by Patrick M. Kelly | Nov 9, 2012 | Financial Services Industry
By merging two of its wealth management units earlier this year the Abbot Downing Wealth Management business was launched. Under President Jim Steiner, the subsidiary, which has a “small firm feel”, caters to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with $50...
by Patrick M. Kelly | Aug 10, 2011 | Economy
Hold on…this is NOT crisis time. The downgrade was signaled three months ago when S&P declared its long-term outlook on U.S. debt as “negative,” and the financial markets have known for a long time that the U.S. financial house was not in top condition. So, what...
by Patrick M. Kelly | Jul 1, 2011 | Going Independent
It looks like Schwab is not wasting time in opening franchises with independent contractors. In fact, the San Francisco based broker is making five-year deals with dozens of financial advisors, and hopes to have between 5 and 10 opened by year’s end. According to...
by Patrick M. Kelly | Jun 10, 2011 | Financial Services Industry, Networking
Here’s a new twist to developing a pipeline of referrals. Organizing a workshop for potential clients is “old hat” and successful results are dependent on the advisor’s effectiveness in his “show and tell” presentation; how knowledgeable he is about the products he’s...
by Patrick M. Kelly | Feb 18, 2011 | Economy
Mortgage rates are on the rise, leading many to jump into the home buying market sooner rather than later. Rates have risen again to over 5%, a full percentage point higher than they were two months ago. Still, these rates are bargain basement compared to how they...
