Wealth management

Tax season is in full bloom and Americans are up to their elbows in statements, receipts and 1099s, but it may be a good time for people to clean up their finances while they’re doing their spring cleaning and taking their taxes to their accountants.

U.S. workers are more pessimistic about their prospects for a comfortable retirement than at any time in the past two decades, according to a new survey.

IMGCAP(1)]The recent announcement of a merger between Deutsche Boerse AG and the New York Stock Exchange leads many to believe that an acceleration of the conversion from U.S. GAAP to International Financial Reporting Standards for public companies may occur.

Recent policy changes in areas such as cost basis reporting, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, and the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 are likely to create significant compliance, reporting and monitoring risks and consume resources as companies continue to move toward economic recovery, according to KPMG.

The American Institute of CPAs has introduced a free checklist that accountants can download, personalize and use to update clients on how the recent tax cut extension legislation may affect their estate planning.

NetBasis is offering an online tool to help investors and brokers comply with the new cost basis reporting rules.

Financial services organization Harris has launched a new Web site to go along with its new financial education program, Helping Money Make Sense.

Corporate management and boards of directors should be prepared for questions from shareholders about turmoil in the Middle East, rising energy costs and new rules in the Dodd-Frank Act during their companies’ annual general meetings this year, according to BDO USA LLP.

Many taxpayers continue to be affected by the U.S. recession, especially if they were strapped for funds in 2010 and needed to borrow from their 401(k).

GAO: FINANCIAL PLANNERS ARE REGULATED ENOUGH

Investing globally has garnered a great deal of attention recently. It's on the minds of clients, advisors and the manufacturers of everything from exchange-traded funds to separate accounts.

Tax advisors often recommend that investors purchase municipal bonds issued in the state where they reside to avoid state and local taxes on the interest income. However compelling this strategy may appear, it also results in increased risk.

Financial advisors and wealth managers cited referrals from existing clients as the most successful way of gaining new clients, while the most popular marketing tactic was sponsoring or hosting events that allow for face-to-face networking.

Little more than half of Americans have more money in their emergency savings accounts than the amount of credit card debt they owe, according to a new study.

American consumers are reporting improved financial health coming out of the recession, according to a recent survey.

Half of Baby Boomer clients who have postponed retirement due to the economic downturn expect to work at least four years longer than they originally planned, according to a new survey of CPA financial planners.

Nearly two-thirds of finance executives predict the U.S. economy will fare better this year than last year, according to a new survey.

Employees as a whole made significant improvements to their finances in 2010, despite a tepid economic recovery and sluggish rebound of job and real estate markets, according to a new study.

IMGCAP(1)]Crisis, what crisis? That’s what some financial planners are saying as they look back to 2010. But for many other financial planers, the landscape of their financial planning practice has changed forever—some for better and some for worse.

The youngest generation in the workforce has become more engaged in the past two years learning about the benefits that can help protect them financially, according to a new study.