Wed.Nov 20, 2024

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MBA: Mortgage Applications Increased in Weekly Survey

Calculated Risk

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 1.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 15, 2024. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 1.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

Sales 302
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Seeking Best Execution: Understanding The SEC’s Expectations For Advisors To Deliver Best Outcomes For Clients

Nerd's Eye View

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. While this requirement might sound relatively straightforward, the lack of a single definition for what this duty actually requires can make it challenging for advisers seeking to understand precisely what it means to comply with this responsibility.

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AIA: Architecture Billings "Moderates" in October; Multi-family Billings Declined for 27th Consecutive Month

Calculated Risk

Note: This index is a leading indicator primarily for new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) investment. From the AIA: ABI October 2024: Business conditions at architecture firms begin to moderate The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for the month was 50.3 , meaning that the share of firms that reported declining billings was essentially equal to the share of firms that reported increasing billings.

Clients 204
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Personal finance links: mostly positive markets

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Sam Dogen talks the 4% rule with Bill Bengen. (sites.libsyn.com) Frazer Rice talks with Christine Benz author of "How to Retire" (podcasts.apple.com) Carl Richards talks money and more with journalist Kara Swisher. (50fires.com) Retirement Gray divorce can have a huge effect on your retirement. (nytimes.com) Taxes in retirement only get more complicated.

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Live Demo - Supercharge your Month End Close

Automation generally supercharges any process and brings its value to the forefront. See how infusing automation such as ART (our month-end close solution), into your close can get you to the next level of closing. We will share a live demo of SkyStem's solution, ART and share the key elements of month-end close automation. Through ART, we'll take a look at: What month-end close automation entails Which process steps can and should be automated Benefits of achieving process automation, and Why i

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Artificial Intelligence Can Be a Superpower for Financial Advisors

Wealth Management

New tools automate the process of personalizing service and communications to improve the advisor-client relationship.

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Three Things I Think I Think – Bitcoin, Bitcoin, Bitcoin

Discipline Funds

Here is one thing I think I am thinking about three times. 1) The money supply as the cost of capital. In a recent interview MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor was criticizing Warren Buffett’s cash management. Buffett has a colossal cash hoard of $325B sitting in T-Bills earning 4.5%. Saylor, on the other hand, invests his cash in Bitcoin. He justifies this “cash management” by arguing that his “cost of capital” is 15%.

More Trending

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LA Ports: Inbound Traffic Increased Sharply Year-over-year in October

Calculated Risk

Container traffic gives us an idea about the volume of goods being exported and imported - and usually some hints about the trade report since LA area ports handle about 40% of the nation's container port traffic. The following graphs are for inbound and outbound traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in TEUs (TEUs: 20-foot equivalent units or 20-foot-long cargo container).

Retail 182
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Sophisticated Internet Scams Targeting Elderly Clients Are Rampant

Wealth Management

Help prevent your elderly clients from falling victim to fraud.

Clients 290
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California Home Sales Up 9.5% SA YoY in October

Calculated Risk

Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: California Home Sales Up 9.5% SA YoY in October Excerpt: The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is scheduled to release October Existing Home sales on Thursday, Nov 21st at 10:00 AM. The consensus is for 3.88 million SAAR, up from 3.84 million in September. Last year, the NAR reported sales in October 2023 at 3.85 million SAAR.

Sales 162
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401(k) Real Talk Episode 130: November 20, 2024

Wealth Management

Open, honest and candid discussion about auto features, state mandates, RIA aggegators, alts in 401(k) plans and more.

Planning 264
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2025 Industry Index: How Top Advisors Are Scaling Smarter (and Faster) This Year

Where are top advisors focusing in 2025? AcquireUp’s 2025 Industry Index reveals it all. Based on insights from 200+ financial professionals nationwide, discover why 74% say seminars and referrals deliver the best ROI, how automation is helping advisors scale faster, and why only 8% are tapping into niche marketing (a major growth opportunity!). Whether you're refining your client acquisition strategy or scaling your practice, this report gives you the real-world data, benchmarks, and action ste

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Thursday: Existing Home Sales, Unemployment Claims, Philly Fed Mfg

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Thursday: • At 8:30 AM ET, The initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released. The consensus is for 222 thousand initial claims, up from 217 thousand last week. • Also at 8:30 AM, the Philly Fed manufacturing survey for November. The consensus is for a reading of 5.0, down from 10.3. • At 10:00 AM, Existing Home Sales for October from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Sales 147
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Carson Partner Acquires Minneapolis RIA to Create $350M Practice

Wealth Management

MAG Wealth Management has also sold a 30% stake to Carson Group, and it will become the first Carson Wealth branded location in the state of Minnesota.

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When The 4% Rule Isn't 4%

Random Roger's Retirement Planning

Bill Bengen, known for deriving the 4% rule sat for a podcast with Sam Dogen , a well known FIRE proponent and blogger. The 4% rule is generally the accepted standard for a safe withdrawal rate in retirement to ensure the assets last for 30 years. Listen to the podcast. Their conversation was very illuminating. Get ready to be very surprised. Bengen retired as a financial advisor in 2013 but he also considers himself a researcher.

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An Investment Advisor Takes Another Look at Life Insurance

Wealth Management

A sensible move for both the firm and its clients?

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Are Key To Better Spend Management

Speaker: Claire Grosjean, Global Finance & Operations Executive

Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.

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What Top Financial Professionals Are Doing to Succeed

Advisor Perspectives

Top financial professionals have a clear understanding of their unique strengths and are able to convey them to clients. To set yourself up for success, distinguish yourself in the market through specialized expertise and tailored client services.

Clients 119
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$350M Ohio Firm Joins the Migration from Osaic to LPL

Wealth Management

Strata Financial Group is moving from Ossic to LPL because of its “transparency and robust public presence,” according to one advisor.

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4 Ways to Help the Next Gen Turn Aspiration to Impact

Advisor Perspectives

Gen Z and millennials are widely considered to be the most diverse and socially conscious generations yet. They are vocal about their interest in driving social impact. And their values and priorities dictate their actions, all of which are actively shaping the future.

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Senate Selects New Leader, Setting Up 2025 Tax Sprint

Wealth Management

John Thune favors pro-growth policies.

Taxes 259
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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

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When it is right to take more risk rather than manage or mitigate it

Norman Marks

People are quick to respond to a risk by seeking to “manage or mitigate” it. They shudder at the thought of risk. But there are times when the right thing is not only to take the identified risk (taking risk is a better way of looking at it than accepting risk) but to take more.

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The Changing Nature of M&A in the RIA Space

Wealth Management

When it comes to selling, taking the highest offer from the biggest firm might not be best for advisors and their clients.

Clients 257
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The BRICS Currency Charade

Advisor Perspectives

Expressions of dissatisfaction with the global dominance of the dollar go back at least to French finance minister Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1965. But even today, the euro is no challenger to the greenback, and no one should hold their breath waiting for the BRICS to unveil their own attempt at an alternative currency.

75
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Bill Hwang Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Archegos Crimes

Wealth Management

Hwang was found guilty in July of orchestrating a scheme to mislead his bank counterparties into providing Archegos with billions of dollars in trading capacity that inflated the value of his portfolio until the bubble burst in March 2021.

Banking 246
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How to Avoid Pitfalls In Automation: Keep Humans In the Loop

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

Automation is transforming finance but without strong financial oversight it can introduce more risk than reward. From missed discrepancies to strained vendor relationships, accounts payable automation needs a human touch to deliver lasting value. This session is your playbook to get automation right. We’ll explore how to balance speed with control, boost decision-making through human-machine collaboration, and unlock ROI with fewer errors, stronger fraud prevention, and smoother operations.

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The Peril of Relying on Incomplete Information

Advisor Perspectives

I think I have all the information I need to provide a view that others can confidently rely on, whether personal or professional advice. There’s just one problem: I’m often wrong. Why is that?

75
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When Resorting to the Courts Isn’t All Bad

Wealth Management

An added level of protection and clarity may be needed.

246
246
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AI’s Slowdown Is Everyone Else’s Opportunity

Advisor Perspectives

The multi-trillion-dollar artificial intelligence boom was built on certainty that generative models would keep getting exponentially better. Spoiler alert: they aren’t.

64
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How to Determine the Governing Law of a Trust

Wealth Management

Examining the three domains of construction, validity and administration.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.

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Phillies and SEI to Celebrate the Season of Giving with Holiday Charitable Events

SEI

Starting November 26, Phanta Claus and Special Guests to Bring Holiday Cheer During a Dozen Events Aimed at Giving Thanks to Community Heroes

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A Failure to Communicate

Wealth Management

When the fiduciary and the beneficiary don’t engage with each other, it can create discord that leads to litigation.

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What Is an Example of Biblical Stewardship?

Cornerstone Financial Advisory

All Bible verses in this article are English Standard Version (ESV). As Christians, we’re called to be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. But what does this look like in practice? How can we ensure we’re managing our finances and other resources in a way that honors God? In this blog post, we’ll explore examples of faithful stewards in the Bible, discuss the basic principles of stewardship , and even look at what we can learn from examples of bad stewardshi

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Bridgewater Partners With State Street For ‘All Weather’ ETF

Wealth Management

State Street Global Advisors plans to create the SPDR Bridgewater All Weather ETF. The fund will be sub-advised by Bridgewater, which will provide a daily model portfolio specific to this product.

Portfolio 212
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Stop Falling Short When It Matters Most—The Elite Advisor’s Playbook to Success

Like being inches from the end zone, many advisors are frustratingly close to their next level of success. You work hard. You put in the hours. But if your closing rate is stuck or your pipeline feels like a revolving door… something has to change. Most advisors are just one small shift away from dramatically increasing their revenue. The difference?