FPPad Bits and Bytes for October 14

Today I’m giving my latest presentation on using the iPad in business at CabinetNG Collaborate 2011. Another version of this talk also adds ways financial advisers and wealth managers can use the iPad in their practices. I’ll be unveiling that one at NAPFA’s Practice Management & Investments 2011 conference in two weeks. All the details are on my speaking page.

As I wrote in prior weeks, we’ve had the calm before the storm of technology news for financial advisers. Fidelity broke the ice with announcements I highlighted in Bits and Bytes for September 30. This week, RIABiz unloaded two good articles, making up for the recent absence of news.

Now on to this week’s stories of interest:

Once good for a few million, TD Ameritrade’s foot-in-the-door strategy is starting to net billions from RIABiz.com

[Dominant custodians Schwab and Fidelity have a sizable lead in assets over TD Ameritrade, but the RIA-friendly custodian is consistently closing the gap.] Ever upwardly mobile, TD Ameritrade Institutional has courted – and won – some high-octane RIAs this year as well as capturing an increased share of the prized breakaway advisor segment.

Long a tech innard for Schwab, LPL and TD, Advisor Software is looking to push its own brand with new product from RIABiz.com

[Tech innard? How about tech core instead. Goalgami actually started as a consumer product marketed as a personal balance sheet solution. Now the Pro edition by Advisor Software leverages the tool’s unique features for advisers.] After years of offering its rebalancing software under the private labels of big-name firms, Advisor Software is launching a new planning product and selling it directly to advisors.

 Tamarac Named to 2011 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club at Tamaracinc.com

[It’s one thing to customize a generic CRM like Microsoft Dynamics, but it’s far more important to demonstrate one’s support and commitment to customer service to ensure users’ success on the platform. Tamarac appears to be doing both exceptionally well.] Tamarac, Inc., a leading provider of integrated portfolio and customer management software for financial advisors and wealth managers, has been named to the 2011 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club for its Advisor CRM solution.