The Big Picture

DECEMBER 11, 2023

No, “ nearly half ” of $94.5 billion in retail inventory losses in 2021 was not “attributable to organized retail crime.” That line is just another in a long series of falsehoods put forth by the professional b *s at the National Retail Federation. Here’s Reuters : “The main lobbying group for U.S. retailers retracted its claim that “organized retail crime” accounted for nearly half of all inventory losses in 2021 after finding that incorrect data was used for its analysis.

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Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Markets Every major asset class, except commodities, is set for an up 2023. (capitalspectator.com) The drop in bond yields reversed a lot of market trends. (wsj.com) Crypto Coinbase ($COIN) is the 'last man standing' in the crypto space. (nytimes.com) Zeke Faux's "Number Go Up" isn't really a book about crypto. (marginalrevolution.com) Finance The mostly highly-rated sell-side analysts work hard.

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Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 11, 2023

For most financial advisors, 2023 was a year of rebound and reinvestment, as markets bounced back from the turbulence of 2022, and expanded profit margins allowed advisory firms room to reinvest back into the services and value they're providing clients to make sure their retention stays strong in the future. Here at Kitces.com, we've similarly been in the midst of a reinvestment process in 2023, setting the foundation so that we can give even more back to the Financial Advicer community, as we

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Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Podcasts Daniel Crosby talks 'respecting reality' with the head of Black Flag Venture, a boutique creative and marketing consulting firm. (standarddeviationspod.com) Cameron Passmore and Benjamin Felix talk with James Grubman author of "Wealth 3.0: The Future of Family Wealth Advising." (rationalreminder.libsyn.com) Brendan Frazier talks client conversations with Ross Marino, founder of Transitus Wealth Partners.

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Financial Planner Financial Advising Financial Planning Budgeting 144

Speaker: Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyStem

Join us for an enlightening webinar as we delve into the transformative realm of modern accounting practices. In today's digital age, the convergence of outsourcing and automation has revolutionized how businesses manage their financial operations. In this webinar we will explore the synergistic potential of these two strategies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, save cost and drive strategic decision-making.

Accounting

Carson Wealth

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Stocks Remain Strong Stocks took a break last week, which was perfectly normal after a five-week win streak coming off the late-October lows. It is important to remember that stocks lead the economy, both on the way up and the way down. Various indexes are closing in on new all-time highs, and one of the most important indexes in the world is already there.

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Financial Symmetry

DECEMBER 11, 2023

When having conversations with individuals approaching retirement, but who have yet to reach age 65, one primary concern is often in the forefront of their mind: What am I going to do about health insurance before I reach Medicare age? … Continued The post Health Insurance Options to Consider When Retiring Pre-Medicare Age, ep #205 appeared first on Financial Symmetry, Inc.

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Insurance Retirement Healthcare 111

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

In a recent report, the SEC Investor Advocate suggested the commission "temporarily" stop RIAs from including mandatory arbitration clauses in contracts, arguing they could "mislead retail clients into not exercising their legal rights.

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Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 11, 2023

A reader asks if we could look at the participation rate for 25 to 64, as opposed to 25 to 54, since many people work until they receive Social Security and Medicare. First, the BLS provides seasonally adjusted data for the "Prime" working age group (25 to 54), but only NSA data for the 55 to 64 cohort. So, this makes tracking a larger Prime+ group more difficult.

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Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

We are speaking on November 3, but the big headline for 2023 has already been written. This will be the year of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Not only have AI and ML driven the soaring valuations of stocks like NVDIA, but they have also demonstrated the potential to increase the efficiency of advisory practices. My guest today will provide an update on the latest in AI/ML and how solutions such as ChatGPT will positively impact financial professionals.

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Valuation 105

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As we step into 2024, the lending landscape evolves rapidly with technology, regulations, and market dynamics driving change. For banks and financial institutions to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, these drivers must be understood and engaged with. Lenders can anticipate significant transformation fueled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer behaviors.

Banking

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Who will be the winners, losers and new entrants as the convergence of wealth, retirement and benefit at work will revolutionize 401(k) plans?

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Retirement Planning Retirement Planning 117

Alpha Architect

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Hence, the major research question examined here is: What is the impact of industrial pollution on market pricing? Short answer: polluters have earned higher returns. Do Polluters Earn Higher Expected Returns? Yes. was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.

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Marketing Marketing 104

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

The change in tone from the Fed Chairman regarding inflation suggests that rates may have peaked. This month, we're highlighting the positive performance of the markets, with the S&P 500 approaching levels last seen in July. We're also experiencing an improvement in consumer confidence as things remain relatively healthy despite housing costs.

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Marketing Marketing 98

Integrity Financial Planning

DECEMBER 11, 2023

As the holidays approach, you may be rounding up your finances for the end of the year. If so, one thing you may want to keep an eye on is the design of your financial portfolio. Your portfolio may not be set up with the best possible spread of investments and assets. If you’re using a generic 60/40 portfolio (60% stocks, 40% bonds), you may have noticed that the returns from this design have been lower than they were in the past.

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Portfolio Economy Financial Guidance Financial Planning 97

Speaker: Joe Buhrmann, MBA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Senior Financial Planning Practice Management Consultant eMoney Advisor

During an era of evolving consumer preferences, the banking sector is undergoing a profound shift. As customers continue to broaden their perspectives, banking professionals must support their customers' financial wellness by providing holistic financial advice that aligns with individual goals and circumstances. Without adapting, financial institutions will find that loyalty may crumble amid uncertainty.

Financial Advice

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

With fixed income suffering subpar returns amid the Federal Reserve’s monetary tightening, some have argued traditional investing advice needs a rethink.

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XY Planning Network

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Unless your firm is registered with the SEC, your business is likely subject to the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act. This post dives into key details and what you need to know as we head towards 2024 to ensure you’re compliant.

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Investment Advisor Investing Investments Fee Only 93

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Zephyr Market Strategist Ryan Nauman uncovers the truths about these bold and aggressive statements and discusses whether they are realistic.

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Marketing Marketing 107

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

The chief risk for your clients who are in retirement or approaching that phase of life is the solvency of Social Security.

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Digital platforms can provide you with plenty of solutions, yet many are still intimidated by them. It's time to end that worry and embrace what could make a major difference for your bank. Understanding how they work and how to best utilize them for your banks is key toward success. In this article, Biz2X breaks down all things digital platforms, including the many advantages of embracing them.

Banking

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Publicly-traded REITs surged in November and the outlook for interest rates may situate the sector for steady growth.

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Cornerstone Financial Advisory

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Spark Late Week Rally A late-week, two-day rally left stocks higher, adding to November’s gains as the last month of trading for 2023 began. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat (+0.01%), while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 0.21%. The Nasdaq Composite index advanced 0.69% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, was up 0.37%. 1,2,3 Stocks Extend Gains The relationship between the bond and stock markets–which push

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Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Nick Zamparelli, CIO at Sequoia Financial Group, breaks down his asset allocation for the $15 billion RIA’s 50/50 model portfolio.

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Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

The Stone Ridge High Yield Reinsurance Fund (SHRIX) was introduced a decade ago to provide pure exposure to catastrophe-reinsurance risk that had historically delivered excess returns. Let’s look at how it performed over that period.

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All accounting teams know what it is like to dread the inevitable month-end scaries. If there was a way to feel less burdened and maybe even a little enthusiastic to work on your month-end close and reconciliation process, would you do it? No, don't answer that, of course you would! Automate your month-end close process by up to 40% with SkyStem's ART and see how much more alive you feel!

Accounting

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Young investors need to look a bit harder at how that index is weighted to make sure they’re getting the diversification they want.

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Investing Investments 99

Trade Brains

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Inox India IPO Review : Inox India Limited is coming up with its Initial Public Offering. The IPO will open for subscription on December 14, 2023, and close on December 18, 2023. In this article, we will look at the Inox India IPO Review 2023 and analyze its strengths and weaknesses. Keep reading to find out! Inox India IPO – About The Company Inox India Limited is a supplier of cryogenic equipment that was established in December 1976.

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Transportation Engineering Distribution Pharmaceutical 64

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

You’re young. You’ve got a little money to put away every month. You aren’t madly engaged with markets. But you want to invest for the long term in a low-cost, properly diversified manner. What do you do? Ask almost anyone and you will get the same answer.

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Trade Brains

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Fractional Shares : Remember, there was a time when most of us wished our parents or grandparents had invested at least Rs. 10,000 in MRF (Rs. 1,19,747)? If they had, we might be rich by now, avoiding the struggles of job hunting, and life would have been easy. Now, there are other expensive stocks in India like Page Industries (Rs. 37,352), Honeywell Automation India (Rs. 36,000), Shree Cement (Rs. 28,701), and Abbott India (Rs. 22,899), among others, but most of us don’t have a portfolio large

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Creating a winning digital lending experience requires plenty of focus on the needs of customers and more. Biz2X Chief Product Officer Aaron Traub covers everything from how to create such an experience, areas to hone in on, pitfalls to avoid, and plenty more in this insightful article. Discover how to utilize new technology without alienating existing customers, what to emphasize when working on your platform, and how to utilize the data at your disposal while not becoming overly reliant on it.

Communication

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Multiple jobholders account for 5.2% of civilian employment. The survey captures data for four subcategories of the multi-job workforce, the relative sizes of which we've illustrated in a pie chart.

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Accounting 64

Sara Grillo

DECEMBER 11, 2023

There are a lot of people who consider their fees low but here’s a financial advisor who claims to be charging 60-80% lower fees than the “full-service” wealth management firms who are his competition. Does he actually do this? How does he run his practice without going broke? What does low fee financial advice actually look like, from the inside?

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Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Five of the eight indexes on our world watch list posted gains through December 11, 2023. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 finished in the top spot with a YTD gain of 25.67%. The U.S.'s S&P 500 finished in second with a YTD gain of 20.87% while Germany's DAXK moved into third with a YTD gain of 14.63%.

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Marketing Marketing 59