Delta Equity Services Corp.

Practice Management Ideas For RIAs

Kathy Sargent — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:17:32 +0000

Webex Thursday, May 17 at 4 P.M. Eastern

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/860660761

At this webinar, you will hear practice management ideas that will save you time and money or increase your marketing reach, including how to:

Archive emails, tweets and other social content compliantly
Put your practice in the cloud using Microsoft Office or Google Apps
Batch process and deliver any document to clients securely
Stream financial news compliantly on social networks
Design your website for mobile devices

The session will be led by Andrew Gluck, founder and CEO of Advisor Products.

The MarketingSmart Webinar Series is a free monthly program produced by Advisors Products.

Register for this session and you can receive a free trial for Advisors4Advisors.com, a portal for advisor news and practice management ideas.

View previous webinars

Monthly Fixed Income Market Commentary Call

Kathy Sargent — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:53:31 +0000

Monthly Fixed Income Market Commentary Call: Fixed Income Market Update
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (ET)

Pershing’s May 2012 Fixed Income Market Commentary Call will be held on Wednesday, May 16, 2012.

The agenda is as follows:

Introduction

Kathleen Canavan, Vice President, Pershing, a BNY Mellon company

Fixed Income Market Update

Tom DeQuinzio, Vice President, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC
Marvin Loh, Managing Director, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC
David Manges, Managing Director, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC

To Participate in the Call
Please note that registration is required. We ask you to register to let us know if you will be attending so that we may set aside an appropriate number of call-in lines to properly accommodate all callers.

Please call in five to ten minutes prior to the call to allow the operator ample time to admit all participants.

We encourage you to share this invitation with associates at your firm who can benefit from this call.

We hope that you will be able to join us on May 16.

Financial Markets Still Offer Opportunities But Geopolitical Factors Will Shape 2012

Kathy Sargent — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:37:48 +0000

Financial Markets Still Offer Opportunities But Geopolitical Factors Will Shape 2012, According to New BNY Mellon-sponsored Economist Intelligence Unit Research

Survey shows almost 50% of respondents expect at least one country to exit the eurozone in the next 12 months

LONDON, May 10, 2012 — The second annual BNY Mellon-sponsored survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has found that almost half (47%) of respondents believe that we will see the exit from the euro zone of one or more peripheral countries in the next 12 months, and only 17% of survey respondents consider the EU among their top markets for asset price growth potential in the next 12 months. Meanwhile, the EIU identifies an oil price spike, tied in part to tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, to be the main obstacle to global growth.

A survey of some 800 institutional investors and corporate executives drawn from 77 different countries, The Search for Growth: Opportunities and Risk for Institutional Investors in 2012 examines investor views about the prospects for growth across a range of asset classes, sectors and regions. According to the survey, global investors feel moderately optimistic about growth prospects over the next 12 months, in large part to the apparent stabilisation of the European debt markets, which is buying time for EU member states to engineer an economic recovery. But opinions among survey respondents and interviewees vary widely according to region – especially given the dramatically different growth prospects of emerging Asian and euro zone countries.

“The attitudes and perspectives of institutional investors globally, and how those sentiments are changing from year to year, are obviously a key focus for BNY Mellon. By combining the thorough quantitative analysis of the EIU with our own insights around where and how financial assets are moving and being allocated, we are able to better understand how organizations and businesses are thinking about risks and challenges in this post-crisis economy,” said James Palermo, vice-chairman and CEO of Global Client Management at BNY Mellon.

Speaking at Economist Conferences’ Bellwether Europe summit in London today, Cynthia Steer, Head of Manager Research and Investment Solutions at BNY Mellon Investment Management, discussed how south-south trade relations are redrawing the financial map of the world. “I believe we are on the verge of a revolutionary new chapter in emerging markets investing, as burgeoning trade relations between developing countries create a new South Silk Trade Route,” said Steer.

The EIU research found that, while investors appear buoyed by recent events, the fundamentals of the global economy have not improved significantly, and new risks have arisen to replace older ones. Following the stockmarket rally that opened 2012, the survey begs the question whether investors are pinning too much hope on what appears to be just a slight respite in financial markets. Survey responses indicate that investors believe the principal risks the market will face in 2012 relate to geopolitical events rather than strictly market-based developments.

Key findings from the report include the following:

Investors see some opportunities in global financial markets – among survey respondents, 85% perceive significant opportunities, although 51% acknowledge that there are major downside risks. The easing of the European debt crisis, coupled with a somewhat better economic performance in the US, has created a more stable outlook for financial markets – though this relief may prove to be short lived.

Geopolitics rather than market forces will govern the outcome in 2012 – hopes for further improvement hinge less on economic activity generated by the private sector than on governments’ ability to play their geopolitical roles properly. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s forecast still places the threat of an oil price spike, tied in part to tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, as the main obstacle to global growth.

European investors are more optimistic than the global aggregate about the euro zone’s future – almost half (47%) of survey respondents agree that an austerity plan would be likely to collapse in one or more peripheral euro zone countries, prompting the exit of one or more in the next 12 months. But less than one-third (29%) of European investors think this scenario is likely.

Investor sentiment echoes grim forecast for the euro zone – only 17% of survey respondents consider the EU among their top markets for asset price growth potential in the next 12 months. More than 60% expect the euro itself to decrease in value—the worst projected performance for any currency covered in the survey and a dramatic turnabout from 2011, when 53% of respondents expected the euro to appreciate.

Low levels of capital investment temper opportunities – less than half (45%) of respondents think that businesses will increase capital investment in 2012. Respondents from the US, where the economy is slowly improving, appear slightly more optimistic, while the majority of eurozone-based respondents expect to see capital investment decrease or remain the same as in 2011.

Slower growth in China and India shifts attention to smaller emerging economies – smaller economies are likely to benefit from demographic trends as well as economic or political factors. Forty percent of respondents based in the euro zone consider South-east Asia as offering the best potential for asset price growth, the second most highly selected region or country.

Positive opportunities in the wings – over half (58%) of respondents say that a breakthrough in broadband technology that makes mobile computing more widely accessible is likely; and 66% say that this would have a positive impact on their portfolio.

A copy of the survey can be found at http://www.bnymellon.com/foresight/searchforgrowth.html

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $26.6 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.3 trillion in assets under management, services $11.9 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.4 trillion per day. BNY Mellon (NYSE: BK) is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the world’s leading resource for economic and business research, forecasting and analysis. It provides accurate and impartial intelligence for companies, government agencies, financial institutions and academic organisations around the globe, inspiring business leaders to act with confidence since 1946. EIU products include its flagship Country Reports service, providing political and economic analysis for 195 countries, and a portfolio of subscription-based data and forecasting services. The company also undertakes bespoke research and analysis projects on individual markets and business sectors. More information is available at www.eiu.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/theeiu

The EIU is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in more than 40 cities and a network of some 650 country experts and analysts worldwide. It operates independently as the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, the leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs.

Pershing Named Best Family Office Service Provider by Private Asset Management Magazine

Kathy Sargent — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:36:45 +0000

JERSEY CITY, N.J.- Pershing Advisor Solutions, a BNY Mellon company, has been recognized as the Best Family Office Service Provider in Client Service at this year’s Private Asset Management (PAM) Awards 2012, hosted by Private Asset Management magazine. Pershing was selected, in part, for its efforts to innovate and expand solutions for its customers. Also, its New Model Custodian solution was recognized as helping wealth managers and family offices identify trends, enhance operations and grow revenue.

“Receiving this distinction from Private Asset Management is an honor and is a meaningful recognition of our unique approach to technology, product innovation and service,” said Mark Tibergien, Chief Executive Officer of Pershing Advisor Solutions. “By going beyond high-level guidance and offering actionable information, personalized consulting and ready-to-execute programs, our practice management solutions address the most pressing challenges facing family offices and wealth managers. We are committed to helping advisors solve the issues they face to grow their business while managing risk.”

Additionally, Pershing is making it easier than ever to access their business and help customers address their challenges. Pershing customers are now able to access BNY Mellon’s Private Workbench and their RIA custody application all through the NetX360 platform – allowing comprehensive access to account information, reports and management tools. This development makes Pershing the only firm offering integrated brokerage and bank custody through one platform.

The second annual PAM Awards ceremony honored wealth management and advisory firms for their exceptional work with high-net-worth individuals in a volatile economic environment. Nominees were evaluated based on criteria including client acquisition, financial growth, client satisfaction, and innovative products and services.

“Pershing has become a true competitive player in the wealth space, providing unparalleled family office services.” said Kristen Oliveri, Managing Editor for Private Asset Management magazine. “The company continues to provide outstanding service to a growing number of RIAs and family offices seeking stability and support.”

Pershing LLC (member FINRA/NYSE/SIPC) is a leading global provider of financial business solutions to more than 1,500 institutional and retail financial organizations and independent registered investment advisors who collectively represent more than five million active investors. Located in 23 offices worldwide, Pershing and its affiliates are committed to delivering dependable operational support, robust trading services, flexible technology, an expansive array of investment solutions, practice management support and service excellence. Pershing is a member of every major U.S. securities exchange and its international affiliates are members of the Deutsche Börse, the Irish Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. Pershing LLC is a BNY Mellon company. Additional information is available at www.pershing.com.

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $25.9 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.2 trillion in assets under management, services $11.9 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.6 trillion per day. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com and through Twitter@bnymellon.

Pershing adds 529 plan to its platform

Kathy Sargent — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:52:50 +0000

Advisers will be able to open accounts for clients; single accounting for all investments seen as a plus.

Original Article: Investment News, By Liz Skinner, April 8, 2012

Pershing LLC is making it easier for its advisers to open college savings plans for clients, starting with the nation’s largest Section 529 plan.

This month, advisers will be able to use the Pershing platform to open accounts for clients in the CollegeAmerica plan sponsored by Virginia and administered by American Funds. That plan has $30 billion in assets. In addition, advisers will be able to include those assets in a client’s portfolio along with his or her other accounts, said Rich Calvario, Pershing’s vice president for product development.

Advisers have been asking for such omnibus accounting abilities, and many are expected to use the capability, he said. Although he wouldn’t cite figures, he said it was expensive for Pershing to make the plan available and took most of a year to roll it out.

“One of the biggest challenges for advisers is the effort involved in selling a 529 plan,” Mr. Calvario said. “We expect the steps we’re taking to make it easier for advisers to do the business will have an impact on the amount of business they do.”

Pershing expects to give advisers access to two additional 529 plans through its omnibus system by the end of the year, he said. Advisers won’t pay for this benefit and there won’t be any charges to customers or the investor, Mr. Calvario said.

A CLEARER PICTURE

Dave Hanson, branch manager of the Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. office in Wheaton, Ill., is one of the advisers who told Pershing it would help if he could open 529 plan accounts through its system.

“If money flows through Pershing, we’ll see a clearer picture of where it’s going and when it’s invested,” Mr. Hanson said.

lskinner@investmentnews.com

To read the full article, visit: http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20120408/REG/304089977

Taxation Of Non-Qualified and Incentive Stock Options

Kathy Sargent — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:25:38 +0000

Friday, April 13 at 4 p.m. Eastern

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/739075696

CFP^® CE Credit

With an improving economy, compensatory stock options are once again becoming an effective tool for recruiting and retaining top talent. And, with income tax rates increasing, non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) is also becoming popular.

At this webinar, we will discuss:

Incentive Stock Options (ISOs)
Non-Qualified Stock Options (NQSOs)
Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC)
Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA)

Guest presenter Robert S. Keebler, CPA, MST, AEP (Distinguished) is one of the nation’s leading professional educators of lawyers and accountants. A partner at Keebler & Associates, he has been named by CPA Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners and one of the Top 40 Tax Advisors to Know During a Recession. Keebler is a blogger on Advisors4Advisors and an Advisor Products subject matter expert.

To subscribe to Bob Keebler’s monthly slide shows and get access to his PowerPoint presentation that you can edit, brand, and use as your own for client meetings and seminars, visit: http://www.advisorproducts.com/products/presentations/bob-keebler-tax-analysis.aspx

Get more than 50 hours of CFP^® CE credit and more than 100 hours of IMCA^® credit on replays by registering at Advisors4Advisors.com.

Note: This webinar is eligible for CFP^® CE credit.

Pershing’s INSITE 2012 Conference

Kathy Sargent — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:12:21 +0000

The top five top reasons to attend Pershing’s INSITE 2012 Conference:

Unrivalled Guest Speakers—Check out our lineup of keynote speakers:

President Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America and Founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation
Deepak Chopra, M.D., Founder and Chairman, The Chopra Foundation
Dr. Fareed Zakaria, CNN Host, Fareed Zakaria GPS; Editor-at-Large, TIME; Columnist, The Washington Post

Innovative Breakout Sessions—Attend up to six educational breakout sessions, which provide key tools and resources to transform and grow your business
Valuable Continuing Education Credits—Earn CFP Board, CFA Institute and non-IMCA continuing education credits for selected presentations.
World-Class Exhibit Hall—Network with marquee sponsors and exhibitors.
Unbeatable Value—Take advantage of our $195 registration fee* and get unlimited access to all that this premier industry event has to offer.

You cannot afford to miss INSITE 2012! Register now.

Questions or need additional information? Visit INSITE2012.com or
e-mail INSITE@Pershing.com.

* Attendee registration is $195 if you register before 5:00 p.m. (ET) on April 27, 2012. After that, registration is $395. All attendees are responsible for their own hotel and travel expenses. Please visit INSITE2012.com for full details

Pershing Fixed Income Trading Aligns with BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC

Kathy Sargent — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:15:47 +0000

Message from Brian Shea and Ron DeCicco

Pershing Fixed Income Trading Aligns with BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC

Our industry continues to work through a period of historic economic, political and regulatory change, creating new challenges and opportunities for all of us. With this in mind, Pershing continues to seek new, innovative ways to collaborate across the BNY Mellon enterprise to create more value for you and your clients.

You may recall that last year we announced that Lockwood Advisors, Inc. would leverage the investment management expertise of BNY Mellon, enabling us to draw on the best of BNY Mellon’s investment research and portfolio management processes in Lockwood-advised managed accounts. This year, Pershing’s fixed income trading team is working with BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, a wholly owned broker-dealer subsidiary of BNY Mellon, to align our fixed income trading capabilities and increase your access to new and secondary fixed income market investment choices. Pending approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority®, we expect to complete this alignment by April 2, 2012.

This alignment will add scale, increase liquidity and expand the fixed income product offerings available to your firm and your clients. For your firm, the change will be seamless. There will be no changes to the technology platform or in the sales associates and service teams that support your business. Furthermore, your transactions will be processed in the same way, and Pershing will remain your counterparty—whether you leverage our capabilities through NetX360® or one of our specialized trading desks. Providing your firm with the highest level of service remains our top priority.

The Pershing fixed income trading alignment with BNY Mellon Capital Markets is another example of how Pershing draws on the broader BNY Mellon enterprise for your benefit. We will continue to explore opportunities to further enhance value for your firm, help you compete more effectively and better serve your clients’ investment needs.

Thank you for your continuing support and loyalty to Pershing.

PERSHING FIXED INCOME MARKET COMMENTARY

Kathy Sargent — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:09:43 +0000

MARVIN LOH – DIRECTOR, TRADING SERVICES

Chairman Bernanke proved that the word could be as mighty as the pen this week, indicating his concern over the strength of the economic and employment recovery during several speaking engagements. His view is that accommodative monetary policy was necessary to push further gains on the employment front. From the market’s perspective, this was a signal that the Federal Reserve was keeping its foot on the liquidity pedal and remained far from considering raising rates. As such, Treasuries rallied this week, regaining over half of what they lost over the past two weeks. Most assets classes we track are closing out the first quarter with some of their largest gains in years, as an overly pessimistic view at the start of the year set the stage for a powerful rally. Stocks and the riskiest fixed income assets were the largest beneficiaries, with Treasuries reporting a negative total return. With many of the rally’s drivers still in place, we see gains continuing, but carefully watch for potential storm clouds, especially from Europe where gains in various sovereign bond markets have begun to reverse. Read the full commentary now.

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments and suggestions.

BNY Mellon Maintains Ranking as Safest U.S. Bank in Global Finance Magazine Survey

Kathy Sargent — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:35:34 +0000

NEW YORK, March 2012 — BNY Mellon, the global leader in investment management and investment services, continues to rank as the safest U.S.-based bank, according to Global Finance magazine’s annual ranking of the world’s 50 safest banks. This is the fourth year in a row that BNY Mellon has been ranked as the top U.S. bank.

The Global Finance rankings of the World’s 50 Safest Banks are based on an evaluation of long-term credit ratings from the principal rating agencies and total assets of the 500 largest banks worldwide. In the first-ever midyear update of the Global Finance rankings, BNY Mellon maintained its standing as the safest bank in the U.S. Only five banks in the U.S. made the most recent rankings, which will be published in April.

“More than ever, long-term creditworthiness is the key feature of banks for customers around the world,” said Global Finance publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. ”The banks included in our ranking have solid capital positions and superior risk management capabilities.”

“Our top ranking for U.S. banks during the past four years reflects the successful execution of our strategic focus on capital creation and risk management. We’ve been there for our clients throughout this period, thanks in large part to our sustained financial strength,” said Gerald L. Hassell, chief executive officer of BNY Mellon.

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $25.8 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.26 trillion in assets under management, services $11.8 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.5 trillion per day. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Learn more at www.bnymellon.com and through Twitter @bnymellon.