Wealth management

Recent losses in the stock market have jeopardized the pension savings of many U.S. workers, but the alternative approaches followed by other countries may provide possible solutions as well as problems of their own.

The trustees who oversee Social Security project that retirees will not receive cost of living adjustments for the next two years.

The American Institute of CPAs is conducting a study on the best practices of CPA wealth advisors to understand what makes the most successful ones stand out from the pack.

It can be described as Fortune Magazine meets Oprah. “It” in this context is Pink Magazine and its founder, Genevieve Bos, who was on hand to usher in the formal beginning to The Forum for Women in Accounting and The Forum for Recruiting and Retention.

Forty-six percent of the 1,000 corporations polled in a recent survey said they plan to reduce or eliminate employer contributions to their 401(k) plans or already plan to do so, even as their overall benefit budgets increase.

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards is proposing to require individuals who want to become a CFP to prepare an integrated, written financial plan and present it.

You should know if your clients should sell their insurance policies

CPAS TELL CLIENTS TO CHANGE INVESTMENT STRATEGY

Market declines increase the need for estate plan reviews

NewRiver Inc. has introduced FundPoint Desktop for 529 Plans, a desktop software product designed to manage multi-layered 529 college-savings plan information.

Accounting firm Plante & Moran has introduced a “Liquidity Stress Test” tool that manufacturing businesses can use to assess their working capital needs.

SunGard and iShares are partnering on a system that will allow advisors and third-party administrators to incorporate exchange-traded funds as a standard option in retirement plans.

A new downloadable e-book aims to help CPAs, business owners, personal financial planners, and insurance consultants assess and modify their estate and financial planning to adjust to a volatile market.

IMGCAP(1)]The family CPA is often the best choice as successor trustee of the family trust.

IMGCAP(1)]Part of a CPA’s job is to evaluate the potential tax benefits of various business and estate planning strategies.

Accounting firm Conner Ash is offering wealth management and investment advisory services through its newly formed CA Advisory Group.

The Congressional Research Service has issued a new report, “401(k) Plans and Retirement Savings: Issues for Congress,” that describes seven major policy issues facing defined contribution plans:

IMGCAP(1)]One good thing that might come from all the attention on Michael Jackson's estate is that it may motivate people to get their own affairs in order. In addition, there are lessons to be learned that readers can apply to their own situation.

The American Institute of CPAs has opened a PFP Practice Portal for CPAs who are interested in becoming personal financial planners and earning the AICPA’s Personal Financial Specialist credential.

Accounting firm Breslow Starling has been accepted into the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center by the American Institute of CPAs.