Financial planning

As the economy slowly inches back toward a recovery of sorts, several of the nation's top broker-dealers and financial services firms are revving their recruiting engines and driving them toward the CPA market in hopes of increasing their partnerships with accounting firms and practitioners.

HIGH-NET-WORTH INDIVIDUALS SHUN RETIREMENT

The 10-year period from 2000-2009 has been referred to as the "Lost Decade."

Nearly one out of every eight dollars under professional management in the United States today — 12.2 percent of the $25.2 trillion in total assets under management tracked by Thomson Reuters Nelson — is involved in some strategy of socially responsible and sustainable investing, according to a new study.

The College for Financial Planning has introduced theAccredited Domestic Partnership Advisor credential, a designation thataddresses the financial needs of non-traditional families.

Financial Planning, the leading publication and online resource for independent financial advisors, hosted its inaugural Influencer Awards Ceremony during the FPA Conference in Denver.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has released “Managing Your Wealth,” the firm's 14th annual guide to tax and wealth management.

A new report by the Government Accountability Office uncovered hundreds of allegations of physical abuse, neglect and financial exploitation by guardians in 45 states and the District of Columbia between 1990 and 2010.

IMGCAP(1)]As an accountant, you most likely have clients seeking investment advice.

ADVISORS CONTINUE SHIFT TO FEE-BASED MODELS

Taxpayers who previously adopted 419, 412i, captive insurance or Section 79 plans are in big trouble.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the American Institute of CPAs have launched an interactive website to help small businesses select a retirement plan suitable for their employees.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued proposed rules that would enable shareholders to cast advisory votes on executive compensation and "golden parachute" arrangements.

The number of American workers participating in a retirement plan continued to decrease last year, adding to a trend that began with the recession of 2008 and reaching its lowest level in a decade, according to a new study.

For the second year in a row, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 58 million Americans will not automatically increase in 2011, the Social Security Administration said Friday, but Congress will try to pass a law to provide seniors with the extra money anyway.

For the second year in a row, the Social Security Administration is probably not going to provide a cost of living adjustment for Social Security recipients because of the low rate of inflation.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a new rule, based on requirements under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, that would help those managing their own family's financial portfolios determine whether their “family offices” can continue to be excluded from the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

PLANNERS PUSH TO EXTEND FIDUCIARY STANDARD

Today, many professional firms have a sobering problem when it comes to older partners. It can be difficult enough to negotiate a sale of an owner’s interest, and finding a way to pay for it is an even greater challenge.

Asset allocation - dividing resources among different investment categories - is a way to lessen the risk of losses in a financial portfolio. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly critical to advisory firms seeking to better serve their clients, particularly high-net-worth clients. This roundup focuses on nine solutions for asset allocation, ranging from the simple and most basic to the most sophisticated. Each is designed to meet the needs of a different size of advisor, and each has a significant presence among accounting firms engaged in financial planning and wealth management.