Investment Strategies
Get the latest market outlook, as well as news and analysis on mutual funds, ETFs and alternative investments, all designed to help you construct a well-balanced portfolio for your clients
An Alternative to Target Date Funds and VAs
By Melanie WaddellStructured Investment Management (SIM) Inc., has launched a new mutual fund, the S&P 500 Capital Appreciation Fund, that it says overcomes the poor performance of...
September 15, 2008
Who's on Deck?Following the demise this year of Bear Stearns, the federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bankruptcy filing of Lehman Brothers, and the...
September 15, 2008
How the Wall St. Earthquake Will Affect ClientsHow are advisors reacting to the latest news of the changing landscape on Wall Street, with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the acquisition of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America? For one thing, they're putting it into the context of the broader credit and housing crisis that has affected...
September 11, 2008
FPA Supports Federal Oversight of Indexed AnnuitiesAs the comment period on the SEC's proposal to regulate indexed annuities as securities under the Securities Act of 1933 came to a close on September 10, the Financial Planning Association (FPA) told the SEC it supports federal regulation of indexed annuities.
September 10, 2008
Who Are the Champions?Last month, the 2008 Beijing Olympics not only witnessed new athletic speed records, it also set television records by attracting 214 million American viewers over...
September 07, 2008
U.S. Places Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Into ConservatorshipOn Sunday, Sep. 7, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced that the Treasury Department, in collaboration with the Federal Reserve and the new independent regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), had moved to place into conservatorship Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the troubled government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that have been under...
September 04, 2008
A Philanthropic Generation"Not only are young millionaires giving more than older generations, they are giving more than they have in the past," said Marguerite Griffin, national director of Philanthropic Services for Northern Trust, in announcing the results of some new Northern Trust research on charitable giving. In fact, the third annual "Wealth...
September 04, 2008
Fixing dividend investment strategiesJosh Peters, editor of Morningstar DividendInvestor, asks the question "Is dividend investing broken?" Large and small companies alike have cut their dividends this year, he...