The year 2001 could become known as the year in which online information sharing arrived in the mutual fund market. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. (DTCC) has created a mutual fund inquiry service that provides real-time access to clients'...

After two years in development, A.G. Edwards has finally unveiled its new account statement, which includes asset allocation charts, more detailed reporting and some customization features. A.G. Edwards reps and clients began receiving the new...

Prudential Insurance Company of America today officially changed its name to Prudential Financial. The name and logo of Prudential Securities will remain unchanged. Prudential will use its new name for its U.S. financial services business and its...

Should payments made to brokerage firms by fund companies be disclosed? Most, if not all, outside fund groups make payments to brokerage firms that sell the funds' shares. Vendor payments are typically in the range of 30 to 40 basis points of new...

Falling stock prices have shaved stock-fund assets, yet sales themselves have softened only modestly. Most brokers probably don't feel particularly buoyant right now, given what's been happening in the stock market lately. But as several mutual...

Since January, Prudential Securities has been requiring a basic risk-tolerance profile called the Financial Blueprint be completed when an account is opened. If not, commissions generated in the account are withheld until the blueprint is done. A...

Benjamin Franklin's quest for perfection and personal growth involved setting benchmarks to develop certain qualities in his daily life, including frugality, truthfulness, industriousness and good-naturedness. He then linked 13 virtues to those...

Investors will now listen to reps when they suggest orderly exits from investments. Risk management and sell disciplines are popular again. The legacy of the recent bear market will be greater attention to exit strategies, sell disciplines and...

Saying goodbye to nonproductive clients is a great way to build a solid business. I call it weeding out the garden. However, too many sales manuals teach reps to hang on to everyone, instructing them how to overcome objections. These training...

Morgan Stanley Dean Witter officially became Morgan Stanley on April 2. The firm had announced in January that it planned to shorten the name. In March, Morgan Stanley's board approved dropping the Dean Witter moniker. The new brand name of Morgan...