Life Planning Strategies
Life planning strategies, with ideas about how to use life insurance and related products to help people and businesses get things done.
Holiday retail rush falls short
By Staff WriterAccording to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. shoppers spent furiously in the days just before Christmas. But, holiday retail sales appeared to still fall short...
May 28, 2008
The finance industry is deadWe knew it would happen. In a rather ridiculous story in the Wall Street Journal, "industry analysts" sound off on the future impact of the...
May 28, 2008
Despite Citi's selloff, SIVs still safeWe've been closely following the structured investment market in the wake of the subprime mess, and word comes this week that Citigroup has slashed the...
May 28, 2008
Use technology to support serviceTo distance yourself from your competitors you need to develop technological strategies that allow you to provide the same quality of service to each of...
May 28, 2008
Here comes the sun?Niche ETFs like the solar fund recently launched by Market Vectors are increasingly popular among investors concerned about which companies their portfolios are invested in,...
May 28, 2008
So much for women and children firstMost married men claim Social Security benefits at age 62 or 63. This is well short of both Social Security's Full Retirement Age and the...
May 28, 2008
Where can advisors and reps expect close regulatory scrutiny?Under qualified for oversight? Fines continue to rain down on firms for wrongfully using unregistered executives in key compliance supervisory positions. Research disclosure? FINRA...
May 28, 2008
Limiting bid-ask spreadsClients in exchange-traded funds can't avoid the trading cost caused by "bid-ask spreads" - the small premiums they pay every time they buy and sell....