Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the latest Fidelity RIA Benchmarking Study shows that while RIAs saw gains in AUM and revenue last year, their operating margins tightened, suggesting that rising expenses are cutting into firm profits.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Asset Allocation Taxes Tax Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 10, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the "Social Security Fairness Act" was signed into law this week, eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provisions, which previously reduced the Social Security benefits (..)

Financial Planner 189

Financial Planner Clients Financial Advice Numbers 189

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 17, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that at a time when brokerage firms' cash sweep programs come under increased scrutiny (and as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates), Charles Schwab (the largest RIA custodian) continues to slash sweep rates for client (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Retirement Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 21, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a report from Cerulli Associates found that, amidst an industry-wide trend towards comprehensive financial planning and away from pure transaction-based investment management, asset-based fees currently represent 72.4%

Financial Planner 228

Financial Planner Commission Communication Clients 228

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 28, 2025

Which suggests that, amidst ongoing debate over fiduciary-related regulations, an advisor's status as a fiduciary could both lead to greater client trust (both in their individual advisor relationship and perhaps in the financial advice industry as a whole) and, ultimately, higher client retention rates.

Financial Planner 228

Financial Planner Retirement Retirement Planning Clients 228

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 2, 2025

a ski chalet), assessing whether it will lead to greater overall wellbeing, or, alternatively, more stress, is more challenging Enjoy the 'light' reading! a ski chalet), assessing whether it will lead to greater overall wellbeing, or, alternatively, more stress, is more challenging Enjoy the 'light' reading!

Financial Planner 182

Financial Planner CFP Financial Advisor Retirement 182

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 18, 2025

Which could create opportunities for firms to seek opportunities to move 'upmarket' by trying to add new HNW clients who might not have an advice relationship (or whose current advisor doesn't provide sufficiently comprehensive service).

Financial Planner 195

Financial Planner Risk Tolerance Estate Planning Clients 195

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 11, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the U.S. Senate has confirmed Paul Atkins to be the next Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Financial Planner 162

Financial Planner Communication Commission Clients 162

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 28, 2024

Regardless of the pricing structure that firms choose, Kitces research on "How Financial Planners Actually Do Financial Planning" finds that there is a gap in "fee confidence" – while some advisors charge at or beyond "market price", others consistently underprice themselves. Read More.

Clients 246

Clients Financial Planner Fee Only Financial Planning 246

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 242

Clients Education Financial Planner Planning 242

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 14, 2025

Which, if implemented under the new administration, could provide relief for investment advisers, particularly smaller firms that already have to balance compliance with client service, marketing, and the other duties that go into running a firm.

Financial Planner 162

Financial Planner Compliance Commission Retirement 162

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the SEC this week fined 4 RIAs for violations of its marketing rule related to their claims that they offered 'conflict-free' financial advice.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Compliance Fee Only Communication 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 13, 2024

Read More.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Retirement Certification 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Also in industry news this week: 43% of wealth management firms are frustrated with the effectiveness of their CRM software, spurred on by challenges with integrations and workflows, according to a recent survey The Social Security Administration this week announced a 2.5%

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Risk Tolerance Financial Planning Clients 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 5, 2022

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the SEC has issued a new bulletin clarifying the responsibilities of brokers under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI). How advisors can support clients in choosing a Medigap policy.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Compliance Insurance Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 16, 2022

Also in industry news this week: While the FPA is going full steam ahead on its federal and state lobbying efforts to regulate the title “financial planner”, CFP Board is more focused on increasing recognition of the CFP marks. How individuals can best harness their willpower to achieve their biggest goals. Read More.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Financial Advisor Retirement Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 25, 2024

The typical prospecting process involves multiple meetings, and a fairly common response for advisors to hear after giving their 'pitch' is that the client needs some extra time to think about it. This sales technique involves asking a "negative" question such as, "Joining with a financial planner can be a really scary jump to make, right?"

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Clients Sales Business Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 26, 2024

The study also identified attributes of "top performing" firms across a range of metrics, finding that they are more likely than other firms to have a clear ideal client persona, client value proposition, and marketing plan.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Communication Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 19, 2022

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the FPA is planning to leave the Financial Planning Coalition (which also includes the CFP Board and NAPFA) at the end of the year.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Clients Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 4, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey from Charles Schwab indicates that advisors see technology as the biggest driver of change in the RIA industry, with the growing number of AdvisorTech solutions as the most frequently cited tech-related driver (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Clients Retirement 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a CFP Board ad campaign promoting a career in financial planning to high school and college students sparked an uproar in the planning community, as some advisors questioned whether the messages being sent in the ads – (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Financial Planning Retirement Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 21, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that affluent Americans believe they need an average of $5.5 million in assets to both retire and pass on a legacy interest (though many have yet to establish an estate plan), according to a recent survey.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Advisor Taxes Math 246

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 14, 2024

Nevertheless, these findings could reflect self-selection amongst advisors, with those who don't want to grow past a certain satisfying income (happily and profitably) remaining as solos, and those seeking greater growth upside joining teams.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Compensation Planning Asset Allocation Retirement Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) released the latest edition its annual survey outlining the state of state-registered RIAs, showing that the number of state-registered firms and their assets (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Investment Advisor Financial Advisor Clients 246

Wealth Management

APRIL 6, 2023

How should financial planners respond to client worries about Social Security’s future?

Clients 306

Clients Financial Planner 306

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 16, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a total of 26 broker-dealers, investment advisers, and dually-registered firms agreed to pay combined civil penalties of almost $400 million for failing to maintain (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Communication Retirement Commission 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey found that clients across several countries who work with a CFP professional have better outcomes on a range of measures compared to those working with other advisors or no advisor at all, suggesting that the (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Certification Communication 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 30, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent benchmarking study suggests that a number of RIAs are looking to move 'upmarket' and work with wealthier clients by expanding their service menu to include family office services, investment banking, and/or trust (..)

Financial Planner 241

Financial Planner Financial Advisor Retirement Clients 241

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 2, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that a recent study found that advisory forms working with a younger client base tend to have relatively stronger growth in assets under management and revenue over time.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Risk Tolerance Clients Financial Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 27, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the shift in financial advice from pure investment management to comprehensive financial planning continues, with more individuals becoming CFP professionals than CFAs in the past few years as consumers increasing the diversity (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Advice Financial Advisor Tax Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 5, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent U.S.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Commission Financial Advice 246

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 31, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the Financial Planning Association and Money.com are planning to publish a “Best Financial Advisors” list based on advisors’ education, credentials, and experience, as well as harder-to-quantify (..)

Financial Planner 238

Financial Planner Ethics Financial Advisor Taxes 238

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 5, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the House Financial Services Committee unanimously passed a bill that would direct the SEC to conduct a study and carry out a rulemaking on the definition of a "small entity" to reduce the compliance burden on small businesses, (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Services Electronics Compliance 246

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 7, 2023

Which suggests that advisor wellbeing could potentially be improved not only by automating or outsourcing administrative tasks, but also by adjusting their client rosters to better match their ideal client type.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Tax Planning Clients Valuation 246

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that FINRA has issued a proposal to allow broker-dealers to advertise hypothetical performance data to institutional and high-net-worth investors, which would bring the rules for broker-dealers largely in line with (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Communication Insurance Advertising 246

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 19, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that Charles Schwab and other brokerage platforms are planning to increase the interest rates they pay on client cash held in their platform or cash sweep programs, which could boost the income of clients who maintain a cash (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Distribution Accounting Numbers 246

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 23, 2023

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that amid a flurry of SEC-proposed rules for investment advisers, the Investment Adviser Association this week called on the regulator to assess whether the compliance burden these regulations would put on advisers outweighs (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Recruitment Compliance Financial Advisor 246