May 22, 2014
A friend of mine recently passed the Series 7, completed his brokerage firm’s training program, and became a full-fledged investment rep. Through a combination of hard work and good, old-fashioned luck, he immediately stumbled across a massive wealth-management...
Apr 4, 2014
If wealth advisers are so committed to “preservation of capital,” why don’t we spend more time protecting our clients from financial predators and teaching them security techniques? Hackers, identity thieves and con men threaten portfolios every bit...
Jan 30, 2014
The big banks' wealth management units had a terrific year in 2013. Money in fee accounts ballooned as the S&P 500 rose nearly 30%. Profits ballooned, too. It was all over the news this month as earnings reports came out, and that transparency is a good thing....
Jan 16, 2014
Last week I took a cue from Clint Eastwood and talked shop with an empty chair. Here's how that conversation went. (And yes, as with the Pale Rider, you only get to hear my side). — It's January. Time for us to sit down and discuss our partnership. No, I...
Nov 22, 2013
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Bernie Madoff on Dec. 11, 2008. His guilty plea and 150-year prison sentence were almost non-events, at least compared with the finger-pointing, lawsuits and trials that have ensued. They turned the Ponzi scheme into a gift...
The New York Times describes my novels as “money porn,” “a red-hot franchise,” and “glittery thrillers about fiscal malfeasance.” Through fiction I explore the dark side of money and the motivations of those who have it, want more, and will steamroll anybody who gets in their way.