Oct. 30— An Atlanta area man described as a friend of John J. Woods, the former Chattanooga businessman who has pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge related to a Ponzi scheme, is accused by federal regulators of aiding the alleged activity. (c) 2023 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press. Visit the Chattanooga Times/Free Press at www.timesfreepress.com.
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Attorney General Ken Paxton's long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges has been set for April 15. State District Judge Andrea Beall scheduled the trial during a hearing Monday morning in Houston. Dan Patrick presided over that trial and has faced intense criticism for taking $3 million from a pro-Paxton group in the lead-up to the trial.
President Biden to announce new actions to protect retirement security by cracking Down on junk fees in retirement investment advice.

Biden Labor Department taking direct aim at FIAs in new fiduciary rule
Federal regulators are taking yet another crack at extending a fiduciary rule to annuity sales, this time with tighter messaging and full-throated White House backing.

How to use a client portal to drive better client outcomes
Financial technology – especially client portals – can have a profound impact on advisors and their clients, according to a recent study.
In this sneak peak from the Action Alerts PLUS investing club, team member and technical analyst Bob Lang explains the key clues the bond market holds about the Federal Reserve, markets and more. BOB LANG: Well, when yields rise, J.D., it means borrowing costs are much more expensive, and it costs more money to buy a house, to get a loan. I think not only– when you talk about…
SAN FRANCISCO– One year ago, billionaire Elon Musk walked into Twitter' s San Francisco headquarters with a white bathroom sink and a grin, fired its CEO and other top executives and began transforming the social media platform into what is now known as X. X looks and feels something like Twitter, but the more time you spend on it the clearer it becomes that it's…

Many surveyed say retirement confidence shaken
More than one-third of U.S. adults surveyed express shaken confidence in their retirement preparedness, according to a recent study.

How to use your powers of persuasion to increase referrals
Persuasion is a skill that helps you present your ideas in such a way that someone wants to take action.

For younger generations, money trumps marriage for personal happiness
Many younger Americans believe that financial stability is a stronger determinant of personal happiness than the person they marry, a recent study finds.
If you've invested in an IRA for many decades, it may well turn into a key source of income for your retirement. Still, you might not deplete your IRA in your lifetime, especially if you also have a pension or a 401 and other investment income. So, if your IRA still has sizable assets after your passing, it would likely end up in your estate plan.
When is a $1.47 million retirement fund not actually $1.47 million? Many baby boomers also have pensions and Social Security, two leading sources of income that people tend to overlook and fail to consider how these will affect their tax rate. There is no doubt that a 40 i is one of the best savings vehicles for retirement; however, while a $1.47 million balance is…
Williams, 33, pleaded guilty to 15 felonies, which included misusing Social Security numbers, making false statements to the IRS, and wire fraud. She also used Social Security numbers that did not belong to her to open accounts with credit card companies and banks, causing financial losses to victim companies. Furthermore, Williams opened bank accounts using…

PIABA continues effort to prevent erasure of consumer complaints
A campaign prevent widespread erasure of consumer complaints from regulator databases has made progress, but most are expunged on request.

Investors bullish on AI as a financial advisor tool
The majority of investors surveyed believe that artificial intelligence is a game changer and will enable them to better serve their clients.
As health care costs in the United States continue to rise, and inflation remains stubborn, many Americans are losing confidence in their ability to afford their health expenses and maintain their physical and financial well-being in retirement.

Many in US feeling financially defeated, survey finds
Faced with a wide range of financial challenges, many Americans are feeling financially defeated, with only one in 10 saying they are living their definition of financial freedom.
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 19– The Western and Southern Financial Group, a life insurance company, issued the following news release:. That's the finding of a new survey report on retirement income attitudes conducted by Western& Southern Financial Group in collaboration with LIMRA, a worldwide research, consulting and professional development organization…

Hunting for a unicorn: The Fed’s quest for a soft landing
The Federal Reserve is trying to catch a unicorn by maintaining interest rates just high enough to bring inflation down to 2% without instigating a recession and painful levels of unemployment. History indicates soft landings are scarce, perhaps nonexistent, and the challenges that the U.S. economy and Fed policymakers face in the coming months show why.
As the Federal Reserve continues to battle lingering inflation from COVID-related stimulus plans, the primary weapon remains interest rate hikes to slow the economy. Despite numerous rate hikes, inflation of more than 3.7% remains sticky. The Fed has declared their stance will most likely be, "higher rates for longer."