Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 28, 2024

This fee confidence gap has large ramifications in the long term, as firms with higher revenues can reinvest in growth – with hiring, marketing, and process improvements – that enhance their value proposition and attracts more prospective clients. Have clients described the advice as "life-changing"? Read More.

Clients 246

Clients Financial Planner Fee Only Financial Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 4, 2025

When a financial advisor transitions from one firm to another, they're often offered incentives by the new firm based on how much client revenue they bring with them. The challenge, however, is that advisors generally don't have the legal authority to simply transfer clients to a new firm.

Compliance 240

Compliance Clients Financial Advisor Planning 240

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Yet, despite the important role that charitable giving can play, studies show that many advisors hesitate to bring up the topic with clients. Advisors may worry about overstepping boundaries or feel uncertain about a client's interest in philanthropy. These statements often stem from clients' life stories and core values.,

Clients 232

Clients Education Financial Planner Planning 232

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

Anjali is the Founder of FIT Advisors, an RIA based in Torrance, California (but works virtually with clients nationwide) and oversees $65 million in assets under management for 45 client households.

Clients 238

Clients Financial Advisor Business Planning Taxes 238

Nerd's Eye View

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Early in a firm's life cycle, a founder might take on nearly any client (and their fees) just to generate enough revenue to 'keep the lights on'. However, as the firm grows, some of those early clients may no longer be profitable to serve – especially if they generate lower fees than newly onboarded clients.

Clients 173

Clients Communication Numbers Management 173

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 29, 2024

Travis is the founder of Student Loan Planner, an RIA and student loan consulting company based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that serves nearly 1,400 households with ongoing financial planning (as well as consulting with over 15,000 clients on student loan debt).

Consulting 236

Consulting Clients Financial Planning Compensation Planning 236

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 7, 2025

Pete is the Director of Sustainable Investing of Earth Equity Advisors, an RIA based in Asheville, North Carolina, that oversees approximately $200 million in assets under management for 250 client households. Read More.

Investing 228

Investing Investments Clients Risk Tolerance 228

Wealth Management

JUNE 17, 2025

Zach Ivey, Savant Wealth Management's CIO, discusses evolving investment landscapes, alternative allocations and educating advisors on private market liquidity at Wealth Management EDGE.

Wealth Management 260

Wealth Management Investments Investing Clients 260

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 3, 2025

Nina is a partner of Stratos CA, a hybrid advisory firm affiliated with Stratos Wealth Partners and based in Los Angeles, California, that oversees approximately $500 million in assets under management for 300 client households.

Clients 242

Clients Risk Tolerance Financial Advisor Assets 242

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 16, 2025

In these moments, the conversations that advisors have with their clients play a crucial role in helping clients maintain perspective, avoid emotional decisions, and stay committed to their long-term financial plans. Instead, allowing them to fully voice their fears can build trust and help them feel understood. Read More.

Clients 202

Clients Financial Planning Financial Advice Portfolio 202

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

Investment advisers are fiduciaries that owe a duty of care and loyalty to their clients. One component of this duty of care is an obligation to seek best execution of client securities transactions. The SEC, in its interpretive release, sets an expectation of "periodic and systematic evaluation" (i.e.,

Fiduciary Duty 237

Fiduciary Duty Clients Commission Accounting 237

Wealth Management

JUNE 20, 2025

Gladstone Group M&A consultant Derek Bruton reports that RIA sellers almost always clear the client retention mandate common in deal contracts.

Clients 205

Clients Sales Consulting 205

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 9, 2025

It's natural for advisors to begin discovery meetings by asking questions about a client's current financial situation – understanding cash flow, debt, investments, risk tolerance, or even the burning tax concern that brought them to the advisor's door in the first place is crucial for financial planning.

Clients 160

Clients Financial Planning Risk Tolerance Planning 160

Wealth Management

JULY 1, 2025

Advisors must prepare clients for this financial challenge. Long-term care costs soar past $100,000 annually, with dementia care reaching $184,500.

Clients 185

Clients Planning 185

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 6, 2025

New financial advisors often start with below-market fees – sometimes to build confidence that prospects will actually pay, other times to attract clients quickly and establish a base. And while new clients often come in at higher fees, early clients may still be paying well below the firm's current rates.

Clients 169

Clients Ethics Financial Advice Budgeting 169

The Big Picture

MAY 3, 2025

Fun conversation in Barron’s about Steering Clients Away From Bad Investing Mistakes. Source : How Next-Generation Advisors Steer Clients Away From Bad Investing Mistakes A key role of a financial advisor is to prevent clients from making rash decisions during volatile markets. billion in assets under management.

Clients 147

Clients Investments Investing Wealth Advisor 147

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 7, 2025

For many financial advisors, an early planning conversation often includes asking clients to identify financial goals. Which can leave both client and advisor feeling stuck: The client doesn't have the motivation to act, and the advisor struggles to guide the plan forward in a way that connects.

Clients 165

Clients Financial Planning Planning Financial Advisor 165

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 2, 2025

For many financial advisors, a core part of the retirement planning process involves simulating whether the client's assets will last through retirement. Yet while these tools offer mathematical metrics, they often fall short in helping clients connect the numbers to their real lives.

Retirement 134

Retirement Clients Retirement Planning Marketing 134

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 26, 2025

In recent years, financial advice has expanded beyond spreadsheets and technical strategies to consider the behavioral and emotional factors driving clients’ relationships with money. At the same time, advisors’ personal money stories may serve as a magnet for like-minded clients – and an asset to the relationship.

Clients 130

Clients Financial Advisor Financial Advice Communication 130

Nerd's Eye View

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

When a client first begins working with an advisor, the relationship is often marked with a flurry of onboarding tasks, immediate issues to resolve, and long-term planning goals to establish. And as clients come into monitoring meetings, they may increasingly describe their situation as "fine", with no pressing issues to address.

Clients 143

Clients Financial Planning Planning Management 143

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 28, 2025

In this guest post, Kathleen Rehl, a "ReFired" financial advisor and educator in legacy planning, shares a framework to help advisors guide clients through this transition using a more expansive "ReFirement" lens. Yet even clients who are financially prepared may feel anxious or uncertain about what comes next. Read More.

Retirement 134

Retirement Clients Planning Retirement Planning 134

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 12, 2025

As a result, when advisors are tasked with (re-)educating clients about the potential consequences of financial decisions, there may be a disconnect between potential risk and what a client actually experiences. So how can advisors help clients understand dangers they haven't personally encountered?

Financial Planner 130

Financial Planner Clients Tax Planning Planning 130

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 25, 2025

Many financial advisory clients might work for 40 years or more, ideally seeing their income – and capacity to save for retirement – increase over time as they advance in their careers. But not every client may want to leave the workforce early.

Retirement 133

Retirement Clients Financial Advisor Accounting 133

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 21, 2025

When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. while also setting the tone for a long-term planning relationship built on trust and deeper client engagement.

Retirement 130

Retirement Clients Planning Estate Planning 130

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 21, 2025

When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. while also setting the tone for a long-term planning relationship built on trust and deeper client engagement.

Retirement 130

Retirement Clients Planning Estate Planning 130

Wealth Management

JUNE 13, 2025

For the RIA industry to shed the “eat what you kill” label by the next generation, they must “break resistance” to passing on clients, according to panelists speaking at Wealth Management EDGE.

Clients 138

Clients Wealth Management Management 138

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 1, 2025

What's unique about Libby, though, is how she has created a system for onboarding clients (based on her experience as a coach and as a financial advisor herself) that demonstrates a firm's professionalism, reduces points of friction, and shows personal touches, that together can drive client referrals after just their first 100 days with the firm.

Clients 130

Clients Financial Advisor Communication Accounting 130

Wealth Management

JUNE 25, 2025

Modera Wealth Management's Tom Orecchio discusses the evolving dynamics and secrets to building a successful financial advisory firm.

Wealth Management 215

Wealth Management Management Clients 215

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 1, 2025

Advisors spend a lot of time crafting their financial advice recommendations – and how they deliver those recommendations – for their clients. These ultra-personalized suggestions are central to what makes financial advice valuable and can have a significant impact on a client's life. or "How can I be helpful here?"

Clients 134

Clients Financial Advice Communication 134

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 29, 2025

But delivering those recommendations in a way that clients can understand and act on is a separate skill. Because when advice is clear and comprehensible, clients are more likely to act on it and gain peace of mind from knowing there's a well-considered strategy in place! Fortunately, advisors don't need to start from scratch.

Clients 130

Clients Communication Tax Planning Financial Advice 130

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 17, 2025

billion in assets under management for 1,800 client households. David is the founder of The Bahnsen Group, an RIA based in Newport Beach, California, that oversees approximately $7.5

Clients 138

Clients Financial Advisor Assets Financial Services 138

Nerd's Eye View

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Sebastian is the President of Guerra Wealth Advisors, a hybrid advisory firm based in Miami, Florida, with nearly $15M of revenue and almost 60 team members, supporting over 1,700 client households.

Financial Planning 134

Financial Planning Clients Planning Wealth Advisor 134