Morningstar Offers a New Contrarian Investment

Willie Keeler and Robert Frost knew the importance of “hitting ‘em where they ain’t and A Road Not Taken—Will your clients embrace the same ideas?

Managing The Cross Sell

Cross selling is really important, but most banks still aren’t doing it very well.

How Can Banks Conquer the Mass Affluent Market?

While half of U.S. banks are aware of the opportunity with mass affluent investors and are busy enhancing their online capabilities, the other half believe they distinguish themselves from the Charles Schwabs of the world with in-person advice.

Showing Management the Value of Brokerage

How can advisors take advantage of opportunities created by limitations on fees and transactions? Program managers at BISA’s bank broker-dealer breakout session presented some interesting answers. “Banks are struggling with where to get more revenues because of fee reductions,” said Rob Comfort, head of Huntington Investments. “This gives us an opportunity to play a prominent role.” …

Licensed Platform Reps: It’s a No Brainer

“More banks do not have licensed bankers than have them,” according to recruiter Rick Rummage. “Every bank should have them and license them.”

The Liquidity Premium

Most people don’t think about it, but there is a liquidity premium on publicly traded securities just as there is a risk premium, yet most only think about it in the case of extremely illiquid assets such as private equity.

What Women Want

Women want a quality relationship with their advisors that involves interpersonal, relationship-driven factors. What does that translate into in your practice? It starts by listening.

Where to Invest In Bonds In 2011

If interest rates can only go up from here, shouldn’t you minimize your exposure to bonds? Not according to Zane Brown, a fixed-income strategist from Lord Abbott who addressed a crowd of advisors at the IMCA New York Consultants Conference.

Thinking Negative to Get Positive Results

Getting to the next level is the biggest challenge for advisors. Here's a unique approach to the age-old conundrum.

Strong Prospects In Global REITs

The U.S. has the most REITs, but the emerging markets are drawing more interest from investors.

What Options Should Advisors Consider Before Converting Clients to a Roth?

Advisors need to consider a Net Unrealized Appreciation calculation, according to C. James Johnson, a presenter of retirement planning and tax strategies for Allianz Life Financial Services.

The SRO Debate

Is this really no big deal for bank advisors?

Two Simple (But Revolutionary) Steps Toward a Better Retirement

There are two proposed pieces of legislation sitting in Congress that would seem to be no-brainers for helping people save for retirement and helping advisors help their clients.

Why Mixing Active and Passive Investing Won't Create a Better Portfolio

While the occasional active investor/mutual fund will beat the market over time, the odds are weighted powerfully against that happening.

A Paradigm Shift in Retirement Planning

A paradigm shift is occurring in how bank investment program executives see retirement planning, according to Scott Stathis, managing director of Kehrer LIMRA. Stathis discussed with me some of the key findings of his retirement roundtable back in October.

Lessons Learned from the Top 50 Bank Reps

There are a variety of working styles and strategies represented by the top 50 bank reps, but some themes stand out that have helped keep them above the cut.

Happy Turkey Day

We’re thankfully off for the next two days so I wanted to send you to your turkey dinners early with some words of thanks to you and for you. Here are a few silver linings and just plain gold realities that we can be thankful for this holiday season. Jobs: The glass is more than half full when it comes to the job market. While a stubborn 10% of people still don’t have jobs, you have…

The Meaning of Money

When you think about it, what is a dollar bill but a piece of paper with a picture on it. But when it comes to our clients there are so many various emotions around money.

Debunking the Bears and Cutting Through the "Monkey Chatter"

Ken Fisher of Fisher Investments chatted with us about the economy and actually found a silver lining in the market.

QE2 Sets Sail

It sounds like the name of an honored Transatlantic ship, but this time the QE2 stands for the Federal Reserve Board’s second attempt at an economic stimulus with the name Quantitative Easing. Will this new round help keep the economy afloat and chugging toward an expansion?

Speaking in Tongues: How to Communicate With Clients

As an advisor, strong communication skills can help build your business, especially if you tune into a client's communication style.

Jeremy Siegel: An Optimist's Tale

It isn’t every day that you get your opinion validated by the likes of Jeremy Siegel, the “Wharton wizard,” market commentator and senior investment strategy advisor for Wisdomtree ETFs. Siegel delivered a very bullish talk at Sourcemedia’s ETF 360 conference in New York.

The Next Bubble

The idea of a bond bubble keeps bubbling to the surface. The argument is sound. Interest rates are at all time lows. In the bizarro world of bonds this means that prices are at all-time highs. Meanwhile investors spooked by the stock markets are pouring into bonds the way they poured into, well, real estate before 2008 and technology before 2000.

Time vs. Money

A new study published in Psychological Science finds that people who are primed to think about time spend more time socializing, while people who are primed to think about money spend more time working.

Annuities in 401(k)s: Pros and Cons

A closer examination of why (and why not) annuities belong in a 401(k) plan.

Do Annuities Belong in 401(k) Plans?

There’s a lot of debate right now about whether putting annuities in 401(k) plans is a good idea or not.

Ramping Up Cross Selling

Banks, losing fees elsewhere, are looking to investment services to make up the difference.

Rethinking The Bush Tax Cuts

President Obama wants to let them expire. The Republican leadership wants to extend them. This is not a clear case of Republicans versus Democrats however.

A Labor Day Sale on Stocks?

Can dollar-cost averaging help investors and advisors find the best stock bargains?

A Closer Look at the Flash Crash

What caused the May dilemma?