Tap Into Your Clients’ Interest in Charitable Planning
Wealth Management
JUNE 9, 2025
Financial advisors should prioritize charitable giving discussions to meet growing client interest and strengthen relationships with younger generations.
A Recordkeeping Checklist For Financial Planning Services: Proactive Documentation Of Service Delivery To Reduce Regulatory Scrutiny
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 18, 2024
While state and Federal regulations clearly outline recordkeeping requirements for areas like financials, advertisements, and trading records, there is a notable gap when it comes to documenting the delivery of services – especially financial planning services – necessary to justify the fees charged for those services.
Join 36,000+
Insiders
Sign Up for our Newsletter
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Webinars
How To Overcome Change Fatigue In Finance With Neuroscience-Backed Strategies
Protect What Matters: Rethinking Finance Ops In A Digital World
Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: What Really Matters
Trending Sources
#FASuccess Ep 412: 3X’ing The Business With No More Than 50 Great Clients By Hyperfocusing On Who You Can Add The Most Value For, With Anjali Jariwala
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 
244
244 
“ReFire” Instead Of ‘Just’ Retire: A Framework To Help Clients Plan For Purpose In Retirement
Nerd's Eye View
MAY 28, 2025
But as more individuals confront the emotional realities of this life transition, many find that the absence of structure, socialization, and identity once provided by work can create a gap that traditional retirement planning doesn't fully address. While the core elements of traditional retirement planning remain (e.g.,
Retirement 147
147 
Kitces & Carl Ep 154: The Limits Where Technology Can’t Scale Financial Planning Advice
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Just a few decades ago, giving financial advice was largely a manual process – printing lengthy financial plans, processing physical checks, and managing paper files. Many client concerns are deeply personal, requiring empathy, trust, and a nuanced understanding of complex emotional and financial situations.
A 3-Step Sales Process To Clearly Demonstrate Financial Planning Value To Prospects
Nerd's Eye View
NOVEMBER 25, 2024
Over the past decade, a growing number of advisors have expanded into offering comprehensive financial planning services, reflecting a shift that not only helps them stand out from (increasingly commoditized) portfolio management offerings but also supports clients' broader financial goals.
Enhancing Client Conversations About Charitable Giving: Sample Questions, Scripts, and Tools for Better Engagement
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
242 
How Much Does Having The ‘Right’ Capital Market Assumptions Matter In Retirement Planning?
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 11, 2024
is perhaps the most fundamental question a client brings to their advisor. Advisors want to help clients set a secure, reliable retirement plan, yet even the most comprehensive assumptions will inevitably deviate from reality at least to some degree. "How much can I spend in retirement?"
From Emotion To Logic: 6 Questions To Help Clients Navigate Market-Related Fears Productively
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 23, 2025
During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. But even when a client agrees with the reasoning in the moment, the anxiety often lingers.
Clients 233
233 
Gathering Feedback That Counts: Crafting Client Surveys To Offer Services That Matter Most
Nerd's Eye View
MARCH 10, 2025
These services may range from 'standard' offerings like retirement planning to less traditional areas like credit card consulting. In a firm's early years, there tends to be more room for experimentation, with advisors adding new services to provide value and attract clients.
Clients 246
246 
#FASuccess Ep 409: Adding 1,400 New Clients In A Year As An Extension Of Doing (Profitable) Student Loan Consulting At Scale, With Travis Hornsby
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 243
243 
From Emotion To Logic: 6 Questions To Help Clients Work Through Market-Related Fears Productively
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 23, 2025
During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. But even when a client agrees with the reasoning in the moment, the anxiety often lingers.
Clients 233
233 
Kitces & Carl Ep 152: Advisory Fee Confidence And Building The Happy-Client Stoke File
Nerd's Eye View
NOVEMBER 28, 2024
Still others may choose a hybrid model, combining AUM fees with additional charges for other services like tax planning. They also suggest how advisors with unsustainably low fees can shift their mindset, embrace their value, and realign their pricing to reflect both the tangible and intangible value they actually provide to clients.
Clients 246
246 
Caught Between Privacy Laws And Contracts: The Compliance Dilemma Of Taking Clients To A New Firm
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 227
227 
Kitces & Carl Ep 153: Evaluating The Tradeoffs That Come With Retaining ‘Legacy’ Clients
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 12, 2024
There's an old joke in the financial planning industry that the ideal client is "anyone with a pulse". However, as their firms mature, advisors often notice a divide manifesting between newer clients paying higher fees and 'legacy clients' from the early days paying discounted rates. take a physical and emotional toll.
Clients 246
246 
Holistiplan Launches Estate Plan Document Extraction Tool (And More Of The Latest In Financial #AdvisorTech – November 2024)
Nerd's Eye View
NOVEMBER 4, 2024
Welcome to the November 2024 issue of the Latest News in Financial #AdvisorTech – where we look at the big news, announcements, and underlying trends and developments that are emerging in the world of technology solutions for financial advisors!
Estate Planning 243
243 
How Advisors Can Build (and Lose) Trust with 401(k) Plan Sponsors
Wealth Management
JUNE 16, 2025
Explore how 401(k) plan advisors can build trust with clients through transparency, consistency, and independent due diligence in the face of potential conflicts.
Planning 213
213 
Inspired Discovery: Asking Vision Questions To Focus On Clients’ “Ideal Self”
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 200
200 
#FASuccess Ep 440: Making Client Meetings More Consistent Across Multiple Advisors By Utilizing A “Money Personality” Assessment, With Nina Hajjar
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 245
245 
Kitces & Carl Ep 164: Is Complexity In Financial Planning Necessary To Prove (Young) Advisor Credibility?
Nerd's Eye View
MAY 15, 2025
Young advisors may feel – and face – an extra burden to prove their expertise to clients. After all, it can feel odd to create an estate plan that will impact a client’s grandchildren… when those grandchildren may be older than the advisor themselves!
4 Ways And 5 Charts To Talk Tariffs With Clients With Empathy And Strategy
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. Using mirroring language (e.g., Read More.
Clients 228
228 
6 Discovery Meeting Questions To Find Clients’ (Real) “Why” And Set Goals That (Actually) Resonate
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 204
204 
Graduating Clients The Right Way: A Thoughtful Approach To Sustainably Transition ‘Small’ Clients To On-Demand
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 211
211 
Optimizing The Planning Process To Address Challenges For Clients Who Are 1 Year Away From Retirement
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
130 
Optimizing The Planning Process To Address Challenges For Clients Who Are One Year Away From Retirement
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
130 
Social Security Fairness Act: Planning Considerations For The Repeal Of The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) And Government Pension Offset (GPO)
Nerd's Eye View
JANUARY 15, 2025
This lack of clarity made retirement planning significantly more challenging. As a result, it's important for advisors to first identify which clients are currently subject to WEP or GPO and ensure that those who may need to file for benefits do so as soon as possible. Read More.
Government 246
246 
Trends In Financial Advice Fees: What Financial Advisors Are Actually Charging For Their Services
Nerd's Eye View
JUNE 16, 2025
While many firms have historically relied on commission-based compensation methods – reflecting a sales-driven approach – financial advice has evolved with technological advancements and a greater focus on financial planning, with the Assets Under Management (AUM) fee emerging as the primary compensation model.
Financial Advice 233
233 
Fix, Fine, Flourish: A Framework To Take Clients From (Just) “Fine” Staganancy To Being Engaged Again
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 173
173 
#FASuccess Ep 425: Implementing A Financial Planning Quality Control System To Improve Both Client Outcomes And Referrals, With Sebastian Guerra
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.
Values, Purpose, Action: A 3-Part Approach To Establish A “Statement Of Financial Purpose” And Unlock Deeper, More Meaningful Planning Conversations With Clients
Nerd's Eye View
NOVEMBER 6, 2024
In the early days of financial planning, serving clients often meant developing transactional relationships focused on facilitating trades and selling insurance. Over time, advisors shifted toward more analytical approaches, such as investment management and retirement planning.
Clients 130
130 
Helping Clients Grasp Abstract Retirement Income Strategies With Historical Market Visualization
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 147
147 
#FASuccess Ep 432: Crafting “Input Deliverables” That Show Financial Planning Value To Clients Without Creating Busy-Work, With Seth Scott
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 8, 2025
Seth is the founder of Heartwood Financial Planning, an advisory firm affiliated with PlanMember Securities Corporation that is based in Fresno, California, and oversees approximately $100 million in assets under management for 850 client households. My guest on today's podcast is Seth Scott.
#FASuccess Ep 419: Attracting Clients Who Want To Align Their Investments With Their Values With A Sustainable Investing Approach, With Peter Krull
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.
Investments 240
240 
#FASuccess Ep 420: Making Financial Planning More Repeatable Without Losing The Customization Where Clients Prioritize What Matters Most, With Michelle Underwood Gass
Nerd's Eye View
JANUARY 14, 2025
Michelle is the Founding Principal of Paradigm Advisors, an RIA based in Dallas, Texas, that oversees approximately $110 million in assets under management for 80 client households.
Why Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Aren’t Always Worth The ‘Triple Tax Savings’ Advantage
Nerd's Eye View
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have become an increasingly popular tool for financial advisors and their clients due in part to the 'triple tax savings' they offer: tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and non-taxable distributions for qualifying expenses.
Accounting 234
234 
Pete Dorsey Launches Client-Facing Financial Planning App
Wealth Management
APRIL 9, 2025
The former TDAI and Altruist executive has been in stealth mode building Wing, a digital financial planning app meant to help next-gen clients build personalized, goals-based plans, and advisors capture money in motion.
Planning with Pride: How Advisors Can Better Serve the LGBTQ+ Community
Wealth Management
JUNE 6, 2025
During Pride month, an advisor specializing in LGBTQ+ clients suggests how to meet the needs of this underserved, but “opportunity-rich” client group.
Planning 208
208 
How Employer Roth Contributions To Solo 401(k) Plans Reduce The QBI Deduction (And Increase Taxes) For Self-Employed Workers
Nerd's Eye View
JANUARY 8, 2025
Solo 401(k) plans are a popular retirement savings vehicle for self-employed business owners. By maximizing both the employee employer contributions, solo 401(k) plan owners can often save significantly more than is possible with other types of retirement plans available to self-employed workers, like SEPs and standard IRAs.
Taxes 246
246 
Kitces & Carl Ep 159: When You Promised Early Clients Special Fees Or Minimums You Can No Longer Honor
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 182
182 
Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (June 7–8)
Nerd's Eye View
JUNE 6, 2025
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent report finds that the number of SEC-registered RIAs, the assets that they manage, and the number of clients they serve all increased between 2023 and 2024 and suggests the industry is robust across the size spectrum, (..)
When clients don’t understand legacy planning
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)
JANUARY 5, 2025
By Antoinette Tuscano, MDRT senior content specialist When clients dont understand what you can offer them and object, theyre not saying no to you. As a financial advisor, you can ask clients questions and discover the bias behind their objections. Not thinking big enough I focus on clients who are self-made business owners.
Clients 103
103 
Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (June 14–15)
Nerd's Eye View
JUNE 13, 2025
Other key findings from the survey included a gap between long-term investment return expectations of investors and advisors (12.6%
#FASuccess Ep 426: Rolling Out An Equity Compensation Plan To Align The Entire Team On Client Service And Profitable Growth, With Jennifer des Groseilliers
Nerd's Eye View
FEBRUARY 25, 2025
Jennifer is the CEO of The Mather Group, an RIA based in Chicago, Illinois, that oversees $15 billion in combined assets under management and advisement for approximately 4,400 client households. Read More.
Steering Clients Away From Investing Mistakes
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
147 
Let's personalize your content