Articles published 2/2015
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Why I disagree with Don Trone's characterization of Obama's fiduciary stance as 'punitive'
The essential component of fiduciary duty -- loyalty -- is what separates the advisor from the salesperson, according to fellow fiduciary advocate Ron Rhoades
February 27, 2015 at 12:06 AM
Why Obama and the DOL are all wet when it comes to the proposed fiduciary rule
Stress the carrot and not the stick in formulating a rule that will get real results, says a fiduciary maven
February 26, 2015 at 5:54 PM
Mark Casady settles the question of whether LPL will start its own robo-advisor
In the wake of the aborted NestWise effort and a quieter robo rollout by his firm, the LPL Financial CEO doesn't buy the economics of the opportunity
February 26, 2015 at 12:15 AM
How Sheryl Garrett got a hush-hush invitation from President Obama and how she pierced the fog about putting clients first
The Arkansas RIA booked a flight to DC with no explanation to colleagues
February 25, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Are negative yields for US bonds on the horizon?
European countries' less-than-zero club is becoming a popular one. Could it happen here in the States?
February 25, 2015 at 7:00 PM
As President Obama takes the gloves off, pro-broker groups throw up 'sledgehammer' response
After a lot of waiting around FSI calls this news 'the real thing'
February 24, 2015 at 8:31 PM
Wealthfront throws engineering at its large-account 'problem'
The Palo Alto-based automated money manager addresses tax slippage from transfers of HNW accounts to its website
February 23, 2015 at 8:39 PM
Orion signs on three $1 billion-plus RIAs on its even-keeled Omaha reputation then rocks its own boat with a sale to Boston firm
Pinnacle Advisory Group, Brouwer & Janachowski, HK Financial Services bought Orion for scaling and nervously accept that it made its own scaling move
February 20, 2015 at 8:51 PM
On strength of $1.4 billion of AUM and 90 RIA clients, Betterment raises $60 million of VC funding as it looks to disrupt RIA custody
The New York City-based robo added $1 billion in 11 months and (sources say) has bigtime RIAs contemplating it as a primary platform, CEO Jon Stein says
February 19, 2015 at 2:01 PM
Schwab tells the SEC its robo-advisor has a 30 basis-point fee and big-time cash allocations held by Schwab Bank
The Schwab Intelligent Portfolios ADV says as much as 30% of clients assets are being sent to Schwab Bank
February 18, 2015 at 7:59 PM
Has indexing become too popular?
The Princeton senior economist who pioneered index funds ponders whether sheer investor tonnage on the bandwagon could flatten tires
February 17, 2015 at 10:08 PM
In a T3 teeming with deals, eMoney's Edmond Walters owned Dallas
Fresh off his firm's sale to Fidelity, eMoney's CEO demo left the crowd spellbound -- even as he chided Chuck
February 16, 2015 at 8:27 PM
Schwab spills robo-beans to Wall Street, including a Schwab Bank wrinkle, cannibalization rates and the algorithm's distaste for OneSource funds
Calling Schwab Intelligent Portfolios a $400-billion opportunity, Walt Bettinger boasts of his own four-minute sign-up
February 12, 2015 at 10:49 PM
What to make of Fidelity Investments paying $250 million out of the blue for eMoney
The price paid is about right, experts say, but in the hands of the giant, it could be worth more -- or less
February 12, 2015 at 6:06 AM
An outflow-plagued American Funds holds its ETF fire until it can resolve the vehicle's front-running exposure, which defies a resolution
Edward Jones and other legacy American customers consider ETFs a niche solution to a main portfolio -- lessening the urgency for change
February 10, 2015 at 9:57 PM
Where Virtus stands after F-Squared seemingly led it astray, to mutual benefit
The Hartford, Conn. firm is raising no alarms with investors but a handful of Virtus ex-employees are expressing confusion about how it all went down
February 9, 2015 at 8:58 PM
Boston firm buys Orion Advisor Services as part of NorthStar succession deal
TA Associates is acquiring a majority position in NorthStar Financial, which also owns CLS Investments and Gemini Fund Services
February 9, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Six ways that human advisors kick robo-advisor butt
You can't hug a client with robo arms -- or confer peace of mind, offer actively managed or alternative investments, help build a legacy...
February 6, 2015 at 8:01 PM
AMG is suddenly among the RIA roll-up elite after the Baker Street deal pushes it past $25-billion of AUM
After adding the $5.2-billion San Francisco firm, John Copeland's Florida-based skunkworks is smelling sweet
February 5, 2015 at 7:07 PM
3 citizen-blogger attendees at TD Ameritrade National LINC offer their ground-level views
The dispatches start in outer space, descend to the cloud and finish up with down-to-earth do's and don'ts for dealing with reporters
February 4, 2015 at 7:51 PM
What marketing truths emerged from the exhibit booths at TD Ameritrade's LINC event in San Diego
Flow, buzz and frenzy were constrained by the multi-floor set-up but new players in the RIA space celebrated the event and its value proposition
February 4, 2015 at 4:41 AM
How SS&C muscle might be just what the Black Diamond and Advent Software doctor ordered
The portfolio accounting provider to giants like Voya, Barclays and New York Life may finally get Advent into the cloud and crack the alternatives challenge
February 3, 2015 at 8:16 PM
SS&C buys Advent for the Geneva crown jewels so what happens to Black Diamond and Advent Axys?
The Windsor, Conn. software roll-up wants blue chip asset managers, opening the door for a spinoff of RIA software
February 3, 2015 at 12:33 AM
New marching orders issued at TD Ameritrade's conference in San Diego: Don't join'em, beat'em!
TD touted its robo hookups and Tom Nally proclaimed RIAs are thisclose to overtaking wirehouses at the standing-room-only, come-as-you-are confab
