Financial planning

The potential tax benefit of Roth IRAs remains high.

A tax attorney is sounding a warning about some unfavorable estate tax consequences for surviving spouses in many states across the country from the use of so-called “QTIP trusts.”

Taking a holistic view of clients' plans can help identify gaps.

Business development companies are increasingly using off-balance sheet investment vehicles known as senior secured loan programs to increase their effective portfolio leverage without running afoul of regulatory limits on balance sheet leverage, but that trend can be risky, according to research from Fitch Ratings.

Thomson Reuters has released a tax-planning treatise for estate planners, Tax Planning for Family Wealth Transfers at Death: Analysis with Forms.

If it seems impossible to amass a fortune in an IRA during your lifetime, think again.

About 9,000 U.S. taxpayers have each accumulated at least $5 million in individual retirement accounts, said the Government Accountability Office, raising questions about some investors’ tax-advantaged returns.

Slashing a CEO’s compensation after a company produces disappointing financial results may help improve earnings for a time, but it can also encourage earnings manipulation, according to a new study.

The research and advisory firm Celent has released a new report cautioning wealth management professionals to be careful about using personal information, recent location and analytical data in their communications with clients that could strike them as “creepy.”

Many clients need to protect their estate for -- and from -- their descendants

Serving wealthy clients' families can be a profitable niche

One of the big trends this summer has been the ALS Association’s remarkable success with its “ice bucket challenge,” but the very success of the campaign could pose a challenge of its own to the ALS Association and other charities.

Nonprofit and for-profit corporations that borrow through the issuance of taxable or tax exempt municipal debt have a new rule about who can give them financial advice.

Many U.S. households are not adequately prepared for retirement, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve that found 31 percent of non-retired respondents indicating they have no retirement savings or pension, including 19 percent of those ages 55 to 64.

Fitch Ratings has weighed in on the controversy stemming from corporate inversions, noting it could have an impact on a company's cash access and credit.

The CFA Institute has released a new study that calls for enhanced loan disclosures in order to allow investors to compare the financial statements of banks more effectively.

Broker-dealer HD Vest has released VestVision, a software solution that lets advisors and clients establish and prioritize financial goals and then track progress toward them.

Wealth transfer and estate planning can be among the most difficult conversations to have with clients

Simple questions during tax prep can unlock a client's needs

Republicans are considering voting this year to repeal the U.S. estate tax, said House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp.