Positive thinking is important, but it will only get you so far. In the brokerage industry, the real money lies in the negative realm in making mistakes and then learning how to avoid repeating them. In fact, according to successful reps...

Money Without Matrimony: The Unmarried Couple's Guide to Financial Security Sheryl Garrett and Debra NeimanDearborn Trade Publishing ($21.95)288 pages In the United States, there are 5.5 million cohabitating, unmarried couples that's 11 million...

You're nearing the end of a meeting with a couple. You've covered retirement and estate planning with them. You know their kids, their hobbies, their values. In fact, you thought you knew them pretty well, until on the way out of the office, the...

No-brainer decisions aren't what they used to be in the brokerage industry, and outsourcing is a case in point. Broker/dealers have long understood that third-party service providers can handle processes, such as transaction clearing, more...

People applying for work on Wall Street can be denied for many reasons these days, but there are two very common ways they get tripped up. First, some try to hide their criminal past as if their Social Security numbers, CRD numbers, fingerprints...

When confronted with an offer of upfront money, the two smartest words an advisor can utter are, No thanks. Turning down a transition package is not an easy thing to do particularly in a surging job market, and, yes, it is beginning to seem like...

Any discussion of upfront money must proceed from one very important truth: a well-managed career usually includes at least one big job move. Openness to switching firms is essential if a broker wants to take advantage of an industry that can, and...

Q: I am a big fan of the Ethical Rep section of the magazine. As a registered representative, I often encounter situations where my licensing and continuing education do not provide me with the necessary guidance. For instance, my current firm...

After eight turbulent years under President Bush, America is heading in different direction a very different direction. It's February 2009 time to meet the new President of the United States. But before we formally introduce him, what a race it...

In the past, almost any violation by a rep resulted in a fine. Only in the most extreme cases were severe measures, like suspension and expulsion, used. Break a rule, be found guilty, write a check without admitting or denying guilt. Not so today...