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

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

Clients Financial Planning Risk Tolerance Planning 200

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

Consulting Clients Financial Planning Compensation Planning 243

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, (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Retirement Planning Clients 246

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.

Financial Planning 235

Financial Planning Sales Planning Retirement 235

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

Clients Financial Planning Planning Financial Advisor 204

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

Which could prove to be a boon for the financial advice industry as more consumers are willing to entrust their assets to an advisor (while at the same time possibly making it tougher for some advisors to differentiate themselves primarily by how they put their clients' interests first?). Read More.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Advice Retirement Financial Advisor 246

Wealth Management

JUNE 17, 2025

RIAs can create a potential client stream if they commit to a 401(k) channel that includes participant education and touchpoints, said panelists at Wealth Management EDGE last week.

Retirement Planning 200

Retirement Planning Wealth Management Retirement Planning 200

Nerd's Eye View

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

While it may take a while for the adjustments to take place, advisors can still help their clients plan for the effect of WEP and GPO's repeal by estimating how much the client will be receiving in Social Security benefits once the new law is implemented. will be top of mind for clients affected by the WEP and GPO. Read More.

Retirement 245

Retirement Government Clients Planning 245

Abnormal Returns

OCTOBER 28, 2024

artofmanliness.com) Ben Carlson talks about the state of the retirement savings market with Shawn O'Brien, Director of Retirement at Cerulli Associates. citywire.com) What's behind the surge in client churn at RIAs? advisorperspectives.com) Does risk tolerance change in retirement?

Risk Tolerance 271

Risk Tolerance Retirement Financial Planning Insurance 271

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Further, amidst grumbling from some firms, incoming CEO Rick Wurster reiterated a pledge that Schwab (which offers its own direct wealth management services) will not seek to compete for clients with RIAs on its platform, seeing opportunities to pursue prospective clients currently unserved by either group.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Retail Retirement Planning 246

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

JANUARY 22, 2025

Some prospects approach an advisor with an immediate 'problem to be solved', such as a fast-approaching retirement date. I help clients in retirement by doing X, Y, and Z."). These situations often narrow the focus of the prospecting conversation, giving the advisor a clear opportunity to affirm their value (e.g., "I

Financial Advice 239

Financial Advice Financial Planning Retirement Clients 239

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 30, 2025

Notably, the survey identified differences in workplace flexibility by role (with client-facing advisors working more days per week in the office) and by experience (with newer firm employees more likely to have more in-office days each week).

Financial Planner 225

Financial Planner Risk Tolerance Retirement Retirement Planning 225

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

Government Planning Retirement Planning Retirement 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 2, 2024

In this environment, financial advisors have the opportunity to add value for their clients not only by giving a clear explanation about the current status of Social Security and the potential legislative changes that could improve its solvency, but also by modeling what (realistic) changes would mean for their clients' financial plans.

Retirement 246

Retirement Clients Financial Planning Taxes 246

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 9, 2025

These results largely match results from the recent Kitces Research Study on Advisor Productivity, which found that the typical fee schedule for firms charging on a graduated basis remains at 100 basis points (bps) for client assets up to $1 million, then declines to 90 bps at $2 million, 75 bps at $5 million, and 60 bps at $10 million in assets.

Financial Planner 245

Financial Planner Financial Advice Clients Retirement Planning 245

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 27, 2024

The report suggests this might be due in part to increased RIA valuations and the assumption of some firm founders that next-generation employees won't be financially able to buy out the firm from them, though additional data indicates that many firms don't have career paths in place that could help next-generation advisors envision their path to firm (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Insurance Coverage Insurance Valuation 246

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 24, 2024

Over the past few decades, advicers have used Monte Carlo analysis tools to communicate to clients if their assets and planned level of spending were sufficient for them to realize their goals while (critically) not running out of money in retirement.

Communication 246

Communication Retirement Clients Accounting 246

Wealth Management

APRIL 11, 2024

Accumulation-phase planning software won't cut it for solving your clients' complex retirement income puzzles, but there are dedicated applications that can.

Retirement 291

Retirement Distribution Clients Planning 291

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 3, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with a recent survey indicating that a majority of advisors are viewing new client acquisition as their primary challenge in the current competitive environment for financial advice (followed by compliance and technology management) and suggests (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Financial Advice Financial Advisor 246

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.

Financial Planning 130

Financial Planning Clients Planning Financial Advisor 130

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

Clients Planning Financial Planner Financial Planning 130

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Succession planning can be as simple as recreating the retirement planning process you walk clients through every day.

Retirement 244

Retirement Planning Retirement Planning Clients 244

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Read More.

Financial Planner 188

Financial Planner CFP Certification Retirement Planning 188

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)

DECEMBER 10, 2024

Mann, MBA, CFP I find that so many of my clients, regardless of income, have no idea how much money they are saving. First, I would ask clients how much they were saving each year for retirement. Then I would present the plan to the client. Early in my career, this created quite the challenge in developing a proper plan.

Clients 105

Clients CFP Financial Planning Retirement 105

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Kevin is the CEO of Connecticut Wealth Management, an RIA based in Farmington, Connecticut, that oversees approximately $4 billion in assets under management for 1,100 client households.

Wealth Management 246

Wealth Management Financial Advisor Clients Planning 246

Wealth Management

MAY 16, 2025

Retirement plan advisors need to take the rising trend of ERISA forfeiture lawsuits seriously to protect their clients from potential legal risks.

Retirement Planning 191

Retirement Planning Retirement Clients Planning 191

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Also in industry news this week: NASAA has proposed an amendment to its broker-dealer conduct model rule that would restrict the use of the terms “advisor” and “adviser” for broker-dealers and their registered representatives who are not also investment advisers or investment adviser representatives A recent study suggests that (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Asset Allocation Taxes Tax Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 31, 2025

Also in industry news this week: While RIA M&A deal flow hit record levels in 2024 (both in terms of volume and the speed of completing them), firm valuations saw relatively modest gains In its latest annual regulatory oversight report, FINRA joined the SEC in flagging the potential risks to firm and client data from the use of third-party vendors (..)

Financial Planner 245

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Compliance Valuation 245

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.

Financial Planning 130

Financial Planning Clients Planning Financial Advisor 130

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 29, 2025

Gideon is the CEO of Drucker Wealth, a hybrid advisory firm based in New York City, that oversees approximately $1 billion in assets under management for 800 client households.

Clients 130

Clients Financial Advisor Planning Assets 130

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 21, 2025

Daniel is the CEO of WMGNA, a hybrid advisory firm based in Farmington, Connecticut, that oversees approximately $270 million in assets under management for 200 client households.

Taxes 208

Taxes Tax Planning Compensation Planning Financial Advisor 208

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Advisors are overdelivering services such as health care, estate and business planning, while falling short in the areas their clients most desire.

Retirement Planning 354

Retirement Planning Planning Retirement Business Planning 354

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.

Compensation Planning 147

Compensation Planning Clients Planning Wealth Advisor 147

Wealth Management

JUNE 24, 2024

Six ways to help clients gain peace of mind regarding inflation.

Estate Planning 298

Estate Planning Retirement Taxes Planning 298