Compensation and Fees
What leading financial advisors, experts and firms are saying about compensation and fees for registered representatives (both independent and employee) and registered investment advisors.
2011 Q1 Earnings: Bank of America EPS Disappoints; Merrill Profits Up 68.6%
By Joyce HansonBank of America reported disappointing Q1 2011 earnings, but the GWIM unit saw one of its strongest quarters since the acquisition of Merrill Lynch.
April 03, 2011
What Changes in the VA Market Mean for AdvisorsMy survey in this issue of the current variable annuity marketplace comes with several important take-aways. Producers would do well to take note.
April 01, 2011
Fannie, Freddie Executive Pay Criticized by Federal Housing Finance Agency ReportThe inspector general of the Federal Housing Finance Agency released a report on Wednesday criticizing federal regulators’ oversight of top executives’ pay at the beleaguered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
March 30, 2011
Federal Agencies Post Comp Rule DraftFederal financial services regulators have proposed rules that are supposed to keep "covered financial institutions" from adopting compensation systems that encourage executives, employees, directors and principal shareholders from taking excessive risk.
March 24, 2011
Scope Creep: Keeping Successful Advisory Firms From Becoming DysfunctionalScope creep's solution? Re-evaluate all the job functions that are being performed within a firm, and reallocate them in the most sensible and fair way.
February 24, 2011
Raymond James: Advisor Fees, Commissions Up 20% in Early '11The firm’s 5,300-plus FAs had total production or sales of $186 million in January 2011
January 19, 2011
2010 Q4 Earnings: Goldman Sachs Profits Plummet 53%Goldman Sachs' Q4 2010 earnings report met analysts’ expectations but disappointed them just the same because the Wall Street giant’s earnings dropped 52% from a record high in 2009.
January 14, 2011
Options for Storing Precious MetalsInvestors can use home safes, safe-deposit boxes or professional storage facilities.