For the first time, financial advisors have contested the rising penalties in cases of pre-signed and altered forms, which could help other advisors who face sanctions for forms violations. The contested cases also injected a new perspective on sanctions: penalty decisions aimed at general deterrence should be evidence-based. Recent evidence, in the form of enforcement stats, potentially shows progress on deterrence. Get all the details and the implications.

Advocis has settled with Huntsville, Ont.–based SeeWhy Financial Learning Inc., which sued the association for nearly $100,000 for non-payment of study materials. With this matter settled, Advocis still faces two other claims.

Online investors who slip into day trading could face an unexpectedly large tax bill. And without hard rules governing the type and frequency of trading activity that will trigger interest from the Canada Revenue Agency, it’s easy to run into trouble.

Nobel Prize–winning economist and psychologist Daniel Kahneman died recently at age 90, and industry participants weighed in on how his research influences decision-making and financial advice.

Speaking of financial advice, I’ve been thinking about what happens when clients don’t understand your value proposition, even an objectively compelling one. Do you address this challenge in your practice? Let me know how.