One of the advantages of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) compared to other investment vehicles is their relative liquidity. But what is liquidity for an ETF? How does that liquidity actually give ETF investors the upper hand, compared to other assets?
We must understand our clients’ purposes and how they fit together in their lives. We need to take the initiative when rebalancing is in order.
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs.
On May 3, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments on whether Massachusetts citizens will get a state-level fiduciary rule. The Fiduciary Institute submitted an amicus brief that said, emphatically, “Yes!” This is why.
Research has shown that investing in IPOs has been a bad deal – you lose money compared to a comparable index fund. But a new paper shows that certain VC-backed IPOs deliver alpha for investors.
In a recent article, I opined on the upper hand that broker/dealers have when terminating their reps. The terms of those departures, as reflected in the disclosure documents, is similarly imbalanced.
Transitioning to the independent RIA business model is the most consequential decision advisors will make in their career. A successful outcome requires choosing the right partner. That means identifying a good cultural fit, the right technology, and an open-architecture platform that affords access to the investment products that best meet a client’s needs.
The failure of SVB led to a broader concern over the stability of the financial sector. That has led to fears about client assets held at Charles Schwab, But those concerns are overblown.
Should investors build their own portfolios of bonds, or buy shares of bond funds? Is there an economic difference or just one of appearance? Are directly held bonds safer because they mature, and you get your money back? How should one decide?
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
When weighing the decision to move to the RIA model, advisors must consider the catastrophic consequences to them if they are terminated by their broker-dealer.
Forget ChatGPT, going independent or podcasts. The hottest trend growth-oriented advisors must know is the rise of the fractional marketer.
In the finance industry, the word “compliance” garners a negative connotation. Indeed, it conjures images of being paddled by a schoolteacher.
Going independent entails an immense amount of work that, depending on the size of the practice, can quickly become untenable. I’d like to offer an alternate vision for advisors to consider when pursuing the independent model.
What is social death, and how can you harness it in your marketing?
In failing to hold all those who provide financial advice to a comprehensive fiduciary standard, the SEC enacted Reg BI to enforce a “best interest” standard. Do your clients understand what that means and its implications?
Investors need body cameras. The horrifying images of five police officers beating Tyre Nichols were possible only because of the transparency of police body cameras. Words cannot do justice to what happened to Nichols, but they offer a lesson for the need for transparency in the regulation of advice.
Do you fear looking back at your career one day and asking yourself “what if” you had made a move to independence?
It’s big news that Envestnet is moving into the RIA custodial space and will soon be competing head-to-head with its biggest integration partners: an expanded Schwab platform, Fidelity and Pershing. I suspect that this is just the first of many so-called software “platforms” that will jump into the custody competition.
The process by which advisors select a TAMP is the latest illustration of fiduciary failure, and the SEC has responded with ominous rulemaking that will have questionable value to our profession.
Here are two lessons to double the value of your practice…
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.
Switching broker-dealers/RIAs is a monumental decision for financial advisors. This white paper will teach you how to successfully evaluate potential B-D/RIA partners and find the perfect fit for your financial practice by sharing valuable insights and advice from advisors who’ve been through the process of switching firms.
Banco Bradesco SA, Brazil’s second-biggest bank by market value, plans to buy more minority stakes in tech companies to speed up its expansion in the US.
The emotional component begins with the hunger to be a true entrepreneur coupled with the frustration that builds every time wirehouse management demonstrates just how little control their advisor employees have.
No one can choose the right career path for you because it all comes down to personal motivators. But that doesn't mean AssetMark can't help you get moving in the right direction. This guide helps you:
While some IAs want to understand how to break away toward forming an Independent RIA, others prefer to stay in a wirehouse or hybrid model. What’s right for you?In this guide, discover how modern tools are changing the way advisors work and why independent RIAs are growing in popularity. Plus, check out our tip list on finding the right support system for your professional journey.
While many investors think that IPOs are exciting, they are risky investments. Academic research shows overwhelmingly that the returns to investors are not commensurate with the risk.
I proclaim the pending demise of the independent broker-dealer model.
Less than a month after I recommended that an organization – specifically NAPFA – set new membership standards regarding an RIA firm’s revenue model, one has risen to take up the challenge.
You may think that going independent means you’ll have less time for client interactions—after all, you’ll have an office to run. Well, that’s not true for breakaway advisors who partner with the right firm. A recent Cerulli Associates study breaks down how much time breakaway advisors save by partnering with Commonwealth. You’ll get stats such as:
Take control of how you spend your time. Are you ready to make an informed decision about your independence? Get started today.
The Harvard Business School’s Michael Porter is the leading authority on industry structure and competitiveness. His framework shows how RIAs should think strategically about the current state and future evolution of their industry.
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’ll be the first to say that the RIA model is not for everyone.
Reg BI is the most divisive issue in the fiduciary discussion and was a focus of the discussion during September’s event.
The world is in a very different macroeconomic position today compared to the prior forty years.
CAIS is a truly open marketplace for alternative investments, where financial advisors and asset managers can engage and transact directly on a massive scale. Advisors do not have the same access to alternative investments as large institutions. Without that access, advisors have fewer tools to capitalize on opportunities or withstand market downturns. This unlevel playing field puts financial advisors at a meaningful disadvantage when building and protecting wealth. CAIS is aiming to change that.
What will happen to the clients of advisors who don’t have a formal succession plan in place?
As more advisors break away from broker-dealers and drop their series 6 or 7 registrations, the annuity industry has evolved to support and compensate them through RIA-friendly solutions.
Now that we are seeing much of this come to fruition, it is now time to turn the page to the next chapter.
Instead of focusing on the advantages fiduciary standards would provide to the profession, lobbyists who represent advisors should point to the catastrophic failures of the perverse incentives embedded in the brokerage business model.
I will provide several examples of how to reduce your real estate expenses, thus increasing your practice's profitability.
Before you evaluate your next fintech purchase, here’s what advisors need to know.
“Price matters again in investing,” according to Bob Wyckoff a managing director of Tweedy, Browne. “That serves the interests of value investors.”
US trading titans and brokerage firms are building a crypto exchange that brings investing in digital assets further into the domain of traditional finance, by mimicking the structure of how other asset classes trade.
Advisors won the last war – true professionals achieved victory by adopting fiduciary principles and providing comprehensive planning. But a new battlefront has emerged – what I call the “next argument” – and achieving victory will slow and painful.
One of the common questions I get is how to convert a friend or acquaintance to a business prospect. Use this five-step process.
The classical notion of 1940 investment advice has been hijacked and replaced by the SEC with a weak, distant cousin.
I explain how attempts to view advisor compensation through a moral lens instead of an economics lens lead to false conclusions about the relative merits of each pricing model and hence to misguided predictions for the future of planner compensation.
The views you often read on advisor compensation models and their future are misguided.
Restrictive compliance and new, rapid-fire regulatory rules pose a challenge for independent advisors who often do not have the bandwidth to respond in a timely manner. Corporate RIAs must differentiate themselves on how they can help advisors navigate this often-confusing reality. My guests today lead one of the fastest growing independent broker-dealer/RIA hybrid platforms, CoastalOne, with over 150 financial professionals nationwide. CEO and president, Charles Reiling, and chief compliance officer, Barrett Schultz will discuss new compliance realities and challenges advisors are facing, as well as the importance of fintech solutions in the modern advisor’s practice.
Trading ETFs efficiently can help reduce costs and minimize risk. Learn best practices from our capital markets team.
Looking for greener pastures, advisors are weighing their options.
A few days ago, Coinbase Global Inc.’s top lawyer issued an unequivocal rejection of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s allegations that digital tokens it offers its customers were, in fact, unregistered securities. “Coinbase does not list securities,” Paul Grewal wrote in a blog post. “End of story.”
I am not a practice management guru, but the value proposition I provide parallels the value being provided by advisors. Many don’t give themselves credit for the value they’re providing.
FINRA interprets “financial advisor” as being usable (on business cards and elsewhere) by any financial professional who holds an RIA affiliation, whether or not the relationship with the client is in fact an advisory one.
It’s a bull market for pessimism right now.
It’s a bull market for pessimism right now. We know the list of concerns is long and includes an aggressive Federal Reserve with a spotty (and that’s putting it kindly) track record of navigating a soft landing, stagflation, ongoing China lockdowns, disrupted supply chains, overly optimistic earnings estimates, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and the latest—failing crypto firms.
Before we think about the hypothetical new world order that global inflation may enter, let’s start with the good news within the United States.
Reg BI turns two on June 30th. It was supposed to help investors better understand how advisors and brokers differ and have BDs meet a “best interest” standard based on fiduciary principles. It turns out that Reg BI is doing the opposite.
I am not implying that brokerage firms that pay their advisors via a “payout” are lying, but there is no shortage of misleading when it comes to payouts.
The most consequential decision an advisor will face is transitioning to a new broker dealer. It will affect the products they can sell, the service their clients will receive, the support they will have in running their practice, and ultimately how they will be compensated. My guest today will discuss how those transitions are being navigated by advisors who are seeking better outcomes for their clients.
Mistakes are easy to make but are easier to avoid if you know what a “bad” succession plan looks like.
Headline inflation in May rose 8.6% from a year ago, accelerating from April’s 8.3% growth rate.
The advisors who figure out how to work with Generation Z will take your wealthy Baby Boomer clients away. Stop rolling your eyes and listen to why.
LPL Research looks at the May jobs report and its impact on markets and Federal Reserve (Fed) policy.
Meet a woman driven to change investment regulation and understand why it’s important that she succeeds.
RIAs can be paid to service trails-paying annuities without a broker-dealer.
Here is the just released our 2022 T3/Inside Information Software Survey. It ranks, by market share, the leading software solutions in advisory-firm tech stacks in 35 different categories.
The SEC staff has issued a statement saying to investment advisers that their fiduciary status is “extraneous.”
The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Younger Futhark runes(Hagall) (ᚼ) and (Bjarkan) (ᛒ), Harald’s initials.
Consider the upfront bonus checks often paid to advisors leaving one broker/dealer to join another. That “bonus” is not a bonus at all.
I’ll take an order of flat fees (otherwise known as retainers) with a side of financial planning. Customers are lining up out the door for this.
Why do we still refer to so many firms in the advisory profession as broker/dealers?
As a financial advisor looking to jump to independence as an RIA, you have two doors from which to choose.
On March 1, two unrelated Securities & Exchange Commission actions set out the state of its thinking on enforcing the “best interest” and “fiduciary” standards.
I am interested in any guidelines on paying and compensating my assistants.
New data on consumer preferences and behaviors during COVID shows that the advisory firms face daunting challenges with respect to staffing, differentiation and – if they are private-equity backed – financing and maintaining profitability.
The Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) model is an opportunity to build your own brand and put your clients first – but how do the economics work? Is the transition to independence worth the cost? Does the earning potential compare to wirehouse and independent broker-dealer models?
In Schwab Advisor Services’ latest white paper, The Economics of Independence, we evaluate key areas related to the financial success of a firm. By comparing revenue potential, cost control, and business equity, you can have a better idea of how the economics of independence stack up against those of your current practice.
Download this white paper to explore the rewards of independence.
Here are five ways the right partner can help you become more efficient in independence.
Here’s rough justice: FINRA’s February 9 disgraceful report on broker-dealer breaches of Reg BI came out just as the Winter Olympics was tarnished by the politics of the IOC.
Advisors who reject bucketing strategies because they won’t invest as many as five years of assets in low-yielding securities are exposing clients to risks that threaten their standard of living in retirement.
RIA Independence
ETF Liquidity: What Is It and How Does It Benefit Investors?
One of the advantages of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) compared to other investment vehicles is their relative liquidity. But what is liquidity for an ETF? How does that liquidity actually give ETF investors the upper hand, compared to other assets?
Rebalancing Your Clients’ “Purpose Portfolio”
We must understand our clients’ purposes and how they fit together in their lives. We need to take the initiative when rebalancing is in order.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs.
The Battle for Fiduciary Standards in Massachusetts
On May 3, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments on whether Massachusetts citizens will get a state-level fiduciary rule. The Fiduciary Institute submitted an amicus brief that said, emphatically, “Yes!” This is why.
Some IPOs Actually Work for Investors
Research has shown that investing in IPOs has been a bad deal – you lose money compared to a comparable index fund. But a new paper shows that certain VC-backed IPOs deliver alpha for investors.
Ask Brad: How Broker/Dealers Can Ruin a Rep’s Career
In a recent article, I opined on the upper hand that broker/dealers have when terminating their reps. The terms of those departures, as reflected in the disclosure documents, is similarly imbalanced.
How to Evaluate a Platform for RIA Independence
Transitioning to the independent RIA business model is the most consequential decision advisors will make in their career. A successful outcome requires choosing the right partner. That means identifying a good cultural fit, the right technology, and an open-architecture platform that affords access to the investment products that best meet a client’s needs.
Fears About Schwab are Overblown
The failure of SVB led to a broader concern over the stability of the financial sector. That has led to fears about client assets held at Charles Schwab, But those concerns are overblown.
The Dilemma That Isn’t: Bonds versus Bond Funds
Should investors build their own portfolios of bonds, or buy shares of bond funds? Is there an economic difference or just one of appearance? Are directly held bonds safer because they mature, and you get your money back? How should one decide?
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Ask Brad: What if My Broker-Dealer Terminates Me?
When weighing the decision to move to the RIA model, advisors must consider the catastrophic consequences to them if they are terminated by their broker-dealer.
What is a Fractional Marketer? Should You Hire One?
Forget ChatGPT, going independent or podcasts. The hottest trend growth-oriented advisors must know is the rise of the fractional marketer.
Compliance Is Not the Enemy
In the finance industry, the word “compliance” garners a negative connotation. Indeed, it conjures images of being paddled by a schoolteacher.
What it Means to be Truly Independent
Going independent entails an immense amount of work that, depending on the size of the practice, can quickly become untenable. I’d like to offer an alternate vision for advisors to consider when pursuing the independent model.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Harness the Power of “Social Death”
What is social death, and how can you harness it in your marketing?
Do Your Clients Understand What “Best Interest” Means?
In failing to hold all those who provide financial advice to a comprehensive fiduciary standard, the SEC enacted Reg BI to enforce a “best interest” standard. Do your clients understand what that means and its implications?
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
The Death of Tyre Nichols and its Lesson for Advice Regulation
Investors need body cameras. The horrifying images of five police officers beating Tyre Nichols were possible only because of the transparency of police body cameras. Words cannot do justice to what happened to Nichols, but they offer a lesson for the need for transparency in the regulation of advice.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Ask Brad: Do You Rent or Own Your Advisory Practice?
Do you fear looking back at your career one day and asking yourself “what if” you had made a move to independence?
How Custodial Competition Will Transform the Advisor Space
It’s big news that Envestnet is moving into the RIA custodial space and will soon be competing head-to-head with its biggest integration partners: an expanded Schwab platform, Fidelity and Pershing. I suspect that this is just the first of many so-called software “platforms” that will jump into the custody competition.
The SEC Outsourcing Rule and Our Failure as Fiduciaries
The process by which advisors select a TAMP is the latest illustration of fiduciary failure, and the SEC has responded with ominous rulemaking that will have questionable value to our profession.
Ask Brad: How to Double the Value of Your Practice
Here are two lessons to double the value of your practice…
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
The Trends That Will Shape the Advisory Profession in 2023
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.
Find the Best Broker-Dealer/RIA Partner for Your Practice
Switching broker-dealers/RIAs is a monumental decision for financial advisors. This white paper will teach you how to successfully evaluate potential B-D/RIA partners and find the perfect fit for your financial practice by sharing valuable insights and advice from advisors who’ve been through the process of switching firms.
Bradesco Wants to Speed Up Its US Expansion With Fintech Deals
Banco Bradesco SA, Brazil’s second-biggest bank by market value, plans to buy more minority stakes in tech companies to speed up its expansion in the US.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Lack of Control is Driving Advisors Away from Wirehouses
The emotional component begins with the hunger to be a true entrepreneur coupled with the frustration that builds every time wirehouse management demonstrates just how little control their advisor employees have.
Is Independence Right for You?
No one can choose the right career path for you because it all comes down to personal motivators. But that doesn't mean AssetMark can't help you get moving in the right direction. This guide helps you:
While some IAs want to understand how to break away toward forming an Independent RIA, others prefer to stay in a wirehouse or hybrid model. What’s right for you?
In this guide, discover how modern tools are changing the way advisors work and why independent RIAs are growing in popularity. Plus, check out our tip list on finding the right support system for your professional journey.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
The Dismal Track Record of IPOs
While many investors think that IPOs are exciting, they are risky investments. Academic research shows overwhelmingly that the returns to investors are not commensurate with the risk.
Ask Brad: Will the Independent Broker-Dealer Model Survive?
I proclaim the pending demise of the independent broker-dealer model.
The Obstacles, and Solutions, to a Post-AUM Profession
Less than a month after I recommended that an organization – specifically NAPFA – set new membership standards regarding an RIA firm’s revenue model, one has risen to take up the challenge.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Breakaway Implications: The Impact Your Firm Partner Can Have on Efficiency
You may think that going independent means you’ll have less time for client interactions—after all, you’ll have an office to run. Well, that’s not true for breakaway advisors who partner with the right firm. A recent Cerulli Associates study breaks down how much time breakaway advisors save by partnering with Commonwealth. You’ll get stats such as:
Take control of how you spend your time. Are you ready to make an informed decision about your independence? Get started today.
The Five Competitive Forces Affecting RIA Profitability
The Harvard Business School’s Michael Porter is the leading authority on industry structure and competitiveness. His framework shows how RIAs should think strategically about the current state and future evolution of their industry.
Advisor Perspectives Named Most Read E-Newsletter for Financial Advisors for Fourth Consecutive Year By Erdos & Morgan
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.
Ask Brad: The Two Big Reasons Advisors Don’t Transition to the RIA Model
I’ll be the first to say that the RIA model is not for everyone.
What We Learned in Fiduciary September
Reg BI is the most divisive issue in the fiduciary discussion and was a focus of the discussion during September’s event.
Emerging Markets Equity: Catalysts for Stock Market Leadership Transition
The world is in a very different macroeconomic position today compared to the prior forty years.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
The Future for Alternative Investing
CAIS is a truly open marketplace for alternative investments, where financial advisors and asset managers can engage and transact directly on a massive scale. Advisors do not have the same access to alternative investments as large institutions. Without that access, advisors have fewer tools to capitalize on opportunities or withstand market downturns. This unlevel playing field puts financial advisors at a meaningful disadvantage when building and protecting wealth. CAIS is aiming to change that.
Solving the Succession Planning Problem Through Partnership
What will happen to the clients of advisors who don’t have a formal succession plan in place?
Annuity Compensation for Independent Advisors
As more advisors break away from broker-dealers and drop their series 6 or 7 registrations, the annuity industry has evolved to support and compensate them through RIA-friendly solutions.
Returning from Orbit, Part 4
Now that we are seeing much of this come to fruition, it is now time to turn the page to the next chapter.
How to Fix Our Failed Approach to Fiduciary Lobbying
Instead of focusing on the advantages fiduciary standards would provide to the profession, lobbyists who represent advisors should point to the catastrophic failures of the perverse incentives embedded in the brokerage business model.
Ask Brad: How Can I Reduce My Office Expense? (Part 2)
I will provide several examples of how to reduce your real estate expenses, thus increasing your practice's profitability.
Five Things to Know Before Exploring a Fintech Integration
Before you evaluate your next fintech purchase, here’s what advisors need to know.
Tweedy, Browne: "Price Matters Again"
“Price matters again in investing,” according to Bob Wyckoff a managing director of Tweedy, Browne. “That serves the interests of value investors.”
Wall Street-Backed Crypto Exchange EDX Markets Is Set for November Debut
US trading titans and brokerage firms are building a crypto exchange that brings investing in digital assets further into the domain of traditional finance, by mimicking the structure of how other asset classes trade.
The Next Challenge Facing the Advisory Profession
Advisors won the last war – true professionals achieved victory by adopting fiduciary principles and providing comprehensive planning. But a new battlefront has emerged – what I call the “next argument” – and achieving victory will slow and painful.
How to Convert a Friend into a Client Without Being Creepy
One of the common questions I get is how to convert a friend or acquaintance to a business prospect. Use this five-step process.
How Manipulative Language Muddied the Meaning of Advice
The classical notion of 1940 investment advice has been hijacked and replaced by the SEC with a weak, distant cousin.
The Future of Financial Planning Advice, Part 2
I explain how attempts to view advisor compensation through a moral lens instead of an economics lens lead to false conclusions about the relative merits of each pricing model and hence to misguided predictions for the future of planner compensation.
The Future of Financial Planning Advice, Part 1
The views you often read on advisor compensation models and their future are misguided.
The New Compliance Challenges Facing Advisors
Restrictive compliance and new, rapid-fire regulatory rules pose a challenge for independent advisors who often do not have the bandwidth to respond in a timely manner. Corporate RIAs must differentiate themselves on how they can help advisors navigate this often-confusing reality. My guests today lead one of the fastest growing independent broker-dealer/RIA hybrid platforms, CoastalOne, with over 150 financial professionals nationwide. CEO and president, Charles Reiling, and chief compliance officer, Barrett Schultz will discuss new compliance realities and challenges advisors are facing, as well as the importance of fintech solutions in the modern advisor’s practice.
ETF Trading Tactics
Trading ETFs efficiently can help reduce costs and minimize risk. Learn best practices from our capital markets team.
An Uncertain Future for Frustrated FAs
Looking for greener pastures, advisors are weighing their options.
Coinbase’s ‘End of Story’ Is Just the Beginning for Crypto Regulation
A few days ago, Coinbase Global Inc.’s top lawyer issued an unequivocal rejection of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s allegations that digital tokens it offers its customers were, in fact, unregistered securities. “Coinbase does not list securities,” Paul Grewal wrote in a blog post. “End of story.”
You Provide More Value than You Realize
I am not a practice management guru, but the value proposition I provide parallels the value being provided by advisors. Many don’t give themselves credit for the value they’re providing.
FINRA’s Perversion of the Word “Advisor”
FINRA interprets “financial advisor” as being usable (on business cards and elsewhere) by any financial professional who holds an RIA affiliation, whether or not the relationship with the client is in fact an advisory one.
Reasons for Optimism As Second Half Gets Underway
It’s a bull market for pessimism right now.
Reasons for Optimism As Second Half Gets Underway
It’s a bull market for pessimism right now. We know the list of concerns is long and includes an aggressive Federal Reserve with a spotty (and that’s putting it kindly) track record of navigating a soft landing, stagflation, ongoing China lockdowns, disrupted supply chains, overly optimistic earnings estimates, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and the latest—failing crypto firms.
Could Inflation Be Entering A Higher Regime?
Before we think about the hypothetical new world order that global inflation may enter, let’s start with the good news within the United States.
Reg BI’s Unhappy Second Birthday
Reg BI turns two on June 30th. It was supposed to help investors better understand how advisors and brokers differ and have BDs meet a “best interest” standard based on fiduciary principles. It turns out that Reg BI is doing the opposite.
Lies, Damned Lies, and Advisor Payouts
I am not implying that brokerage firms that pay their advisors via a “payout” are lying, but there is no shortage of misleading when it comes to payouts.
The Key Drivers of Advisor Recruitment
The most consequential decision an advisor will face is transitioning to a new broker dealer. It will affect the products they can sell, the service their clients will receive, the support they will have in running their practice, and ultimately how they will be compensated. My guest today will discuss how those transitions are being navigated by advisors who are seeking better outcomes for their clients.
Five Signs You Have a Lousy Succession Plan
Mistakes are easy to make but are easier to avoid if you know what a “bad” succession plan looks like.
Headline Surprises To the Upside But Some Good News In The Details
Headline inflation in May rose 8.6% from a year ago, accelerating from April’s 8.3% growth rate.
How to Smash the Competition Using Advice-Only Planning
The advisors who figure out how to work with Generation Z will take your wealthy Baby Boomer clients away. Stop rolling your eyes and listen to why.
Fed Fears The Tight Job Market
LPL Research looks at the May jobs report and its impact on markets and Federal Reserve (Fed) policy.
Are You Selling a Verb or a Noun?
Meet a woman driven to change investment regulation and understand why it’s important that she succeeds.
How Breakaway RIAs Can Retain Annuity Trails
RIAs can be paid to service trails-paying annuities without a broker-dealer.
This Year’s Top-Ranked Software Products
Here is the just released our 2022 T3/Inside Information Software Survey. It ranks, by market share, the leading software solutions in advisory-firm tech stacks in 35 different categories.
SEC Staff to Investment Advisors: Fiduciary is “Extraneous”
The SEC staff has issued a statement saying to investment advisers that their fiduciary status is “extraneous.”
NewsLetter - Vol 15, No. 1 - March 2022
The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Younger Futhark runes(Hagall) (ᚼ) and (Bjarkan) (ᛒ), Harald’s initials.
Ask Brad: Why You Shouldn’t Take an Upfront Bonus Check for Changing Firms
Consider the upfront bonus checks often paid to advisors leaving one broker/dealer to join another. That “bonus” is not a bonus at all.
The Price Advisors Will Pay for Ignoring Flat Fees
I’ll take an order of flat fees (otherwise known as retainers) with a side of financial planning. Customers are lining up out the door for this.
Ask Brad: Are Broker/Dealers Dead?
Why do we still refer to so many firms in the advisory profession as broker/dealers?
Deciding Whether to Build an RIA or Join One
As a financial advisor looking to jump to independence as an RIA, you have two doors from which to choose.
SEC Charts New Strategy for a Best Interest Standard
On March 1, two unrelated Securities & Exchange Commission actions set out the state of its thinking on enforcing the “best interest” and “fiduciary” standards.
How Much Should I Pay My Staff?
I am interested in any guidelines on paying and compensating my assistants.
The Post-COVID Challenges Facing the Planning Profession
New data on consumer preferences and behaviors during COVID shows that the advisory firms face daunting challenges with respect to staffing, differentiation and – if they are private-equity backed – financing and maintaining profitability.
The Economics of Independence
The Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) model is an opportunity to build your own brand and put your clients first – but how do the economics work? Is the transition to independence worth the cost? Does the earning potential compare to wirehouse and independent broker-dealer models?
In Schwab Advisor Services’ latest white paper, The Economics of Independence, we evaluate key areas related to the financial success of a firm. By comparing revenue potential, cost control, and business equity, you can have a better idea of how the economics of independence stack up against those of your current practice.
Download this white paper to explore the rewards of independence.
Five Ways the Right Partner Helps You Master Efficiency in Independence
Here are five ways the right partner can help you become more efficient in independence.
FINRA’s “Olympic” Disgrace: Its Reg BI Report
Here’s rough justice: FINRA’s February 9 disgraceful report on broker-dealer breaches of Reg BI came out just as the Winter Olympics was tarnished by the politics of the IOC.
Why Critics of Bucketing Strategies are Wrong
Advisors who reject bucketing strategies because they won’t invest as many as five years of assets in low-yielding securities are exposing clients to risks that threaten their standard of living in retirement.