Wealth management

Accounting Today is in the midst of collecting submissions for its 2010 ranking of the Top Firms by AUM.

Although a consensus is building that the U.S. economy is slowly beginning to turn in a positive direction, CPAs and the financial strategists they rely upon are not urging clients to make wholesale shifts in their investment portfolios. Indeed, some are turning somewhat more cautious in the short term.

Broker-dealers are providing more sophisticated services for financial advisors and their clients in an effort to systematize best practices, bolster both efficiency and support, and prepare for potential regulatory reform.

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It's been all about the investments, particularly during the last couple of recession-laden years. However, investors need to be aware that there are plenty of other issues lurking in the background that, if not addressed properly, can come back to haunt them.

The federal government is losing millions of dollars every year due to increasing taxpayer noncompliance with Individual Retirement Account requirements, according to a new government report.

Retirement and uninsured medical expenses are the most pressing financial concerns for Americans, according to a survey conducted for the American Institute of CPAs by Harris Interactive.

Americans now feel more optimistic about nearly all aspects of their financial security, according to a new survey.

The federal government’s Financial Literacy and Education Commission has redesigned its financial literacy education Web site, www.MyMoney.gov, adding new calculators and checklists to help families with college savings plans, along with other features.

The American Institute of CPAs has relaunched its 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy site with personalized interactive tools and information to help users better manage their finances.

The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved bipartisan legislation that would require derivatives to be traded on regulated exchanges and cleared through central clearinghouses, advancing the financial regulatory reform effort.

The proportion of adult Americans who say they have been able to save money within the past 12 months splits practically down the middle, according to a new survey by the American Institute of CPAs and Harris Interactive.

Many CPAs wade into personal financial planning because it's a natural progression of their role as a trusted advisor and a compelling expansion of their tax and accounting services - not to mention an additional revenue stream.

1. What are the biggest issues facing financial planners today?

The term "basic analysis" has evolved in recent years. Where once it referred to the ability to determine a client's financial position, net worth, goals and willingness to take risks with a portfolio, more recent definitions have focused more intensely on the process of asset allocation, re-allocation and portfolio balancing.

As CPAs and investment advisors partner to map out a strategy for clients, the delicate balance between tax effectiveness and control over assets should serve as a centerpiece. This will help to create a strategy that maximizes investments, minimizes tax exposure, and helps maintain clients' long-term financial objectives.

The majority of employers who made changes to their retirement plans during the economic downturn expect to keep those changes in place throughout 2010, according to a new survey.

Both the American Institute of CPAs and the American Bar Association Section of Taxation have urged Congress to correct the current state of federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes.

With economic uncertainty still lingering, many Americans plan to use their tax refunds conservatively, according to a new survey.

IMGCAP(1)]The financial planning landscape has dramatically changed over the past five years.