On Wall Street

Renew

Already a subscriber and would like to renew?

• Cover Story

• Tale of a Tough Year

  By Paul Menchaca

  What the numbers show: a dramatic seven-month stock market rally was not enough to help most of the top 50 broker-dealers counter the aftershocks of the financial crisis.

• Features

• Survivor Island

  By Paul Menchaca

  As we publish Financial Planning's 25th Annual Independent Broker-Dealer Survey, it's important to keep in mind that things aren't always as they seem. At its core this survey is about looking back, which means we're getting a bit of a fuzzy picture about what is actually happening now. This year's FP50-the 50 largest independent broker-dealers, ranked by total revenues-has some surprising changes, not the least of which is the appearance of Ameriprise Financial Services, on the list for the first time at No. 2. But more than anything else, this year's list is one of survivors-firms that endured the worst of the financial crisis and lived to tell about it. Several companies did not.

• Columns

• Last Gen to Next Gen

  By Deena Katz

  Luminaries from the first wave of financial planners fielded probing questions from Texas Tech students. Their answers may surprise you.

Industry Insight

• Wheel of Competence

  By Bob Veres

  When looking to transition to retirement, advisors should reach for the skills they have accumulated over time-for working with both clients and staff.

The Elite Advisor

• The Perfect Profile

  By John J. Bowen, Jr.

  Looking for the ideal client? Write a detailed description of the top clients you have now, by answering eight simple questions.

• Industry

• Style Setter

  By By Ilana Polyak

  By creating a taxonomy for mutual funds, Morningstar's Don Phillips has helped advisors build better portfolios.

• Buy the Numbers

  By Donna Mitchell

  A small group of financial planners is buying up accounting firms. Here's how-and why-they Dodo it.

• Under Pressure

  By By Jeanne Lee

  Last month AFA Financial followed GunnAllen in shuttering its doors. Will more small independents close?

Fund Manager

• Bargain Hunter

  By By Ilana Polyak

  Charles de Vaulx goes to great lengths to find great deals.

• Departments

My Word

• Is it Planning?

  By By Aaron Coates

  Why does the industry have difficulty differentiating financial planning? Perhaps because we practitioners don't do it ourselves.

The Portfolio

• What's in a Name?

  By Craig L. Israelsen

  Analyzing the turnover rates of mutual funds shows that strategic portfolios have outperformed tactical ones over the past 10 years.

• Looking for the Source

  By By David E. Adler

  What explains portfolio returns? Roger Ibbotson questions whether asset allocation is as powerful as planners think.

• Rediscovering Japan

  By By Donald Jay Korn

  After 20 years of feast and 20 years of famine, is it time for investors to put Japanese stocks back on the menu?

• The Next Frontier

  By Stacy Schultz

  As an appetite for risk returns, sophisticated investors look to the world's least developed markets to take advantage of growth opportunities early.

The Practice

• Step Three: Formalize

  By By Donald B. Trone

  When upholding a fiduciary standard, ensuring your investment strategy is prudently planned and well-documented is vital. Third in a series.

• Going for Custody

  By By Brian Hamburger

  As of March 12, new rules for RIAs require special (and expensive) reports and audits for custodial accounts. Are you ready?

• Transfer of Power

  By By Daniel Seivert

  Fewer than 10% of practice owners have developed formal succession plans. Isn't it time you put one in place?

• Divide and Conquer

  By By Gabriel Garcia

  As the needs of clients expand and profitability contracts, advisors can use segmentation to improve their service strategy.

The Client

• A New Conversation

  By By Gregory Salsbury

  The market meltdown forced people to start thinking more seriously about retirement. But they're still held back by misconceptions.

• House Money

  By By Jeanne Lee

  As 401(k)s shrink and Social Security replaces a smaller share of income, retirees may need to reconsider tapping the value in their homes.

• College Loans Say Uncle

  By By Donald Jay Korn

  The new law excluding banks from making federal education loans should be a PLUS for borrowers who can now turn to the Bank of Uncle Sam.

Data

• A New Dynamic

  By By Frank O'Connor

  Variable annuity sales fell in 2009 as incentives to stay put in existing contracts choked off exchange growth.

• High Net Worth

Practice Profile

• Under One Roof

  By By Jim Grote

  Timothy E. Johnson has grown his business by listening to his clients' needs-and creating an in-house solution for each of them.

• "Nothing Has Changed"

  By Martin Shenkman

  Clients may be inclined to ignore the obvious-and they're losing out on an opportunity to upgrade their estate plans.