But a lot had to happen before they could take their place in the driver's seat. For starters, the neophytes (who were in their 20s at the time) needed to demonstrate to their father they had the right stuff to handle such a lofty position...

The word conjures up all manner of restful images a man napping in a hammock, a woman playing bridge with her friends, a visored couple strolling towards a green on a sun-splashed golf course. But please note: the financial advisor does not figure...

It's an article of faith in the wealth management world that there are no cookie-cutter solutions for the affluent. Of course all clients, even those without high-net-worth money, are unique. But wealthy clients, because their needs are so complex...

According to a recent Securities Industry Association survey, only 10 percent of investors view the financial services industry in a favorable light, but that isn't necessarily bad news for financial advisors. In fact, for those who can convince...

In your initial meetings with clients, an answer to one question will give you insight into their values, lives and dreams and create a healthy anxiety that will motivate them to enlist your services. As nonchalantly as possible, ask, When you die...

An old Greek proverb warns that you shouldn't speak of rope in the house of a man who has just been hanged, but if rope is your stock in trade, what can you do? While your clients may not be as happy to discuss their 401(k)s now as they were back...

During a recent radio address, President Bush said he supported the Retirement Security Advice Act, H.R. 2269, which recently passed the House. The act would allow financial institutions to provide personalized investment advice to plan...

Every broker has heard a story like this one. Recently, Tom Mingone, a financial planner in New City, N.Y., got a call from a new prospect. The man, a successful entrepreneur in his late 40s, had sold his sanitation business for $1 million and...

Merrill to Reps: Go Get 401(k) Business

Here's a simple question that will endear you to your clients. Ask parents or grandparents of a teenager if the kid has a job. There is a good chance they will say the Bureau of Labor Statistics says over 40 percent of high school students are...