Improve your own and your firm’s productivity by sidestepping these top five hybrid work mistakes.
To widen your audience, deepen client bonds, and carve out a strong market presence, a webinar strategy is your ticket to success.
I’m finding it hard to reconcile this.
For financial advisors, an appreciation of these changes fosters more profound empathy with older clients and fine-tunes their strategies.
Your prospects often don’t tell you everything you need to know to assess the depths of their problems, because they can’t articulate the context behind their surface-level description of their issues.
Have you ever wondered why your closing ratio on seminar attendees rarely exceeds 40%?
Today, I am going to do something that I've never done. I am going to start a two-part series describing what is in my personal portfolio and why. Let me start by offering two caveats: This letter is in the “do as I say and not as I do” category.
Oil has entered a new uptrend after finally breaking out from nearly a year-long bottom formation. Support from OPEC+, notably Saudi Arabia’s one million barrel per day production cut for the remainder of the year, has been a major driver of the rally.
On August 25, Massachusetts’ highest court shocked the investment world by unanimously ruling against Robinhood and for the state’s fiduciary rule. Robinhood must change its ways to remain in business.
Supply chains are realigning, to China's dismay.
What’s going on with the markets and the economy? Long-term Treasury yields are up substantially since last Fall while the stock market, after a big rally, has stumbled so far this month. Meanwhile, the real economy appears to continue to chug along – even accelerating!
With the Fed’s tightening on monetary policy and the constant threat of a recession looming, policymakers and advisors are closely monitoring economic indicators because the data can ultimately impact business decisions and financial markets.
The role of the human psychological cycle in driving stock and bond prices is well understood and pre-dates behavioural economics. There are elements that suggest we may be going through another period of ‘irrational exuberance’ as several long-term investors seem stuck in the mindset that ‘There Is No Alternative’ (TINA) to US equities.
Equity traders reeling from the market’s worst stretch since February face some pivotal events in the days ahead, and a closely watched speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell may not even be the biggest test of all.
Halfway through the third quarter, the economy is looking surprisingly strong. A tracker from the Atlanta branch of the Federal Reserve has real gross domestic product growth, based on the limited data we've gotten so far, tracking at 5.8%, which would be the fastest for a non-pandemic quarter in 20 years.
While economic growth drives corporate earnings, remember that the S&P 500 is not a replica of the U.S. economy.
Approval of a spot bitcoin exchange traded fund in the U.S. is one of the most widely anticipated and delayed events in the roughly three-decade history of the ETF industry.
Readers of this publication know the costs of an investment product reduce the net return and consider cost as an important criterion for selecting investments to make up client portfolios. But how do advisors define costs, and how important is cost reduction compared to other portfolio objectives?
Financial journalism has a problem. Apart from a few writers such as Michael Lewis, it is essentially bought and paid for by the financial industry itself – especially, investment management.
We expect inflation and rates to remain higher than the last decade. We favor tech within growth and cyclicals within value.
European banks are rightly being criticized for failing to pass on interest-rate increases to customers. But is it any wonder they’re so unafraid of losing business? Compared to their US counterparts, European financial institutions often face less competition from alternative cash-like investments.
Return to office mandates are growing, but workers are hesitant to give up flexibility.
How good are you at motivating your staff? Are they growing and learning? Are they consistently progressing?
Signs of slowing price pressures and wage growth have generated a lot of excitement about a soft landing for the US economy, where inflation glides back toward 2% without a painful recession.
As the 2023 earnings per share (EPS) recession narrative grows louder into the second half of the year, we expect the market to shift to discounting an EPS rebound. The best opportunities look to be in more economically sensitive and value sectors, which have been hit particularly hard this year.
Federal Reserve officials at their policy meeting in July largely remained concerned that inflation would fail to recede and that further interest-rate increases would be needed. At the same time, cracks in that consensus were also becoming more apparent.
For this edition of Bull vs. Bear, Elle Caruso and Karrie Gordon discuss the likelihood of continued strong returns for semiconductor ETFs.
Foreign stocks are again competitive with their domestic counterparts. Here are four ways to gain exposure.
There aren’t many bullion investors who haven’t thought about using their stash to buy groceries one day.
Here are two suggestions that can save you money or time, especially if content marketing is part of your strategy.
In a year of unpleasant surprises from China's economy, here's a development we should have foreseen: The central bank lowered interest rates. With growth disappointing and prices declining, Tuesday's easing from the People's Bank of China ought to have been a no-brainer.
Investors are the least pessimistic on stocks since February of last year, before the Federal Reserve began one of the most aggressive tightening cycles in decades, according to Bank of America Corp.’s latest global survey of fund managers.
It’s been an interesting first half of the year. Markets performed very well in the face of continued Fed tightening, calls for an imminent recession, a regional banking crisis, debt ceiling debate, and drama around an 11th-hour deal to avoid a default on U.S. debt.
Wars cost money, and throughout history, countries have borrowed to fight them. There are plenty of examples of wars bankrupting countries, but the US was so dominant in the 1940s that at the end of World War II, its debt only cost about 1.8% of GDP to service.
Investors are bailing out of the biggest exchange-traded fund devoted to Treasuries at the fastest pace since markets were hammered during the early months of the pandemic.
Unpacking the details of last week’s consumer price index report, the news was good: Inflationary pressure continues to slowly subside, while an economic “soft landing” — in which the Federal Reserve is able to stabilize prices without causing a recession — is starting to look more realistic.
Some couples may have what can be termed "faux" financial intimacy, where there is no tension or conflict because they avoid talking about money.
IUL is a popular investment, thanks to aggressive marketing. Before your clients succumb to high-pressure sales tactics, here’s a cautionary tale based on another lifetime purchase decision – buying an engagement ring.
The old playbook of selling emerging-market bonds when Treasury yields spike is being upended by the positive dynamics favoring developing-nation debt.
For the years following the Lehman crisis, the Fed put was the norm. Exceptionally loose monetary policy ensured risk assets had a safety net. But central banks were unable to rehabilitate the real economy while governments kept their belts tight.
Will the economy roll into a formal recession, or is a recovery underway? It's a close call.
Ten stocks have dominated US equity market gains for most of this year. But the rest of the market may be waking up. That’s good news for active managers who seek to tap diversified sources of long-term returns that can withstand challenging macroeconomic conditions.
Investors hammered Chinese assets and those of developing nations relying on its sustained growth a day after US President Joe Biden described the country’s economic woes as a “ticking time bomb.”
It could take just a 1% move in the S&P 500 — up or down — every day for a week for the rally in US stocks to come under significant pressure.
In 1949, the list of the country’s most affluent metropolitan areas was dominated by Midwestern industrial cities.
A key measure of US consumer prices rose only modestly for a second month, bolstering hopes that the Federal Reserve can tame inflation without sparking a recession.
The common currency has not led to common outcomes.
Twenty years ago, the answer to this question was obvious. Wirehouses had better technology compared to any other firm or affiliation model.
The reaction to Fitch Ratings’ recent downgrading of US government debt was more revealing than the announcement itself. Citing concerns about America’s long-term fiscal position and the risk that Washington’s political dysfunction could make matters worse, the company marked US debt down from AAA to AA+.
Bitcoin may be closer to bursting out of a period of unusually low volatility if chart patterns and the token’s history are any guide.
Investors are taking fright at commercial real estate risks in Sweden. But we think the situation is less threatening than feared.
Investors often conclude that they would have performed better by simply investing in the S&P 500 index rather than a well-diversified portfolio.
Advisors are increasingly turning to OCIOs to differentiate their firms, increase profitability and scale their businesses through gained efficiencies.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. jumped to a record high after its Saturday earnings report showed an operating profit for the second quarter that exceeded Wall Street expectations.
Bulging sales of US Treasuries are about to deliver a major test of investor demand and determine whether a selloff has room to run, as the market braces for the biggest round of refunding auctions since last year.
Despite some improvements in corporate health, Global Macro Strategist Craig Burelle shares why he thinks companies are likely to experience more pain in the months to come.
Earnings season has thus far been a mixed bag, and despite a notable increase in the beat rate, the market is rightfully shifting focus to guidance for the rest of the year.
Investors planning for retirement are facing seven significant challenges.
Bank of England raises interest rates again as expected. Rate hike likely to hurt first-time homebuyers in London. UK gilt curve appears to be pricing in a "higher rates for longer" scenario.
Admittedly, I’ve glossed over the other catalysts in Ackman’s thesis — including the aforementioned supply-demand issues and the fiscal and governance challenges that Fitch underscored in its recent downgrade — but the inflation call seems to be the linchpin to his argument, at least going by the math in the post.
No amount of power and prosperity can stop the irritation of getting judged for your borrowing habits, as the world’s biggest economy just experienced.
Falling airfare prices in the U.S. don’t appear to have any effect on airlines’ revenue, according to Goldman Sachs. In fact, Delta just reported record revenue and profits in the June quarter.
The recent collection of labor data has painted a mixed jobs picture, but underlying wage strength and still-strong payroll growth will likely keep the Fed in a hawkish position.
There are days when our trade press is even more misleading than the consumer rags.
Small business owners without workplace retirement plans now may take advantage of expanded tax credits if they establish one, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist at Franklin Templeton. He outlines recent regulatory and legal developments.
You can achieve your business goals via a sale or merger so long as you clearly access and articulate what you don’t want – essentially, your deal breakers.
While there are dozens of variables and decisions that go into transitioning to the RIA model, two of the more meaningful hurdles are registering your RIA and getting a clearing agreement with a custodian.
I wrote this article in 2030 after I interviewed several retirees whose income plans were designed by ChatRET.
Investors have had a lot to contend with thus far in 2023. Moderating economic growth, persistent inflation, volatile interest rates, falling profits, stress in the banking sector, war in Ukraine, and the debt ceiling debate all combined to weigh on sentiment.
There are no immutable paradigms in our profession. Some outcomes are more likely than others, but declaring that something will “never” happen is dangerous.
Being a financial advisor at a wirehouse can often feel like you’re living by someone else’s rules. The things that make your business approach unique can get lost in continuously shifting corporate goals and predetermined career paths. Download our infographic and learn six ways working at a wirehouse is holding you back—and why partnering with Commonwealth can make the transition worth the effort.
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.
RIA Independence
The Top Five Hybrid Work Mistakes
Improve your own and your firm’s productivity by sidestepping these top five hybrid work mistakes.
Boost Client Engagement and Growth with Webinars
To widen your audience, deepen client bonds, and carve out a strong market presence, a webinar strategy is your ticket to success.
I Hired My Sons. It Isn’t Working
I’m finding it hard to reconcile this.
Tailoring Advice for the Elderly Brain
For financial advisors, an appreciation of these changes fosters more profound empathy with older clients and fine-tunes their strategies.
Be Politely Skeptical with Prospects
Your prospects often don’t tell you everything you need to know to assess the depths of their problems, because they can’t articulate the context behind their surface-level description of their issues.
How Pre-Screening Avoids “Plate Lickers” at Seminars
Have you ever wondered why your closing ratio on seminar attendees rarely exceeds 40%?
What's in My Personal Portfolio?
Today, I am going to do something that I've never done. I am going to start a two-part series describing what is in my personal portfolio and why. Let me start by offering two caveats: This letter is in the “do as I say and not as I do” category.
Breaking Down the Breakout in Oil
Oil has entered a new uptrend after finally breaking out from nearly a year-long bottom formation. Support from OPEC+, notably Saudi Arabia’s one million barrel per day production cut for the remainder of the year, has been a major driver of the rally.
Massachusetts Scores a Victory for Fiduciary Advice
On August 25, Massachusetts’ highest court shocked the investment world by unanimously ruling against Robinhood and for the state’s fiduciary rule. Robinhood must change its ways to remain in business.
Reshoring Is Real
Supply chains are realigning, to China's dismay.
Where is the Economy?
What’s going on with the markets and the economy? Long-term Treasury yields are up substantially since last Fall while the stock market, after a big rally, has stumbled so far this month. Meanwhile, the real economy appears to continue to chug along – even accelerating!
Assessing the Recession Risk: Interpreting Key Economic Indicators
With the Fed’s tightening on monetary policy and the constant threat of a recession looming, policymakers and advisors are closely monitoring economic indicators because the data can ultimately impact business decisions and financial markets.
Rethinking TINA: The Emerging Eight
The role of the human psychological cycle in driving stock and bond prices is well
understood and pre-dates behavioural economics. There are elements that suggest we may
be going through another period of ‘irrational exuberance’ as several long-term investors
seem stuck in the mindset that ‘There Is No Alternative’ (TINA) to US equities.
Bruised Stocks Face Week Full of Tests, From Nvidia to Powell
Equity traders reeling from the market’s worst stretch since February face some pivotal events in the days ahead, and a closely watched speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell may not even be the biggest test of all.
The US Economy Can't Sustain Its Red-Hot Pace, Right?
Halfway through the third quarter, the economy is looking surprisingly strong. A tracker from the Atlanta branch of the Federal Reserve has real gross domestic product growth, based on the limited data we've gotten so far, tracking at 5.8%, which would be the fastest for a non-pandemic quarter in 20 years.
Five Key Takeaways From Q2 Earnings Season
While economic growth drives corporate earnings, remember that the S&P 500 is not a replica of the U.S. economy.
Experts Still Projecting Big Bitcoin Rally on ETF Approval
Approval of a spot bitcoin exchange traded fund in the U.S. is one of the most widely anticipated and delayed events in the roughly three-decade history of the ETF industry.
Why Minimizing the Costs of Investment Products Must be a Priority
Readers of this publication know the costs of an investment product reduce the net return and consider cost as an important criterion for selecting investments to make up client portfolios. But how do advisors define costs, and how important is cost reduction compared to other portfolio objectives?
Financial Journalism Fails its Readers
Financial journalism has a problem. Apart from a few writers such as Michael Lewis, it is essentially bought and paid for by the financial industry itself – especially, investment management.
Higher for Longer: Adapting Stock Selection for Higher Inflation/Rates
We expect inflation and rates to remain higher than the last decade. We favor tech within growth and cyclicals within value.
European Banks Aren't Helping Your Savings
European banks are rightly being criticized for failing to pass on interest-rate increases to customers. But is it any wonder they’re so unafraid of losing business? Compared to their US counterparts, European financial institutions often face less competition from alternative cash-like investments.
The Great Remote Work Debate
Return to office mandates are growing, but workers are hesitant to give up flexibility.
How to Develop Superstars
How good are you at motivating your staff? Are they growing and learning? Are they consistently progressing?
UPS Drivers Deliver a Message to the Federal Reserve
Signs of slowing price pressures and wage growth have generated a lot of excitement about a soft landing for the US economy, where inflation glides back toward 2% without a painful recession.
Large Cap Value Outlook for Q3 2023
As the 2023 earnings per share (EPS) recession narrative grows louder into the second half of the year, we expect the market to shift to discounting an EPS rebound. The best opportunities look to be in more economically sensitive and value sectors, which have been hit particularly hard this year.
Fed Saw ‘Significant’ Inflation Risk That May Merit More Hikes
Federal Reserve officials at their policy meeting in July largely remained concerned that inflation would fail to recede and that further interest-rate increases would be needed. At the same time, cracks in that consensus were also becoming more apparent.
Bull vs. Bear: Can Semiconductor ETFs Maintain Their Return Trajectory?
For this edition of Bull vs. Bear, Elle Caruso and Karrie Gordon discuss the likelihood of continued strong returns for semiconductor ETFs.
4 Ways to Invest Internationally
Foreign stocks are again competitive with their domestic counterparts. Here are four ways to gain exposure.
Can Gold and Silver Ever Return to Circulation?
There aren’t many bullion investors who haven’t thought about using their stash to buy groceries one day.
Turbo-Charge Your Content Marketing with AI
Here are two suggestions that can save you money or time, especially if content marketing is part of your strategy.
The China Surprise We Should Have Seen Coming
In a year of unpleasant surprises from China's economy, here's a development we should have foreseen: The central bank lowered interest rates. With growth disappointing and prices declining, Tuesday's easing from the People's Bank of China ought to have been a no-brainer.
Investors Least Bearish on Stocks Since Pre-Fed Hikes, BofA Says
Investors are the least pessimistic on stocks since February of last year, before the Federal Reserve began one of the most aggressive tightening cycles in decades, according to Bank of America Corp.’s latest global survey of fund managers.
Navigating Market Uncertainties
It’s been an interesting first half of the year. Markets performed very well in the face of continued Fed tightening, calls for an imminent recession, a regional banking crisis, debt ceiling debate, and drama around an 11th-hour deal to avoid a default on U.S. debt.
An Age of Fiscal Limits
Wars cost money, and throughout history, countries have borrowed to fight them. There are plenty of examples of wars bankrupting countries, but the US was so dominant in the 1940s that at the end of World War II, its debt only cost about 1.8% of GDP to service.
Biggest Treasury ETF Sees Largest Exodus Since 2020 Meltdown
Investors are bailing out of the biggest exchange-traded fund devoted to Treasuries at the fastest pace since markets were hammered during the early months of the pandemic.
Beating Inflation Might Still Need Higher Rates
Unpacking the details of last week’s consumer price index report, the news was good: Inflationary pressure continues to slowly subside, while an economic “soft landing” — in which the Federal Reserve is able to stabilize prices without causing a recession — is starting to look more realistic.
Do Clients Suffer from “Faux” Financial Intimacy?
Some couples may have what can be termed "faux" financial intimacy, where there is no tension or conflict because they avoid talking about money.
What Insurance Agents Don’t Tell You About Indexed Universal Life (IUL)
IUL is a popular investment, thanks to aggressive marketing. Before your clients succumb to high-pressure sales tactics, here’s a cautionary tale based on another lifetime purchase decision – buying an engagement ring.
Emerging Bonds Disrupt Playbook by Rallying as Treasuries Swoon
The old playbook of selling emerging-market bonds when Treasury yields spike is being upended by the positive dynamics favoring developing-nation debt.
The Growing Apprehension of the Inflating Fiscal Put
For the years following the Lehman crisis, the Fed put was the norm. Exceptionally loose monetary policy ensured risk assets had a safety net. But central banks were unable to rehabilitate the real economy while governments kept their belts tight.
Schwab Market Perspective: On the Line
Will the economy roll into a formal recession, or is a recovery underway? It's a close call.
Broader Horizons? More Stocks Help Fuel US Market Gains
Ten stocks have dominated US equity market gains for most of this year. But the rest of the market may be waking up. That’s good news for active managers who seek to tap diversified sources of long-term returns that can withstand challenging macroeconomic conditions.
Emerging Markets Cap Week of Selling Everything With China Link
Investors hammered Chinese assets and those of developing nations relying on its sustained growth a day after US President Joe Biden described the country’s economic woes as a “ticking time bomb.”
A Week of 1% Moves on the S&P 500 Could Trigger Forced Selling
It could take just a 1% move in the S&P 500 — up or down — every day for a week for the rally in US stocks to come under significant pressure.
Income Ladder Is Difficult to Climb for US Metro Areas
In 1949, the list of the country’s most affluent metropolitan areas was dominated by Midwestern industrial cities.
US Core CPI Posts Smallest Back-to-Back Increases in Two Years
A key measure of US consumer prices rose only modestly for a second month, bolstering hopes that the Federal Reserve can tame inflation without sparking a recession.
Economic Divergence in Europe
The common currency has not led to common outcomes.
Ask Brad: Do Broker/Dealers or RIAs Have Better Technology?
Twenty years ago, the answer to this question was obvious. Wirehouses had better technology compared to any other firm or affiliation model.
Maybe Fitch Had a Point After All?
The reaction to Fitch Ratings’ recent downgrading of US government debt was more revealing than the announcement itself. Citing concerns about America’s long-term fiscal position and the risk that Washington’s political dysfunction could make matters worse, the company marked US debt down from AAA to AA+.
Bitcoin Flashes Signals of Possible Spike in Volatility After Historic Lull
Bitcoin may be closer to bursting out of a period of unusually low volatility if chart patterns and the token’s history are any guide.
Will Sweden’s Woes Shake Europe’s Real Estate Markets?
Investors are taking fright at commercial real estate risks in Sweden. But we think the situation is less threatening than feared.
The Ups And Downs Of The S&P 500
Investors often conclude that they would have performed better by simply investing in the S&P 500 index rather than a well-diversified portfolio.
Partnering With an Insourced CIO Can Serve as a Launchpad for Growth
Advisors are increasingly turning to OCIOs to differentiate their firms, increase profitability and scale their businesses through gained efficiencies.
Buffett’s Berkshire Rallies to Record High on Earnings Beat
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. jumped to a record high after its Saturday earnings report showed an operating profit for the second quarter that exceeded Wall Street expectations.
Treasury Auction Deluge Set to Test Investors’ Appetite for Debt
Bulging sales of US Treasuries are about to deliver a major test of investor demand and determine whether a selloff has room to run, as the market braces for the biggest round of refunding auctions since last year.
Corporate Health: Signs of Improvement, but Vulnerabilities Remain
Despite some improvements in corporate health, Global Macro Strategist Craig Burelle shares why he thinks companies are likely to experience more pain in the months to come.
Don't Let Me Down: An Earnings Season Update
Earnings season has thus far been a mixed bag, and despite a notable increase in the beat rate, the market is rightfully shifting focus to guidance for the rest of the year.
The Seven Great Challenges to Retirement Plans
Investors planning for retirement are facing seven significant challenges.
Back to the 1990s? Bank of England Rate Hikes May Pinch London’s First-Time Homebuyers
Bank of England raises interest rates again as expected. Rate hike likely to hurt first-time homebuyers in London. UK gilt curve appears to be pricing in a "higher rates for longer" scenario.
Bill Ackman’s Treasury Short May Be Right for Wrong Reasons
Admittedly, I’ve glossed over the other catalysts in Ackman’s thesis — including the aforementioned supply-demand issues and the fiscal and governance challenges that Fitch underscored in its recent downgrade — but the inflation call seems to be the linchpin to his argument, at least going by the math in the post.
Debt-Burdened World Leaders Just Love to Hate Ratings Companies
No amount of power and prosperity can stop the irritation of getting judged for your borrowing habits, as the world’s biggest economy just experienced.
How Airlines Stay Highly Profitable Despite Falling Ticket Prices
Falling airfare prices in the U.S. don’t appear to have any effect on airlines’ revenue, according to Goldman Sachs. In fact, Delta just reported record revenue and profits in the June quarter.
Mixed Emotions About June Jobs Report
The recent collection of labor data has painted a mixed jobs picture, but underlying wage strength and still-strong payroll growth will likely keep the Fed in a hawkish position.
I Don’t Trust the “Top” Rankings and Neither Should You
There are days when our trade press is even more misleading than the consumer rags.
An Attractive Deal Awaits Small Businesses When Starting a Workplace Retirement Plan
Small business owners without workplace retirement plans now may take advantage of expanded tax credits if they establish one, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist at Franklin Templeton. He outlines recent regulatory and legal developments.
Know the Deal Breakers Before Selling Your Practice
You can achieve your business goals via a sale or merger so long as you clearly access and articulate what you don’t want – essentially, your deal breakers.
Ask Brad: The Two Big Hurdles to Starting an RIA
While there are dozens of variables and decisions that go into transitioning to the RIA model, two of the more meaningful hurdles are registering your RIA and getting a clearing agreement with a custodian.
The Year 2030: My Conversation with ChatRET Clients
I wrote this article in 2030 after I interviewed several retirees whose income plans were designed by ChatRET.
Mid-Year Market Outlook
Investors have had a lot to contend with thus far in 2023. Moderating economic growth, persistent inflation, volatile interest rates, falling profits, stress in the banking sector, war in Ukraine, and the debt ceiling debate all combined to weigh on sentiment.
Ask Brad: Beware False Prophets and Pundits
There are no immutable paradigms in our profession. Some outcomes are more likely than others, but declaring that something will “never” happen is dangerous.
6 Reasons to Leave the Wirehouse
Being a financial advisor at a wirehouse can often feel like you’re living by someone else’s rules. The things that make your business approach unique can get lost in continuously shifting corporate goals and predetermined career paths. Download our infographic and learn six ways working at a wirehouse is holding you back—and why partnering with Commonwealth can make the transition worth the effort.
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.