Tue.Feb 04, 2025

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BLS: Job Openings Decreased to 7.6 million in December

Calculated Risk

From the BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary The number of job openings decreased to 7.6 million on the last business day of December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and total separations were little changed at 5.5 million and 5.3 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.2 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) changed little. emphasis added The following graph shows job openings (black line), hires (dark blue), Layoff, Di

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#FASuccess Ep 423: Expanding Across The Household By Helping (Affluent) Sandwich Generation Kids With Their Parents’ Financial Needs, With Cristina Livadary

Nerd's Eye View

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 423rd episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Cristina Livadary. Cristina is the CEO of Mana Financial Life Design, an RIA based in Los Angeles, California (but works virtually with clients nationwide), that oversees approximately $70 million in assets under management for 119 client households.

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Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rates Increased in December

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rates Increased in December Excerpt: Freddie Mac reported that the Single-Family serious delinquency rate in December was 0.59%, up from 0.56% November. Freddie's rate is up year-over-year from 0.55% in December 2023, however, this is below the pre-pandemic level of 0.60%.

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Tuesday links: contemporary capitalism

Abnormal Returns

Behavior Should the prospects for AGI change how you invest or work? (ofdollarsanddata.com) Joe Wiggins, "A key element of behaviour change is shifting incentives." (behaviouralinvestment.com) Venture capital The venture capital world has split in two. (sethlevine.com) Venture capital firm General Catalyst has launched its own wealth management operation, GC Wealth.

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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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U.S. Courts: Bankruptcy Filings Increase 14 Percent in 2024; 33% Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Calculated Risk

From the U.S. Courts: Bankruptcy Filings Rise 14.2 Percent Total bankruptcy filings rose 14.2 percent, with increases in both business and non-business bankruptcies, in the twelve-month period ending Dec. 31, 2024. This continues an ongoing rebound in filings after more than a decade of sharply dropping totals. According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S.

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Don’t Freak Out

A Wealth of Common Sense

I spent this past weekend doing what my family does most weekends — shuttling our kids around to their various games, practices and birthday parties. One of the best parts about having young children is so much of your time is devoted to their activities that you don’t have a lot of time to pay attention to the outside world. Some parents complain about being busy all the time but I find it to be a welcomed br.

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Wednesday: Trade Deficit, ADP Employment, ISM Services

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Wednesday: At 7:00 AM ET, The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the mortgage purchase applications index. At 8:15 AM, The ADP Employment Report for January. This report is for private payrolls only (no government). The consensus is for 150,000 payroll jobs added in January, up from 122,000 added in December.

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Super Bowl Market Indicator – Myth or Truth?

Wealth Management

Breaking down whether the winner of the Big Game accurately predicts the direction of the stock market.

Marketing 264
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Take action to grow your financial practice

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)

By Sandy Schussel Do you want to grow your business, or do you choose to grow your business? Troy, a financial advisor, claimed to be making constant prospecting calls, but he barely netted $60,000 last year. Ive taken several sales training courses and am always reading sales books, Troy told me during our first conversation. Im not sure why none of it is working for me.

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AssetMark Taps New CTO from BlackRock’s Aladdin

Wealth Management

Alex Pape, a former global head of product at Aladdin, will oversee the development of AssetMarks technology.

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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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Member Profile: Ray Smith - A Lifetime of Financial Service and Client Impact

NAIFA Advisor Today

Ray Smith has been a loyal member of NAIFA since 1976, calling Stillwater, OK, home. He is the founder of Ray Smith Wealth Management and has built a career in the financial services industry that spans over five decades. Ray's journey into the business started right after college when a fraternity brother suggested he explore the field. After taking the required tests, he joined a company that later transitioned into Ameritas, where he has stayed ever since.

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Commonwealth Snags $320M Advisor from Cambridge

Wealth Management

Advisor David A. Schneider in New York City has left Cambridge after 17 years with the broker/dealer.

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Fun, Fair, and Flexible: The Leadership Philosophy that Drives a $40-Billion Firm with Jim Gold

Steve Sanduski

Guests: Jim Gold , CEO, Founding Partner, Board Member, and member of the Executive Leadership Team at Steward Partners Global Advisory. In a nutshell: In a recent article , one of Jim Gold’s colleagues described his leadership style as “fun, fair, but firm.” When I asked Jim about that quote and his firm’s culture, he swapped in “flexible.” All four of those words speak to how intentional Jim has been about creating a firm whose employees love where they wor

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The Impact of Vanguard’s ETF Fee Cuts Will Vary by Category

Wealth Management

In some areas, Vanguard does not have the largest ETFs and could use the fee cuts to gain market share.

Marketing 232
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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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Tax Compliance and Risk Management: Navigating Complex Tax Environments

Carson Wealth

Understanding Tax Compliance and Risk Management Ultra-high-net-worth individuals face unique tax challenges, including high rates and ever-changing complex tax codes. If managed improperly or inefficiently, tax issues could significantly erode your familys wealth and even lead to legal complications. While most taxpayers dont need to worry about estate and gift taxes, having significant assets can make them a challenge.

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Adjusted for Risk: Investing in AI Through Active ETFs

Wealth Management

VistaShares' Adam Patti explains the DeepSeek saga and what it means for the AI sector moving forward.

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New Book Launch!

Meb Faber Research

Big news out of the Faber household…a new book drops today! Except this time, it’s not mine, and it’s much more fun to read! My wife’s debut novel is out today, and it would mean the world to me and her if you picked up a copy… let me know what you think! The Department by […] The post New Book Launch! appeared first on Meb Faber Research - Stock Market and Investing Blog.

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Savvy Taps New Growth Officer to Bolster RIA Push

Wealth Management

The tech-driven advisor platform provider has also added RIAs representing $400M to its growing stable of affiliates.

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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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Is The Scare Over?

Random Roger's Retirement Planning

On Sunday I wrote a post that could be summed up by saying "I have no idea what will happen next but don't panic." Two trading days later and I can proudly say I still have no idea what will happen but panic is still not the answer. I've been repeating the exact same message in various places since long before the Financial Crisis. Things seem like they are different, and of course the details are, but the market reaction does not change.

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Direct Indexing Platform Frec Adds Portfolio Allocation Feature

Wealth Management

The functionality will enable investors to choose how to rebalance rather than have it done automatically.

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The Why Behind Wealth: Understanding Key Financial Concepts

Walkner Condon Financial Advisors

Clint Walkner, Managing Partner at Walkner Condon Financial Advisors, explores the new technology revolution, artificial intelligence advancements and their impact on data growth and financial advising.

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FINRA Fines Apex Clearing $3.2M for Securities Lending Violations

Wealth Management

This is FINRAs first enforcement action for violations of Rule 4330, which established requirements for the borrowing of customers fully paid or excess margin securities.

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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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US Exceptionalism Is the Only Game in Town

Advisor Perspectives

The dollar and US stocks have benefitted tremendously from recent global portfolio inflows. As of June 2023, the latest data available, foreigners owned a record 17% of US equities.

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What RIA Consolidators Will Be Looking For in 2025

Wealth Management

Bigger is better only when growth is good for RIAs seeking M&A in 2025.

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Are Boomers Really Spending Their Children’s Inheritance?

Advisor Perspectives

Many of my Boomer clients share this perspective, wanting to make memories and savor experiences as they live fully in their retirement years.

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Mercer Advisors Closes First Deal of 2025 With Nashville-Area RIA

Wealth Management

Denver-based Mercer Global Advisors announces acquisition of Financial Partners Group, expanding its presence in Nashville metro area.

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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?

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Create Your Own Economy, Zoom In & Grow Your Practice

Advisor Perspectives

As an advisor and business owner, you need to realize you can create your own economy – an economy that you control and can leverage.

Economy 59
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AssetMark Taps New CTO from BlackRock’s Aladdin

Wealth Management

Alex Pape, a former global head of product at Aladdin, will oversee the development of AssetMarks technology.

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Market Valuation: Is the Market Still Overvalued?

Advisor Perspectives

Here is a summary of the four market valuation indicators we update on a monthly basis.

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RFG Attracts Advisors From Raymond James, Edelman

Wealth Management

Jarrod Biebel, a former Raymond James advisor, has created TrekNorth Investment Management in the Denver area, while James Horn, a former Edelman advisor with two offices in upstate New York, has founded Matterhorn Private Wealth.

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Demo SkyStem’s Award Winning Month-End Close Solution & Earn $100

Is your finance team bogged down by endless data requests and disorganized spreadsheets during the month-end close? It’s time to consider a better option – automate with ART! SkyStem’s solution works alongside your ERP to transform the close and account reconciliation process and speed up month-end work. Explore SkyStem’s ART - the award-winning account reconciliation automation platform - and receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you for your time.