last 12 months were an endless grind of suspense, speculation, regulatory deadlock, and endless M&A negotiations. But A4A readers who stayed alert found plenty of opportunities ...

15. Top 10 Investment And Economy Stories Of 2011
(Matching tags: stocks,bonds,investing,investment advisors,investor behavior,world economy,U.S. economy,U.S. credit rating,ETFs,European zone,emerging markets,China)

It was another challenging year for advisors. You helped clients cope with record volatility, moribund stock prices, a slow-motion economic recovery, and an unprecedented downgrade of the United States’ ...

16. All Modes Of Advisor Compensation Scrutinized More Skeptically In the Consumer Press
(Matching tags: competitors,RIAs,investment advisors,asset management,compensation)

    Advisor pricing models were the subject of a story in this morning’s consumer press, and it gave all modes of compensation a skeptical review.   “For a long time, ...

17. What Were The Most Important News Stories Of 2011 To Financial Advisors?
(Matching tags: investment advisors,advisor technology,practice management)

  The new Trending page on Advisors4Advisors is Internet gold. It displays a listing of the most popular articles on A4A over the past year, quarter, month, and week.   Since A4A aggregates ...

18. San Diego Advisor Preaches The 'Outsourced Chief Investment Officer' Model
(Matching tags: investment advisors)

Endowed non-profit entities have been farming out their investment function for years now, but a San Diego advisor is looking to translate that approach to the advisory business.  ...

19. Advisor's Press Release Exposes How The Split Between FPA And Broker/Dealers Now Plays A Pivotal Role In The Development Of The Profession
(Matching tags: investment advisors,Dodd-Frank,fiduciaries)

The headline of a press release issued Saturday by an advisor from Bellevue, Washington was innocent enough: “Local Financial Advisor Paul R. Reid Leads Grassroots Effort on Capitol Hill.” ...

20. S+P Decision Triggers Cascading Downgrades - The Dominoes?
(Matching tags: S&P,credit downgrade,U.S. debt,U.S. credit rating,financial advisor,investing,investment advisors,active management,asset management,asset allocation)

 By Raj C. Udeshi The S+P wonks just created a lot more work for themselves. Well they should have known that once you downgrade the United States, there is huge to-do list that awaits you. If ...