The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards should be raising the requirements to become a certified financial planning. Instead, it is making it easier to obtain the credentials, writes Rick Kahler, who is president of financial planning firm Kahler Financial Group. Kahler's column was recently published by Money. Read more...

Boston-based startup firm Gradifi has launched the Student Loan Paydown Plan, which allows business to make payments toward their employees’ student debt. So reports benefitspro.

Traditional advisors can compete with robo-advisors by being prepared to answer tough questions about fees, understanding what services clients value, expanding their referral networks, and clearly articulating the range of services they provide. So reports Advisor.Ca. Read more...

Advisors should ensure that female clients can find financial planning documents, such as life insurance policies in the event that they outlive their husbands. That is one of several steps that advisors should to make sure that female clients are prepared to become widows. So report The New York Times. Read more...