Perhaps it was the recent victory of President Bush that heartened this business-friendly crowd, or maybe it was the tranquil Boca Raton setting, but the annual SIA conference exuded an odd serenity at least until the speakers invoked the name of...

Success in the brokerage industry can be as much about mindset as anything else, so it comes as little surprise that advisors avoid negative thoughts, such as the potential necessity of a quick exit from their practice. At the same time, numerous...

During the 1990s, Tom Marsico made investing look easy. As manager of Janus Twenty, Marsico recorded huge gains while limiting his portfolio to two dozen stocks. The fund often held well-known stars such as Lucent Technologies and Pfizer. Plenty...

Gary Hager leaves nothing to chance, especially when prospecting for new small-business clients. His efforts start with brainstorming sessions he holds with existing accounts, whom he asks for names of associates to approach. But before making any...

Unraveling the IRS's stance on family limited partnerships (FLPs) is harder than tracking the marital status of Britney Spears. In 2003 the tax court disallowed a FLP created by one Albert Strangi only a couple of months before his own death a...

It's a rare event indeed when an IRS ruling is cause for celebration, but such was the case in April when the tax-meisters made some alternative deferred-compensation funding investments more tax friendly. Specifically, the IRS ruled that an...

He knew it wasn't going to be easy: A few years ago, William Bourke took a deep breath, looked his new client in the eye, and asked about succession plans for the small manufacturing business the man had started 20 years before. The owner waved...

If you don't pay attention, you might not notice them. I'm referring to the throwaway terms that management teams, analysts and investment bankers use in lieu of hard facts and real data to describe corporate strategy, outcomes and financials. You...

Financial advisors rarely bring up during client meetings. By the time you've covered erosion to portfolios from market losses, taxes and fees, calling attention to one more way to reduce their net worth doesn't seem like a good idea. But you...