Without understanding people – how they think and act, and what they believe – you can’t effectively help them, no matter how good you are at planning or asset allocation.
A digital-marketing audit typically includes an analysis of the following elements.
Republican and White House negotiators are moving closer to an agreement to raise the debt limit and cap federal spending for two years, according to people familiar with the matter, as time grows short to avert a catastrophic US default.
AI’s arrival will have an increasingly large impact on our lives. That includes investing and, especially, other aspects of financial planning.
For this edition of Bull vs. Bear, James Comtois, and Elle Caruso discussed the pros and cons of using single-stock ETFs to express opinions on stock earnings.
As financial advisors and wealth managers, we want our ultra-high net worth clients to emulate the Rockefellers, not the Vanderbilts.
No one is bragging about the index fund they own to their friends.
Here’s what you can do to make your website compliant with the ADA and accessible to all.
Here’s why I started the Externship and why it matters.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to link spending cuts to an increase in the US debt limit would result in fewer teachers and more expensive college educations, the Biden administration warned...
Many advisors today are helping clients with a broad range of their financial planning needs.
Charitable planning is an important topic to discuss with your clients, especially if they’re facing extraordinary taxable events this year. You can add value to your clients by sharing these tax-smart giving strategies for 2023.
The goal of marketing is to garner loyalty among existing clients while also attracting new ones to drive growth and profitability for your firm. To implement engaging messaging, follow these tips…
The 2023 T3/Inside Information Software Survey is now available. It’s the best guide to the 300+ fintech solutions in the marketplace, and a good buyer’s guide for advisory firms that are looking for additions or enhancements to their tech stack.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this will be the “longest” letter I’ve sent you in a while, as there are quite a few pictures. It may also be the most wide-ranging.
If your clients still have jobs, this article will discuss what you can do to help them prepare for a possible layoff.
What can we, as advisors, do to promote healthy finances?
Let’s explore whether the CFP Board, the most powerful and prominent organization supporting the advisory profession, can do more to support the adoption of a full fiduciary standard. We’ll also ask whether the CFP Board actually owns the trademark for “certified financial planner,” as it claims.
There are several ways to include philanthropic giving in your estate plan. Here are five common options.
Like all trusts, a charitable trust is a legal entity that you create for the purpose of holding and managing assets. The trust is wholly separate from you. It owns any assets it holds, pays taxes and requires management just like any other legally recognized entity.
Changes for investors include RMD age increases, higher catch-up contribution limits and a new 529 transferal option.
Special needs trusts and ABLE accounts are the pillars of special needs funding. I have a professional here to discuss the differences between them and how each can be used to maximize financial resources. This includes protecting government benefits, understanding eligibility requirements, guidelines for use, and funding options. The discussion will explain how you can best support families to provide quality of life and a lifetime of care.
Behind the five-decade low US unemployment rate of 3.5% lies a 2.6 million-person mystery.
Advisors must redesign their entire approach, starting from the client's point of view.
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.
Here are nine tips that will help your family members stay healthy and financially secure as they age.
The economics teams looks back at the most significant stories we covered during 2022.
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of trading in your traditional bank for a virtual banking experience.
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.
Disabled workers are helping close the labor gap thanks to remote work.
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.
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)?
Two aspects of the financial markets operate simultaneously. Emphatically, they do not operate alternately, but simultaneously. One aspect is driven entirely by arithmetic. Every security is a claim to some long-term stream of cash flows that will be delivered to the holder, or series of holders, over time.
Our annual ESG manager survey of active managers assesses the integration of ESG considerations in investment processes among equity, fixed income and private markets managers, and spotlights firmwide policies, use of data, engagement and integration.
My guest today will discuss how he works with UHNW/HNW individuals and families when it comes to charitable giving and meeting philanthropic needs. We will talk about the issues individuals should consider when making a gift of a business interest to a public charity. We will discuss the benefits for donors in making the decision to give a gift of a business interest to a public charity, the types of business interests that a donor may give to charity and the trends he’s seeing across his client base when it comes to charitable giving strategies such as this one.
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.
Here are some suggestions to consider when remarrying.
I’d like to share an example of what happened when one of my clients chose the wrong provider.
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.
There are no easy answers when it comes to caring for, educating, and supporting individuals with special needs. For long range-planning, families’ primary concerns include many issues:
Here to discuss those issues are two experts in the field of special-needs planning. They are part of a practice called the Special Needs Funding Coach, which is based in Red Bank, NJ.
Here are five steps female financial advisors should take when putting a continuity plan in place for their firm.
Let's break down four guaranteed approaches you can implement to improve your client experience and increase your prospect conversions by creating exclusivity, setting client expectations from the beginning, sticking to your process of success, and practicing your interactions.
Today I want to talk about why the labor market is so out of balance. Some of this is new and some has been brewing for many years. We will end with some commentary on yesterday’s unemployment report.
The search for information and direction about financial assistance and special-needs planning can be especially frustrating for caregivers.
When you choose a client niche, you may find that the focus is too narrow or too broad. Here’s how you can remedy the situation.
Millennials are self-centered and allergic to commitment. They switch jobs every six months and will never buy homes. And don’t get them started on marriage and kids.
I wrote an article last month regarding the 10 things I got wrong about financial planning over my 20-year career. As it happens, I also got some things right and was happy when I was asked to write about them.
One area that needs an investment of time and resources to improve the client experience is the onboarding process, wrought with paperwork.
Let me give you an example of what it truly means to serve a niche.
While growth and succession can be accomplished using a DIY approach, there are benefits (professional and personal) that come with working with a strategic partner to achieve those goals.
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.
In estate planning, “equal” isn’t necessarily the same as “fair.”
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.
What do you need to know about selecting the best stock photos to support your marketing strategy?
Based on my anecdotal experience, I’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that many advisors are clueless about what it means to be a fiduciary.
While it’s likely we are already in an as-yet-undeclared recession, it’s a very weird one if so. I have lived through quite a few of them and I don’t recall any other recession coinciding with record-low unemployment, plentiful job openings, and jammed airports.
Most advisory firms that specialize in wealth management use three technology platforms: financial planning software, portfolio accounting software, and a CRM software. Let's take a closer look at the functionalities and costs of each.
Persuading prospects to engage in financial planning is a struggle. Even when this obstacle is overcome, convincing them to implement the plan can be equally daunting.
What are the most common scenarios that give rise to private foundations converting to DAFs (or making a thoughtful decision not to convert), while preserving the original donor’s intent and satisfying the administrative concerns of surviving family members?
Many of my clients or their kids will face repaying student loans. And given the inflationary environment and related rising interest rates, some of them will need to make careful choices about prioritizing their payback plans.
To celebrate Pride Month, four PIMCO executives share their perspectives on inclusion and diversity in the workplace and the importance of visible representation.
I have identified a few opportunities within my portfolio and wealth management practice that prompt consideration for your own strategies as you plan for large estates.
I would be very concerned if my financial planner didn’t have their own planner. Research shows that financial planning results in increased emotional and financial wellbeing, even for clients who are planners themselves. Use our Premium membership to add your logo to this article and send it to your clients and prospects.
Social Security has a problem.
Even as the US real estate market shows signs of cooling, inflation and higher interest rates are making it difficult for young house hunters to buy properties — at least on their own.
Using this five-question framework will go a long way to help you be effective as you work with foreign-born families in the U.S.
How are advisors coping with the new Department of Labor (DOL) rollover rules? Here are a dozen observations.
Every advisor will agree with the goal of giving their clients peace of mind. But there’s mounting evidence few actually do. Why is that?
Only 5% to 6% of people 50 and older include charitable giving in their wills.
The surging popularity of direct indexing has led to confusion. Some believe it is barely indistinguishable from indexed investing, while others claim it is active management “in drag.”
An outdated website will tarnish your brand and cause you to miss opportunities to grow your reputation, reach, and revenue.
Can I afford to retire? Is it the right time? Here is how I answer those questions from my clients.
Comparing advisors to big-rig truck drivers makes more sense that you think, once you consider the eerie similarities in their business models.
For years, small accounts have been overcharged and underserved. I’m encouraged, however, by what I see some advisors doing, I wish the rest of the profession were inspired to similarly elevate the value provided for the price charged small clients.
In my work with clients, one of the most important services I provide, in addition to coaching on finance, estate planning, and investing, is facilitating cross-generational conversations about what it means to have wealth, and especially about what it means to use wealth wisely.
The number of business locations increased in almost three-quarters of U.S. counties over the two years through September 2021, according to new research from the Economic Innovation Group, a Washington think tank. The fastest growth was in the Southeast of the country and inland western regions.
I discuss cultural and technical challenges and ideas that will lead to a successful client relationship when working with this group of great clients.
While putting together a marketing plan is more complex than reading an article, here are three important pieces of advice to get female solo practitioners started.
Family wealth transfers are complicated conversations. My guest, Jim Bertles of Tiedemann Advisors, has managed those conversations among his many UHNW clients and their millennial children. He has extensive experience overseeing and coordinating these transfers. Jim and I will discuss the dynamics of a successful family wealth transfer. I will ask Jim about the questions he is encountering with beneficiaries and what insights advisors should be sharing with them. Jim believes that advisors should work towards creating strong relationships with these younger beneficiaries now, as they will need ongoing advice to update their plans as major life changes occur.
This article provides an overview of the benefits of using a Nevada Incomplete Non-Grantor Trust (NING) as part of a business sale to reduce or eliminate state income taxes and capital gains taxes.
For decades, financial experts like myself have implored clients to have a health care power of attorney. Now, some health care experts say you don’t need one because they don’t work.
Here are five winning tactics to leverage immediately for more online introductions.
We describe how an intentional and sustainable vision for diversity and inclusion at Wealthspire took form.
This article outlines the necessary requirements to establish a Nevada family trust company and examines the core features and benefits it offers clients.
Advisors need to understand how crypto markets work and how to make crypto part of a balanced portfolio to take advantage of this opportunity.
Here are some creative features to add to lazy, unappealing job postings so you can poach talent from your competitors.
You have a niche market selected, but now comes the tricky part: determining whether the niche is a viable client base. Here are 11 questions to help you assess whether you picked a good niche.
While I was raised to believe in the importance of helping others and to appreciate the help my own family was given, it was a personal tragedy that was the impetus for much of what I’ve done.
Special Needs Financial Planning
How to Incorporate Behavioral Factors into Planning Discussions
Without understanding people – how they think and act, and what they believe – you can’t effectively help them, no matter how good you are at planning or asset allocation.
How a Marketing Audit Works
A digital-marketing audit typically includes an analysis of the following elements.
Emerging US Debt Deal Would Raise Limit, Cap Spending for Two Years
Republican and White House negotiators are moving closer to an agreement to raise the debt limit and cap federal spending for two years, according to people familiar with the matter, as time grows short to avert a catastrophic US default.
Imagine Financial Planning 2030
AI’s arrival will have an increasingly large impact on our lives. That includes investing and, especially, other aspects of financial planning.
Bull vs. Bear: Playing Earnings Season With Single-Stock ETFs
For this edition of Bull vs. Bear, James Comtois, and Elle Caruso discussed the pros and cons of using single-stock ETFs to express opinions on stock earnings.
Be a Rockefeller, Not a Vanderbilt
As financial advisors and wealth managers, we want our ultra-high net worth clients to emulate the Rockefellers, not the Vanderbilts.
Why Clients are Attracted to Complex Investments
No one is bragging about the index fund they own to their friends.
Tips to Make Your Site ADA Compliant
Here’s what you can do to make your website compliant with the ADA and accessible to all.
The Future of the Externship Program
Here’s why I started the Externship and why it matters.
McCarthy’s Debt-Limit Plan Would Slash Education, Biden Administration Says
Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to link spending cuts to an increase in the US debt limit would result in fewer teachers and more expensive college educations, the Biden administration warned...
Tax Planning for High-Net-Worth Individuals: Avoiding Collateral Damage
Many advisors today are helping clients with a broad range of their financial planning needs.
12 Tax-Smart Charitable Giving Tips for 2023
Charitable planning is an important topic to discuss with your clients, especially if they’re facing extraordinary taxable events this year. You can add value to your clients by sharing these tax-smart giving strategies for 2023.
How to Reach Ideal Clients Through Engaging Messaging
The goal of marketing is to garner loyalty among existing clients while also attracting new ones to drive growth and profitability for your firm. To implement engaging messaging, follow these tips…
Some Observations from This Year’s Survey of the Fintech Landscape
The 2023 T3/Inside Information Software Survey is now available. It’s the best guide to the 300+ fintech solutions in the marketplace, and a good buyer’s guide for advisory firms that are looking for additions or enhancements to their tech stack.
Thousand-Word Equivalents
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this will be the “longest” letter I’ve sent you in a while, as there are quite a few pictures. It may also be the most wide-ranging.
How to Help Those on Work Visas Prepare for a Layoff
If your clients still have jobs, this article will discuss what you can do to help them prepare for a possible layoff.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Financial Wellness
What can we, as advisors, do to promote healthy finances?
The CFP Board and its Support for the Fiduciary Standard
Let’s explore whether the CFP Board, the most powerful and prominent organization supporting the advisory profession, can do more to support the adoption of a full fiduciary standard. We’ll also ask whether the CFP Board actually owns the trademark for “certified financial planner,” as it claims.
Using Philanthropic Giving in Your Estate Plan
There are several ways to include philanthropic giving in your estate plan. Here are five common options.
How a Charitable Trust Works
Like all trusts, a charitable trust is a legal entity that you create for the purpose of holding and managing assets. The trust is wholly separate from you. It owns any assets it holds, pays taxes and requires management just like any other legally recognized entity.
Review Key Takeaways of the Secure Act 2.0
Changes for investors include RMD age increases, higher catch-up contribution limits and a new 529 transferal option.
Funding Special Needs Clients with ABLE Accounts
Special needs trusts and ABLE accounts are the pillars of special needs funding. I have a professional here to discuss the differences between them and how each can be used to maximize financial resources. This includes protecting government benefits, understanding eligibility requirements, guidelines for use, and funding options. The discussion will explain how you can best support families to provide quality of life and a lifetime of care.
Job Market's 2.6 Million Missing People Unnerves Star Harvard Economist
Behind the five-decade low US unemployment rate of 3.5% lies a 2.6 million-person mystery.
To Deliver a Transformative Experience Think Like a Client
Advisors must redesign their entire approach, starting from the client's point of view.
How to Build a Bond Ladder Using ETFs
Build your ladder with multiple target-maturity ETFs representing different segments of the bond market, with different target years.
Inflation Reset Lets Wealthy Americans Give Heirs Even More Tax-Free
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.
Talking with Aging Parents about Health and Wealth
Here are nine tips that will help your family members stay healthy and financially secure as they age.
Themes From A Busy Year
The economics teams looks back at the most significant stories we covered during 2022.
Online Banks versus Traditional Banks: Which Is Best for Your Clients?
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of trading in your traditional bank for a virtual banking experience.
529 Plans: Custodial versus Individual
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.
Flexible Work Helps Disabled Workers
Disabled workers are helping close the labor gap thanks to remote work.
The Alternative Tech Stack
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.
Three Insurance Tips That Add Value
Here are three ways you can add value in the context of insurance issues.
Are You Selling Life Rafts or Sailboats?
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)?
Weighing Machine, Voting Machine
Two aspects of the financial markets operate simultaneously. Emphatically, they do not operate alternately, but simultaneously. One aspect is driven entirely by arithmetic. Every security is a claim to some long-term stream of cash flows that will be delivered to the holder, or series of holders, over time.
2022 Annual ESG Survey: The ESG Journey Accelerates
Our annual ESG manager survey of active managers assesses the integration of ESG considerations in investment processes among equity, fixed income and private markets managers, and spotlights firmwide policies, use of data, engagement and integration.
Gifting Strategies for HNW and UHNW Clients
My guest today will discuss how he works with UHNW/HNW individuals and families when it comes to charitable giving and meeting philanthropic needs. We will talk about the issues individuals should consider when making a gift of a business interest to a public charity. We will discuss the benefits for donors in making the decision to give a gift of a business interest to a public charity, the types of business interests that a donor may give to charity and the trends he’s seeing across his client base when it comes to charitable giving strategies such as this one.
The Dangerous Gap in Succession Planning
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.
Financial Tips for Couples Getting Remarried in their Retirement
Here are some suggestions to consider when remarrying.
How to Interview IT Providers
I’d like to share an example of what happened when one of my clients chose the wrong provider.
The Challenges of Family Wealth Preservation
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.
The Keys to Special-Needs Planning
There are no easy answers when it comes to caring for, educating, and supporting individuals with special needs. For long range-planning, families’ primary concerns include many issues:
Here to discuss those issues are two experts in the field of special-needs planning. They are part of a practice called the Special Needs Funding Coach, which is based in Red Bank, NJ.
Continuity Planning for Female Advisors
Here are five steps female financial advisors should take when putting a continuity plan in place for their firm.
Four Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Client Experience
Let's break down four guaranteed approaches you can implement to improve your client experience and increase your prospect conversions by creating exclusivity, setting client expectations from the beginning, sticking to your process of success, and practicing your interactions.
Where Are the Workers?
Today I want to talk about why the labor market is so out of balance. Some of this is new and some has been brewing for many years. We will end with some commentary on yesterday’s unemployment report.
An Introduction to Financial Assistance and Special Needs Planning
The search for information and direction about financial assistance and special-needs planning can be especially frustrating for caregivers.
How to Fix a Niche that is Too Narrow or Too Broad
When you choose a client niche, you may find that the focus is too narrow or too broad. Here’s how you can remedy the situation.
Millennials Are Finally Building Wealth and Hiring Financial Advisers
Millennials are self-centered and allergic to commitment. They switch jobs every six months and will never buy homes. And don’t get them started on marriage and kids.
The 10 Things I Got Right in Financial Planning
I wrote an article last month regarding the 10 things I got wrong about financial planning over my 20-year career. As it happens, I also got some things right and was happy when I was asked to write about them.
The Coming Revolution in Client Onboarding
One area that needs an investment of time and resources to improve the client experience is the onboarding process, wrought with paperwork.
Your Niche is More than Who You Serve
Let me give you an example of what it truly means to serve a niche.
How to Build a Strong Succession Plan
While growth and succession can be accomplished using a DIY approach, there are benefits (professional and personal) that come with working with a strategic partner to achieve those goals.
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.
Are Unequal Inheritances Fair?
In estate planning, “equal” isn’t necessarily the same as “fair.”
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.
How to Choose the Best Stock Photos
What do you need to know about selecting the best stock photos to support your marketing strategy?
How Many Advisors are Clueless About Fiduciary Obligations?
Based on my anecdotal experience, I’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that many advisors are clueless about what it means to be a fiduciary.
A Weird Recession
While it’s likely we are already in an as-yet-undeclared recession, it’s a very weird one if so. I have lived through quite a few of them and I don’t recall any other recession coinciding with record-low unemployment, plentiful job openings, and jammed airports.
The Cost of Technology for Financial Planners
Most advisory firms that specialize in wealth management use three technology platforms: financial planning software, portfolio accounting software, and a CRM software. Let's take a closer look at the functionalities and costs of each.
Why Clients Put Off Planning
Persuading prospects to engage in financial planning is a struggle. Even when this obstacle is overcome, convincing them to implement the plan can be equally daunting.
Common Scenarios for Transitioning a Private Foundation to a Donor Advised Fund
What are the most common scenarios that give rise to private foundations converting to DAFs (or making a thoughtful decision not to convert), while preserving the original donor’s intent and satisfying the administrative concerns of surviving family members?
Dealing with Student Loans, Rising Interest Rates, and Inflation
Many of my clients or their kids will face repaying student loans. And given the inflationary environment and related rising interest rates, some of them will need to make careful choices about prioritizing their payback plans.
Power of Representation: the 'Us'es'
To celebrate Pride Month, four PIMCO executives share their perspectives on inclusion and diversity in the workplace and the importance of visible representation.
Opportunities in Tax Efficiency
I have identified a few opportunities within my portfolio and wealth management practice that prompt consideration for your own strategies as you plan for large estates.
Why Your Financial Planner Needs a Financial Planner
I would be very concerned if my financial planner didn’t have their own planner. Research shows that financial planning results in increased emotional and financial wellbeing, even for clients who are planners themselves. Use our Premium membership to add your logo to this article and send it to your clients and prospects.
Social Security: Whistling Past The $96 Trillion Graveyard
Social Security has a problem.
Parents Are Buying Homes for Kids Priced Out of the Housing Market
Even as the US real estate market shows signs of cooling, inflation and higher interest rates are making it difficult for young house hunters to buy properties — at least on their own.
A Framework for Working with Foreign-Born Families in the U.S.
Using this five-question framework will go a long way to help you be effective as you work with foreign-born families in the U.S.
How to Handle the DOL’s New IRA Rollover Rule
How are advisors coping with the new Department of Labor (DOL) rollover rules? Here are a dozen observations.
How to Give Your Clients Peace of Mind
Every advisor will agree with the goal of giving their clients peace of mind. But there’s mounting evidence few actually do. Why is that?
Why Are Bequests to Charity So Rare?
Only 5% to 6% of people 50 and older include charitable giving in their wills.
Is Direct Indexing Active Management “in Drag”
The surging popularity of direct indexing has led to confusion. Some believe it is barely indistinguishable from indexed investing, while others claim it is active management “in drag.”
The Elements of Building a Great Website
An outdated website will tarnish your brand and cause you to miss opportunities to grow your reputation, reach, and revenue.
Helping Clients Determine When They Can Retire
Can I afford to retire? Is it the right time? Here is how I answer those questions from my clients.
Ask Brad: Are You Really a Big-Rig Truck Driver?
Comparing advisors to big-rig truck drivers makes more sense that you think, once you consider the eerie similarities in their business models.
How Much Should Advisors Charge Small Accounts?
For years, small accounts have been overcharged and underserved. I’m encouraged, however, by what I see some advisors doing, I wish the rest of the profession were inspired to similarly elevate the value provided for the price charged small clients.
Helping Your Clients Define the Meaning of “Wealth”
In my work with clients, one of the most important services I provide, in addition to coaching on finance, estate planning, and investing, is facilitating cross-generational conversations about what it means to have wealth, and especially about what it means to use wealth wisely.
Entrepreneurs Thrive in Pandemic That Was Supposed to Crush Them
The number of business locations increased in almost three-quarters of U.S. counties over the two years through September 2021, according to new research from the Economic Innovation Group, a Washington think tank. The fastest growth was in the Southeast of the country and inland western regions.
How to Work with Foreign-Born Families - Part 2
I discuss cultural and technical challenges and ideas that will lead to a successful client relationship when working with this group of great clients.
Marketing for Female Solo Practitioners
While putting together a marketing plan is more complex than reading an article, here are three important pieces of advice to get female solo practitioners started.
Intergenerational Transfers for UHNW Clients
Family wealth transfers are complicated conversations. My guest, Jim Bertles of Tiedemann Advisors, has managed those conversations among his many UHNW clients and their millennial children. He has extensive experience overseeing and coordinating these transfers. Jim and I will discuss the dynamics of a successful family wealth transfer. I will ask Jim about the questions he is encountering with beneficiaries and what insights advisors should be sharing with them. Jim believes that advisors should work towards creating strong relationships with these younger beneficiaries now, as they will need ongoing advice to update their plans as major life changes occur.
Using a Nevada Incomplete Grantor Trust as Part of a Business Exit Strategy
This article provides an overview of the benefits of using a Nevada Incomplete Non-Grantor Trust (NING) as part of a business sale to reduce or eliminate state income taxes and capital gains taxes.
Will Your Health Care Directives Protect You?
For decades, financial experts like myself have implored clients to have a health care power of attorney. Now, some health care experts say you don’t need one because they don’t work.
Five Ways to Get More Referrals Online
Here are five winning tactics to leverage immediately for more online introductions.
Starting a Diversity Journey: The Wealthspire Story
We describe how an intentional and sustainable vision for diversity and inclusion at Wealthspire took form.
Family Trust Companies
This article outlines the necessary requirements to establish a Nevada family trust company and examines the core features and benefits it offers clients.
How to Attract Crypto Investors as Clients
Advisors need to understand how crypto markets work and how to make crypto part of a balanced portfolio to take advantage of this opportunity.
Stop Those Lazy Job Postings!
Here are some creative features to add to lazy, unappealing job postings so you can poach talent from your competitors.
How to Know if You Picked a Good Niche
You have a niche market selected, but now comes the tricky part: determining whether the niche is a viable client base. Here are 11 questions to help you assess whether you picked a good niche.
How My Story Motivates Philanthropic Planning for Clients
While I was raised to believe in the importance of helping others and to appreciate the help my own family was given, it was a personal tragedy that was the impetus for much of what I’ve done.