Calculated Risk
MAY 12, 2025
From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Mortgage Rates Jump to 2 Week Highs After US/China Trade Talks Tariffs and trade policy have been a new and important consideration for the bond market for just over a month now. That matters to mortgage rates because mortgage pricing is primarily determined by bond prices. Over the weekend, the US and China agreed on a 90 day pause on the more extreme tariff brinksmanship.
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
The increased popularity of UMAs is being driven by a variety of trends in the wealth management universe.
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Nerd's Eye View
MAY 12, 2025
A common structure at many advisory firms is for the owner to handle most of the sales and prospecting, while employee advisors focus on delivering planning and analysis for existing clients. While this model can work well in the early stages of a firm, it often becomes a bottleneck over time, limiting growth to the firm owner's marketing capacity and leaving employee advisors underprepared for more senior roles that require business development skills.
Calculated Risk
MAY 12, 2025
From the Federal Reserve: The April 2025 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices The April 2025 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices (SLOOS) addressed changes in the standards and terms on, and demand for, bank loans to businesses and households over the past three months, which generally correspond to the first quarter of 2025.
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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
The Big Picture
MAY 12, 2025
Ive spent the last 30+ Thanksgivings in Chicago. It’s a great city, with wonderful food, cold winters, and warm people. We opened an office here a few years ago with two fantastic advisors (Jonathan & Brian) and a killer staff (Anna and Colleen). Since then, the Chicago hub has grown rapidly, running a lot of our operations. We finally reached the point where we needed a great office to fit the great RWM folks here.
Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
I’ve been writing about tariffs for a couple of months now, focusing mostly on the macroeconomic harm and the costs they impose on small businesses. Today I want to consider something else: the new risks they are adding to the financial system alongside the old risks.
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Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
Seven of the nine indexes on our world watch list have posted gains through May 12, 2025. Hong Kong's Hang Seng is in the top spot with a year to date gain of 20.01%. Germany's DAXK is in second with a year to date gain of 15.71% while France's CAC 40 is in third with a year to date gain of 6.24%.
NAIFA Advisor Today
MAY 12, 2025
Cash balance plans have quickly become one of the most popular options in the defined benefit spacenow representing over 50% of all such plans. Their appeal lies in their flexibility, tax advantages, and ability to help small business owners save more for retirement while reducing taxable income. As more clients look for impactful retirement planning strategies, understanding how cash balance plans work is more important than ever.
Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
Warren Buffett opened his 60th—and final as CEO—Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting with the same understated clarity that has defined his career: "This is my 60th annual meeting. I think it'll be the best yet.
NAIFA Advisor Today
MAY 12, 2025
Melvin L. Pope III , of Tallahassee, Florida, is a loyal NAIFA member since 1979. He has built a long-standing relationship with the association and a career dedicated to serving others through thoughtful financial planning and advocacy. Melvin now leads Financial Partners , where his passion lies in the design of comprehensive benefit plans, including medical, dental, disability, and life insurance.
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
A Wealth of Common Sense
MAY 12, 2025
Today’s Talk Your Book is brought to you by KraneShares: See here for more info on KraneShares China-focused strategies On today’s show, we discuss: The performance of China An update on China’s economy China real estate The AI race with China Thoughts on investing in China Consumerism in China Listen here: Charts: Follow us on Instagram, andYouTube.
Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
In a rare moment of honesty, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell admitted he and his fellow central bankers don’t know what they’re doing as they wrapped up the May Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.
Harness Wealth
MAY 12, 2025
Filing taxes in Vermont requires a clear understanding of the specific tax forms and regulations that apply within the state. Vermont, abbreviated as VT, has its own set of tax forms designed to address the unique tax laws and requirements for residents and non-residents alike. Navigating these forms correctly is essential to ensure compliance and to maximize any potential refunds or credits.
Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
As the effects of US import tariffs begin to emerge, we shift our stance on equities to underweight.
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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
Midstream Marketing
MAY 12, 2025
Key Highlights Compare the benefits of in-house marketing teams versus virtual marketing agencies to make informed decisions for your financial advisory firm. Discover how overhead costs, scalability, and industry expertise impact your marketing strategy choices. Understand the importance of client engagement and industry insights when evaluating your marketing team options.
Advisor Perspectives
MAY 12, 2025
In the report, Portfolio Managers Andy Acker and Dan Lyons say that despite growing policy uncertainty, plenty of healthcare companies have managed to put up big returns.
Harness Wealth
MAY 12, 2025
The tax arena may be in a constant state of flux, however, 2025 is proving to be a year of major upheavals. Alongside the widely anticipated sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), 39 states have implemented notable tax changes this year. This confluence of federal and state-level adjustments requires a thoughtful approach from tax advisors to make sure their practices remain compliant and that their clients receive the most effective guidance.
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
Basic Capital is offering $4 in financing for every $1 saved in a bid to boost returns for retirement savers.
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.
Harness Wealth
MAY 12, 2025
The U.S. tax industry is currently in a tight corner, grappling with a major talent shortage. The numbers paint a stark picture, with approximately 340,000 fewer accountants working today compared to just five years ago (Bloomberg). This widening gap between the demand for skilled tax professionals and the available supply presents considerable challenges for tax firms of all sizes.
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
The minority investment in Hub values the firm at $29 billion and includes funds managed by T. Rowe Price, private equity firm Alpha Wave and Singapores Temasek.
The Big Picture
MAY 12, 2025
My back-to-work morning planereads: Does One Line Fix Google : Forget AI. Google just created a version of its search engine free of all the extra junk it has added over the past decade-plus. All you have to do is add “udm=14” to the search URL. ( Tedium ) How Next-Generation Advisors Steer Clients Away From Bad Investing Mistakes : Modern financial advisors are schooled in the knowledge needed to steer their clients in the right direction.
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
At the May 401(k) Caf webinar for plan sponsors, the 10 biggest lies told to 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors were revealed.
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.
Calculated Risk
MAY 12, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: 2nd Look at Local Housing Markets in April A brief excerpt: It appears sales will be down year-over-year for the 3rd consecutive month, and sales-to-date in 2025 are trailing sales in 2024 - and 2024 was the lowest sales year since 1995! And sales in April might have a 3 handle (be under 4 million).
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
As the tax landscape evolves, high-net-worth clients will increasingly need sophisticated counsel to navigate these complex and sometimes conflicting state requirements.
Calculated Risk
MAY 12, 2025
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.6% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 21.1% from the seasonal bottom in January and is increasing. Usually, inventory is up about 11.5% from the seasonal low by this week in the year. So, 2025 is seeing a larger than normal pickup in inventory. The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015.
Wealth Management
MAY 12, 2025
Evolve your RIA hiring strategy from talent-focused to skill-specific for optimal team building and growth.
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.
Abnormal Returns
MAY 12, 2025
Podcasts Ted Seides talks with Michael Sidgmore is the Co-Founder of Broadhaven Ventures and the creator of the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast. (capitalallocators.com) Frazer Rice talks with Johanna David talk about three estate planning mistakes and how to avoid them. (podcasts.apple.com) Brendan Frazier talks with Michael Lecours, a financial advisor and co-founder of fpPathfinder, about making the intangible value of financial planning, tangible.
Walkner Condon Financial Advisors
MAY 12, 2025
Feeling uncertain about retirement finances? Walkner Condon gives you four smart, practical strategies to manage risk, spending and liquidity, so you can focus on what you can control.
XY Planning Network
MAY 12, 2025
Many financial planners view referral partnerships as simple reciprocal agreements: "I'll send clients to you if you send them to me." However, these relationships can be much more powerful when approached strategically. I encourage you to think more extensively about how you and your referral partners and other professionals in your community can work together to lift one another up and offer benefits to your clients at the same time.
Carson Wealth
MAY 12, 2025
What a few weeks for investors. Yes, the S&P 500 lost a little ground last week. But lets not miss the forest for the trees. After more than a 10% drop in only two days after Liberation Day on April 2, fear and panic was in the air. As we noted many times last month though, some of the worst days of the year tend to take place right around the best days.
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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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