The greatest transfer of wealth in history is old news – but now that baby Boomer recipients are beginning to retire, on the heels of the meltdown, how will this affect the industry?

Changing client investment parameters are leaving some firms scrambling to adapt. The aftershocks of the Financial crisis are reverberating in portfolio allocation, and sweeping changes may result for the industry, from a service provider perspective (and then of course there will be regulatory reform, but that’s another horse entirely) . With more than a trillion dollars lost by those about to retire, many would be retirees are reportedly allocating an increasing portion of assets out of growth oriented products like equities, an into income producing products and managed accounts, according to a recent report released by consulting firm Deloitte LLP. (more…)

Small brokers are reporting marked gains in client share as well higher quality Brokers. This comes as a surprise to many in financial services, since bailouts and government loans have bolstered the positions of the Big Firms.

Ironically, it may be the very fact of government intervention – combined with the failures at virtually all big firms – that has contributed to the trend. (more…)

How to evaluate a recruiter

by Chris Herbst  www.JupiterConsultantsLLC.com

In these tough times, Advisors are increasingly turning toward professional help in job seeking. In this market, some are just happy to locate a firm that doesn’t have a hiring freeze. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, as firms seem to have begun hiring again – and some of thelarger firms are reputed to be offering signing bonused, although these are most often structured as retention bonuses. Be that as it may, the market is shedding the summer doldrums and jobs are being offered. And good recruiters can be a great help. But therein lies the problem; recruiters can be very expensive to hire, and costlier still if they don’t know what they are doing or are out of touch with the latest trends.

Evaluating recruiters is a difficult task in and of itself. One may find recruiters promising pay jumps of 250%, maybe even 300%. Others promise little. Some recruiters enjoy near celebrity status from prolific writings, while others maintain a stealth approach. So how does one evaluate a recruiter? (more…)

The business news these days can be downright demoralizing. Housing is in the tank. The sub-prime mortgage debt crisis has made credit much tighter and more expensive. Oil costs are driving energy prices up. Fear of recession has shaken consumer confidence.

What if you could capitalize on the current slowdown without tearing your company apart, and come out stronger than ever? You can. When this particular kind of toxic event occurs, here is a sure-fire “antidote.” (more…)

Each year brings new excitement for football fans. “Maybe this year we will win it all!” Enthusiasm and spirits are running high – just like the beginning of a new year for a sales team. “This year will be the year everything comes together and we beat our competition and move up the market share rankings!” (more…)

Look at just about anyone’s workspace these days and you’re bound to see the same thing: piles and piles of paper…on the desk, on top of the filing cabinet and even on the floor. Paper has seemingly overrun many offices, causing stress, confusion, and a lapse in productivity. (more…)

Picture a crisp, clear spring day. You’re flying 633 mph at 22,000 feet, with your wingman two miles off and exactly ninety degrees to your right on a combat mission in southern Iraq’s no-fly zone. You’re both scanning for enemy aircraft, surface-to-air missiles (SAMS), and radar activity. Over half of your time is spent “checking six”—looking behind you and your wingman for unseen threats or movement. (more…)

by Skip Moen

Solomon, the son of King David and Bathsheba, was the last ruler of the united kingdom of Israel. His reign— between 961 and 922 BC—was by all accounts the most prosperous and peaceful of all the Israelite kings. While later historians have embellished many of the stories of Solomon, there is no doubt that he displayed considerable vision and skill, particularly in practical matters of the state and the administration of justice, and secondly in the areas of academics and teaching. He was a patron of the literary arts, an architect and planner of some renown, and a commercial giant. (more…)

Alicia is 9 years old. She likes Barbie dolls, kittens and Brittany Spears’ music. She has a great smile, sparkling eyes and an insatiable curiosity. But Alicia has something that most 9-year-olds don’t: a daily battle with pain. Alicia has cerebral palsy.
Alicia knows the inside of a hospital like the back of her hand. She knows the frightening experience of having a body that is out of her control. She knows what it’s like to have people stare and whisper and shake their heads in dismay. And she knows that her life will always be different.
What Alicia doesn’t know is that she isn’t even on the radar screen of a lot of people who could help.
The problem isn’t that these people wouldn’t help if they knew. The problem is that Alicia doesn’t meet the measure of worthwhile clients. In the financial industry, Alicia has no net worth, and therefore she doesn’t exist. (more…)