Life Events

Tight monetary policy and rising government debt will drive a regime of high interest rates, depressing stock prices and destroying the wealth of clients, most severely those at or near retirement.

The $6.5 trillion US ETF industry boomed in 2022 as innovative product debuts and market volatility fueled a near-record number of launches. But the fanfare revealed a major flaw in the space: the lack of women helming the funds.

Build your ladder with multiple target-maturity ETFs representing different segments of the bond market, with different target years.

Even after a year in which the vast majority of the wealthiest Americans lost a chunk of their fortunes — and in some cases, lost big — in at least one way, they’re still coming out ahead.

As we talk with and counsel our clients, they need to have the right emotional attitude about money and investing. And most of those attitudes center on concepts that are central to both investing and life in general.

Relative to the accumulation phase, strategies that mitigate the unique risks faced by retirees in decumulation are less understood and researched. By identifying and illustrating those risks, planners can better prepare clients for retirement.

Contrary to what financial theory predicts, new research from Europe shows that the elderly accumulate assets later in life than expected, likely because they want to leave bequests, are receiving pensions, or are reluctant to part with assets such as their homes.

I’m looking over my previous “trends” article, published at this time a year ago, and some of my ”fearless predictions” were outlandish then but now seem ordinary. That means I did something right.

They don’t make technology predictions like they used to.

Congress is on the verge of passing a bill called SECURE 2.0 to help American workers save for retirement.

The end of 2022 can’t come soon enough for many in the banking industry. Sputtering capital markets, job cuts, raging inflation, the crypto meltdown and rising interest rates marked a year of upheaval.

Grayscale Investments’ proposal to buy out certain holders of its flagship Bitcoin trust is the money manager’s latest bid to stanch losses in a fund that’s been a linchpin in the dramatic rise and fall of the cryptocurrency universe.

Over the years, clients have told me what resonated when I spoke to them. But there have been three situations that go beyond my expertise and ability to be helpful.

Here are nine tips that will help your family members stay healthy and financially secure as they age.

Allan Roth’s recent article, The 4% Rule Just Became a Whole Lot Easier, promises too much, makes inaccurate comparisons and blurs the notion of risk.

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of trading in your traditional bank for a virtual banking experience.

“I have never seen so much bearishness in the market,” Jeremy Siegel said, “which is a great sign for stock investors.”

There are two types of tax-advantaged accounts for saving for college expenses: A Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) account and a 529 Plan. While both plans have their differences and advantages, consider both as viable options.

Things are looking up for people who are close to retirement, according to a Morningstar report published Monday.

The client had been with us for more than 15 years. When she left, I called her to ask if there was anything we could have done differently or better.

One thing to consider when opening a 529 plan is whether it should be a custodial or individual account. While both allow you to save for college costs and enjoy some tax breaks, they differ in terms of who has control of the account and the assets in it.

All states and Washington, D.C. sponsor at least one 529 college savings plan. Some states provide additional tax benefits by letting you make tax-deductible contributions up to certain limits.

We’ve broken down nine of the best 529 plans.

Investment portfolios belonging to retail traders suffered a $350 billion blow this year as big bets on risky stocks and former high-fliers like Tesla Inc. backfired for the mom-and-pop set.

Here are four questions independent financial advisors should ask before choosing a TAMP.

Let’s look at the powerful feature set an advisory firm could put together from a collection of the higher-rated, low-market-share programs and solutions that I’ve collected from past surveys, many of which you may not even be aware of.

Federal Reserve officials have enough worrisome inflation data to consider raising interest rates to a higher peak than investors expect and potentially follow the half-point hike they’ve signaled this month with the same again in February.

Making apartment buildings more energy efficient can mean a massive cost to replace carbon-powered heating and cooling systems — something that’s pretty much out of reach for lower-income communities.

How can advisors turn their clients’ focus from dollars to dreams? How can making a clear connection between their real and financial lives create a meaningful client experience and add value to an advisor’s service?

As we enter the end of the year to celebrate other holidays, consider improving your emotional intelligence (EQ) and connecting with your clients in deeper and more fulfilling ways.

The Twitter chatter of Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley is good vibes only: factory photos, race tracks, corporate boosterism and a lot of retweets of Ford customers gushing about their vehicles. It’s all cars, and it’s all anodyne.

The following is a loose collection of random thoughts and observations on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Rather than a coherent article, I offer some insights that have emerged as the war has dragged on.

Here are three signals people use to let you know when they are feeling pushed.

Here are three ways you can add value in the context of insurance issues.

If you aren’t willing to niche, at least decide whether you are trying to help your clients thrive or survive. Then build a message around one of those themes. Are you selling them life rafts (survive) or sailboats (thrive)?

If you lose your job, what emotional and professional support should you expect from your financial planner?

The great quantitative easing experiment was a mistake. It's time central banks acknowledge it for the failure it was and retire it from their policy arsenal as soon as they’re able.

Advisors and their clients need to manage pressures they have not seen for 20 years: market volatility, inflation, rising interest rates and potentially higher taxes. With fixed income not holding up as a low-risk part of the portfolio, it is time to look at other strategies to protect client portfolios.

Lifetime annuities in concert with allocations to stocks, TIPS, bond ladders and other diversified investments help retirees weather changing conditions regarding inflation and interest rates.

For the first time in years, rich Americans who cheat on their taxes face a growing threat from the Internal Revenue Service.

The succession plans that come off with the fewest disruptions are those that are implemented over an extended period, especially when the successors are not family members.

How will you leverage networking’s holiday season grand finale without being perceived as the friend who is desperate for business?

Here are some of the cues that indicate a prospect has accepted what you have presented and want you to move on to the next step.

The overriding story of Vietnam is the triumph of free markets over communism.

What problem could be solved or what issue or challenge could be addressed that would offer wide appeal to the expansive advisor community? The answer that made sense to me was financial education.

Here are some suggestions to consider when remarrying.

There’s a dark side to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

How come the focus is always on the leader and never on the team members getting on board and playing their part?

China has a powerful weapon in its rare-earth dominance.

It took 16 months to pay off my husband’s student loans after we got married.

As veterans of this male-dominated industry, we have faced our fair share of challenges and uncertainty. However, that led us to venture out on our own and start solo planning firms.

When you have radiotherapy for prostate cancer, you need to drink a lot of water so that your bladder is “comfortably full.

There is an adage about three generations of wealth – the first generation makes it; the second generation maintains it and the third generation spends it.

Build a scalable marketing plan that focuses on repurposing your content.

Few would disagree that the period from 1870-2010 saw immense technological advancements that improved our quality of life. But, according to Bradford DeLong, far fewer advances lie ahead, and societies should adapt by “slouching” away from a free-market system. He’s wrong on both counts.

This is Advisor Perspectives' fourth consecutive year of ranking ahead of The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg among the e-newsletters listed, with 14% more readership across the 1,120 financial advisors surveyed. Advisor Perspectives also claimed the number one spot for e-newsletters among the independent registered investment advisor (RIA) segment.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of including a conversion page in a site build.

Clients often assume that their need for life insurance ends when they stop working. I spoke with Neil Drzewiecki, the head of life products for MassMutual Life Insurance Company, about how whole-life insurance can play an important role in your client's retirement income strategy.

When you plan for exiting your advisory practice, start by asking three questions.

Mortgage rates above 7% have put the housing market on ice as affordability challenges put off a lot of buyers. Newer, younger homeowners who locked in their mortgage at a low interest rate — and whose next move probably would be trading up — are content to stay where they are until mortgage rates fall.

Reg BI is the most divisive issue in the fiduciary discussion and was a focus of the discussion during September’s event.

Did you know that you can become more persuasive by learning how to modulate the tone of your voice?

To ensure your homepage is set up for success, I’ve listed six advisor sites that nailed their homepage messaging through copy and design.