Fiduciary Links: FINRA wants you to focus on your clients
Posted by fi360 Team on January 06, 2014
>>>>In his new Fiduciary Corner column for InvestmentNews, Blaine looks at FINRA’s recent conflicts of interest report and how the broker-dealer regulator has begun embracing fiduciary principles. Both the report and Ketchum’s comments are interesting in that they suggest broker-dealer businesses go beyond minimum regulatory thresholds and adopt a firm-wide culture for ethical and informed decision making by both advisors and their clients. This goes along with a theme we’ve been speaking on over the past few months, that despite the action or inaction of law-makers and regulators, the market is moving forward with demanding a greater emphasis on fiduciary principles. In order to remain competitive, the forward-thinking brokerage firms are responding by making sure the proper emphasis is on client needs and the unique value the broker-dealer business model can serve.
For more, read Blaine’s entire column at InvestmentNews.
>>>We have some exciting news to report; the AIF Designation has been added to Nebraska’s list of certifications and designations permitted in advertising by adviser and broker-dealer representatives. Nebraska has one of the most restrictive policies when it comes to which credentials advisors can use in their advertising and is often looked to for guidance on which credentials stand up under review as being an indicator of value to investors, in general, and seniors, in particular. The AIFA Designation is also on the list.
Now on to the rest of the week’s best links:
News and columns from the leading trade, consumer, and mainstream media:
- Feldstein to Summers predict stronger US growth in 2014 [InvestmentNews]
- How many more wolves are left on Wall Street? [InvestmentNews]
- How your firms can stay compliant when serving seniors [InvestmentNews]
- How to play alternative investments in 2014 [ThinkAdvisor]
- Happy 100th birthday, Merrill Lynch. We miss you. [InvestmentNews]
From the organizations/associations/government/academia:
- Tips on Educating New Advisors [NAPA Net]
- FINRA releases 2014 regulatory and exam priorities [FINRA]
- FINRA reminds firms of their responsibilities concerning IRA rollovers, Regulatory Notice 13-45 [FINRA]
From the blogs:
- Longevity derivatives seem poised for further growth. [Pension Risk Matters]
- Trending topics for ERISA plan sponsors. [Fiduciary News]
- Chasing returns [Getting Your Financial Ducks in a Row]
- A New Year, a New You [FPA Practice Management Center]
- Why is our 401(k) Industry on the Defensive? [Ascensus blog]
- What the RIA Hippocratic oath would look like – in plain English [RIABiz]
- It's time to rethink bond allocations [Investment Insights: IN blog]
Articles your clients are reading (or should be):
- Ready or not, here comes retirement. [US News]
- The downside of early retirement. [US News]