In the News

Amid Hartford Split, Woodbury’s 1,600 Reps Face Tough Choice

15:51 23 March in In the News by rafferty

The decision to put the b/d on the block took many by surprise. So will Woodbury’s reps stick around to find out who the new owner will be? By Diana Britton as published in Registered Rep, March 23, 2012 Insurance giant The Hartford announced plans Wednesday to sell its life insurance and retirement businesses, as well as Woodbury Financial Services, the firm’s independent broker/dealer. The news leaves Woodbury’s 1,600 reps faced with the tough choice: Find another broker/dealer or stick around and see who the new owners will be. Putting Woodbury on the block took many by surprise. The firm had been aggressively recruiting, and had hired Gary Bender in May 2011 as new vice president of acquistion and retention. But it has been widely reported that hedge fund manager John Paulson, The Hartford’s...

The Hartford Breakup: What It Means for Woodbury Reps

21:45 22 March in In the News by rafferty

by John Sullivan and featured in AdvisorOne March 22, 2012 “It’s part of a trend of large insurance companies parting ways with their broker-dealers,” a research director with FA Insight said One day after announcing its exit from the life insurance and annuity businesses and the potential sale of Woodbury Financial Services, The Hartford remains mostly mum on the details moving forward. Industry recruiters and watchers, however, have plenty to say about what they believe to be the reasons behind the move and its potential impact on the advisor space. “It’s part of a trend of large insurance companies parting ways with their broker-dealers,” said Dan Inveen, director of research with Tacoma, Wash.-based FA Insight. “It’s tougher to earn money off of annuity-based products, primarily due to lower interest rates. But regardless of the interest rate environment, it’s...

Lincoln to hit some RIAs with up to $20K in new fees

00:56 16 March in In the News by rafferty

March 15, 2012 by Bruce Kelly and featured in Investment News Lincoln Investment Planning Inc., a fast growing independent broker-dealer, is hitting its reps and advisers who run their own RIAs with a new, annual supervision and compliance fee of up to $20,000. Lincoln executives sent a letter this week to those reps and advisers who have their own registered investment advisory firms to inform them of the new fee. The supervisory fee will range from $5,000 to $20,000 and is based on the number of advisers at each practice, the assets managed - and Lincoln Investment's opinion of the risk, according to Ed Forst, the firm's CEO. The fee hike, which is scheduled to take effect on July 1, will affect about a dozen offices of Lincoln Investment Planning reps and advisers, said Mr....