Practice Management

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...

Recruiters say reps that are tiring of the pressure to convert their clients to fee-based arrangements have an alternative in the independent broker/dealer world. Many of our recent placements with regionals have been experienced brokers who want...

The term 12-step process is all but synonymous with substance-abuse recovery, but it's also easily applied to other undesirable behavior: poor salesmanship. Our interviews with successful high-net-worth advisors has helped us to create a process...

Executors face a painful dilemma in deciding when to satisfy a pecuniary bequest. If they make distributions too quickly, creditors may hold them liable for disposing of funds needed to pay debts. If they make distributions too slowly...

Advisors of a certain age might remember an old Heineken beer ad campaign based around this phrase: Just being the best is enough. The idea, of course, being that the beer was so good it sold itself. A surprising number of advisors subscribe to a...

Smith Barney is facing a new round of sex-discrimination suits. A quartet of financial consultants from California has filed a national class-action lawsuit against the firm in a San Francisco federal court. The suit alleges systemic sexual...