Thu.Jan 09, 2025

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Kitces & Carl Ep 155: How Do You Know You Are Adding Value Versus Just Trying To Justify Your Fees?

Nerd's Eye View

While financial advisors offer valuable services for their clients, it can sometimes be challenging to gauge how much clients actually value those services. On one hand, a client's willingness to pay an ongoing fee for financial advice suggests that they find the advisor's services worthwhile. On the other hand, the term "financial advice" often refers to much more than asset allocation and wealth management.

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December Employment Preview

Calculated Risk

On Friday at 8:30 AM ET, the BLS will release the employment report for December. The consensus is for 160,000 jobs added, and for the unemployment rate to be unchanged at 4.2%. There were 227,000 jobs added in November, and the unemployment rate was at 4.2%. From Goldman Sachs: We expect a below-consensus 125k increase in payrolls (vs. +160k consensus) in December.

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Security and Estate Planning: New Considerations for UHNW Families

Wealth Management

Security is becoming a central consideration in structuring everything from family offices to succession plans.

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The Housing Bubble and Mortgage Debt as a Percent of GDP

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Update: The Housing Bubble and Mortgage Debt as a Percent of GDP A brief excerpt: Two years ago, I wrote The Housing Bubble and Mortgage Debt as a Percent of GDP. Here is an update to a couple of graphs. The bottom line remains the same: There will not be cascading price declines in this cycle due to distressed sales.

Economy 147
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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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Savvy Adds Four Advisors, Pushing AUM Over $1B

Wealth Management

The additions bring Savvys total number of advisors to 40 and assets under management to more than $1 billion.

Numbers 278
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Thursday links: the laws of physics

Abnormal Returns

Markets Why the CAPE ratio should be higher today than it was in the past. (theirrelevantinvestor.com) What explains the big divergence between the U.S. and European stock market returns? (albertbridgecapital.com) Finance The stock market is getting more concentrated, and so are actively managed portfolios. (morningstar.com) Sell-side equity research ranks were in decline, even before the introduction of AI.

Media 162

More Trending

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How to Pay Next-to-Nothing in Taxes During Retirement

A Wealth of Common Sense

A reader asks: If Bill Sweet’s favorite topic is Roth IRA’s/401K’s, I’d bet his second favorite is tax gain harvesting (in a taxable account). For 2024, individuals with taxable income below $47,025 ($94,050 for married couples) pay 0% tax for long-term capital gains (LTCG). In years when you’re under the threshold you could effectively lock in tax-free long-term gains.

Taxes 110
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Mariner Adds $292B Institutional Consulting Firm

Wealth Management

Cardinal Investment Advisors, an institutional consulting firm, will expand upon Mariner Institutional, a new division seeded last year when the RIA acquired two firms with that focus.

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Friday: Employment Report

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Friday: At 8:30 AM ET, Employment Report for December. The consensus is for 160,000 jobs added, and for the unemployment rate to be unchanged at 4.2%.

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Coldstream Merges with Accounting Firm and RIA in Its Backyard

Wealth Management

The combination with Harrison Berkman Claypool & Guard and its RIA enhances Coldstreams existing tax and consulting practice and brings its total AUA to $11.1 billion.

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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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Validea’s Top 10 High Insider Ownership Stocks | January 2025

Validea

Insider ownership, particularly among executives and directors, is a crucial indicator for investors as it creates a direct alignment between management and shareholder interests. When company leaders have significant skin in the game through substantial stock ownership, they’re more likely to make decisions that benefit long-term shareholder value rather than focusing solely on short-term metrics or personal benefits.

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Focus Hub SCS Financial Names New National Wealth Management Head

Wealth Management

Adrienne Penta started work at the Boston-based SCS this week after spending 15 years at Brown Brothers Harriman.

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Mega Backdoor Roths: A How-to Guide

Harness Wealth

Backdoor strategies are retirement contribution methods that allow individuals to bypass income limits and contribute to tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The strategies typically involve making after-tax contributions to a traditional IRA or 401(k), then converting those funds into a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k). The approach allows investors to benefit from tax-free growth and withdrawals, even if their income exceeds the eligibility limits for direct Roth contributions.

Taxes 52
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Cerity Acquires $4.1B Boston RIA

Wealth Management

The deal with Prio Wealth will expand Ceritys offerings for private and corporate clients in the Boston metro area.

Clients 264
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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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Beyond the Magnificent Seven | Liz Ann Sonders on Markets, Cycles & Investing

Validea

In this episode of Excess Returns, we sit down with Liz Ann Sonders, Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, for a wide-ranging discussion about markets, the economy, and investing. We explore her unique perspective on the current market environment, including her views on the end of the “Great Moderation” era and the transition to what she calls the “Temperamental Era” – a period likely to bring more volatility in both inflation and economic growth.

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The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors: Insights on Goals, Growth, and Building Something Great

Wealth Management

A compendium of advice extracted from 48 episodes of the 2024 season of the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors.

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Can Howard Marks Spot a Stock Bubble Twice?

Advisor Perspectives

Most people assume that the S&P 500 Index will go up over long holding periods.

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First Ascent Founder Scott MacKillop Leaves GeoWealth

Wealth Management

MacKillop, a pioneer of flat-fee asset management, said the work of integrating First Ascent into GeoWealth is done, and he's looking for his next professional endeavor.

Assets 263
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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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U.S. Household Incomes: A 50+ Year Perspective

Advisor Perspectives

A few months ago, the Census Bureau released its annual report on household income data for 2023. During 2023, the median (middle) average household income rose 8.0% to $80,730. Let's take a closer look at the quintile averages, which dates from 1967, along with the statistics for the top 5%.

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PB US Stability + Innovation Thank you Submission Page

SEI

Thank you for reaching out. A representative will contact you at the email address you provided.

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5 ETF Predictions for 2025

Advisor Perspectives

After hitting nearly 80% of my predictions over the first five years, the past two years are calling into question whether I’m truly the ETF Nostradamus.

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Persistent innovation starts with a stable foundation

SEI

Choose a strategic partner that is committed to helping you achieve your long-term goals.

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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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Global Bond Selloff Leaves US Treasury Yields Flirting With 5%

Advisor Perspectives

The selloffs that keep flaring in the world’s bond markets are pushing yields toward key thresholds amid escalating worries about elevated inflation, tempestuous politics and swelling government debts.

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Hiring with Confidence: Your Roadmap to Building the Perfect Team in 2025

Leading Advisor

As we approach the end of our blog series, I want to focus on a challenge that many business owners facehiring the right people. Whether… The post Hiring with Confidence: Your Roadmap to Building the Perfect Team in 2025 appeared first on Leading Advisor - Simon Reilly.

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Fed’s Harker Says More Rate Cuts Are Coming But Timing Uncertain

Advisor Perspectives

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker said officials are on track to lower interest rates this year, but the exact timing will depend on what happens with the economy.

Banking 52
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Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Decrease to 201,000

Calculated Risk

This was released yesterday (due to National Day of Mourning). The DOL reported : In the week ending January 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 201,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 211,000. The 4-week moving average was 213,000, a decrease of 10,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 223,250. emphasis added The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since 1971.

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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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The Four Bad Bear Recoveries: Where Is Today's Market?

Advisor Perspectives

This chart series features an overlay of four major secular bear markets: the Crash of 1929, the Oil Embargo of 1973, the Tech Bubble, and the Financial Crisis. The numbers are through the December 31, 2024 close.

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Longform links: guilt and criminality

Abnormal Returns

Books A Q&A with Adam Chandler author of "99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life." (smithsonianmag.com) Annie Duke talks with Kurt Gray, author of Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground. (washingtonpost.com) A Q&A with Marco Visscher, author of "The Power of Nuclear: The Rise, Fall and Return of Our Mightiest Energy Source.

Budgeting 147
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Treasury Bonds: Riding the Range

Advisor Perspectives

Yields may trade in a wide range as markets work through issues in the new year. Navigating volatility may mean capturing higher nominal and real yields over the longer term.

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Rewire your brain for success

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)

By By Margaret Graziano The human brain is incredibly adaptable. It holds the potential to change, learn and grow throughout our lives, and a growth mindset unlocks boundless possibilities. Many people, however, unknowingly sabotage this by operating with a fixed mindset, which research shows limits personal and professional success. Adding some simple self-care practices to your life can prime your brain for growth. 8 strategies to rewire your brain 1.

Food 108
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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?