In Practice

The majority of individual investors (58%) say they’ve lost faith in the stock market and nearly half are not likely to ever put more money into the market,...

Institutional investors are taking more time to change investment managers or asset allocations than they did before the 2008 financial crisis, according to Mellon Transition Management (MTM).

Older investors are unhappy with the traditional advice and guidance model, in which one pays for advice on investment selection, but receives planning advice as a "free" bonus.

The vast majority of investment committee members surveyed said they prefer a democratic approach. 

The results of the 2010 and 2011 403(b) Plan Surveys from the Profit Sharing/401k Council of America (PSCA) reveal some interesting differences.

Fifty-five percent of Americans planning to retire in the next seven years are confident in their ability to generate a suitable retirement income, according to a recent Cogent...

Many employees are hesitant to purchase an annuity, despite their desire for retirement income; however, some of these fears may be well-founded, Mercer says.  

Financial advisers and their clients would benefit from more precise information about their existing immediate income annuity contracts, according to the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA).

Research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) IRA Database finds that almost 40% of IRA assets are invested in equities.

A 403(b) plan sponsor survey from the Profit Sharing/401k Council of America (PSCA) and The Principal reveals sponsors are increasingly asking for help from investment advisers.

An Aon Hewitt study found that participation in defined contribution (DC) plans has reached a record high of 75.8% among eligible employees.  

Seventy-five percent of U.S. broker/dealer (B/D) and independent registered investment advisory (RIA) firms are planning to hire in the next 12 months. 

Aaron Friedman, national practice leader for nonprofit consulting at The Principal, says "there is still a huge opportunity for advisers to step in and help." 

 The majority (76%) of married female clients make financial decisions with their spouse; whereas 39% of the men consult their wives, according to research from Brinker Capital.  

Institutional investors are increasingly bullish on using exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in their portfolios, according to a new study.

Although two-thirds (66%) of the Class of 2011 who are graduating with debt say the value of college is worth the cost, one-quarter say they would have made...

A new white paper assets that emotional responses are keeping those in and near retirement from accessing professional investment help.  

Looking at all angles of a wealthy client’s finances is undoubtedly important; one group is proposing tackling all aspects of a client's life to achieve the best outcomes.    

TD Ameritrade has started a professional development program that aims to give women in financial advisory roles the tools they need to effectively market their services to female...

Drawing comparisons to the Pension Protection Act that codified best practices that were already in play, Chip Castille, managing director and head of U.S. & Canada Defined Contribution...