In the wake of the improprieties and scandals of the past few years, the financial services industry is abuzz with talk of ethics and image. One of the key questions firms are asking is what role, if any, branding plays in their credibility and in...

On Nov. 5, when SEC Chairman William Donaldson addressed the Securities Industry Association's annual meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., it was an uncomfortable moment for brokerage executives. Donaldson recited a litany of costly scandals...

Anyone who has ever let household chores get the better of him is well-acquainted with the most significant obstacle facing wannabe high-net-worth advisors: inertia. You can look at those cracks in the bedroom ceiling every day when you lie down...

Six years ago, Hilliard Lyons, a successful small broker/dealer with roots dating back to 1854, shocked many by selling itself to PNC Bank. To many, the Louisville, Ky., b/d was the model small firm, a master of its own destiny and consistently...

Q: I have about $154,000 remaining on a forgiveable loan that I received when I joined a major wirehouse in 2001. Recently I was terminated for unauthorized trading in a client's fee-based account. About 3 percent of it was invested in stocks. On...

As the holiday season approaches, the SEC is getting daily entreaties from registered investment advisors seeking an end to the broker/dealer exemption rule. The rule says brokers who charge fees for their services are exempt from regulation under...

When dealing with lawyers especially on matters as complex as securities law even the most controlling clients are tempted to go passive. The instinct is generally rooted in good intention: Stay out of the pro's way and let him work his magic. But...

Playing out of position is something that rarely works out long term it's true in sports and it's true for financial advisory teams. Pressing a baseball catcher into one-time duty at first base, or turning a quarterback into a receiver for a play...