Harness Wealth

APRIL 17, 2025

Navigating small business taxation requires strategic thinking and attention to detail. Tax deductions can save you thousands annually by reducing your taxable income through legitimate business expenses. Understanding these deductions is more critical than ever as tax laws evolve, presenting new opportunities for savings. Table of Contents Small business tax deductions explained Home office deduction requirements and calculations Vehicle and transportation expense deductions Understanding busin

Taxes 52

Taxes Tax Planning Professional Services Planning 52

Carson Wealth

APRIL 21, 2025

Some Giveback After the S&P 500 gained nearly 6% two weeks ago, there was some well-deserved giveback last week, as stocks fell 1.5%, mainly thanks to a huge drop on Wednesday after hawkish comments from Jerome Powell (more on that below). As we noted last week, stocks are trying to carve out a potential low, but risks are clearly still high over the trade war and a Federal Reserve (Fed) in a tough spot.

Marketing 78

Marketing Marketing Economy Investing 78

Investment Writing

APRIL 15, 2025

Investment commentary authors often know the markets well, but lack writing and editing expertise. After all, theyre earning big bucks to manage money, not to write. Ive learned some lessons about how to edit investment commentary that I share below with you. The lessons are based on my years of experience editing and writing commentary for a diverse group of clients.

Investing 59

Investing Investments Clients Communication 59

The Big Picture

APRIL 28, 2025

We have no idea how good we had it. Lets consider the returns data from the period post-Great Financial Crisis (GFC), and then unpack what it might mean. Starting January 1, 2010, the S&P 500 generated a total return (with dividends reinvested) of 566.8% , or 13.3% per year from the start of 2010 through the end of Q1 2025. The Nasdaq 100 has nearly doubled that.

Risk Management 331

Risk Management Management Marketing Marketing 331

Advertisement

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

Accounting

Calculated Risk

APRIL 21, 2025

Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 2.4% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 15.2% from the seasonal bottom in January and is increasing. Usually, inventory is up about 6% or 7% 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.

281

281

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 23, 2025

During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.

Clients 233

Clients Marketing Marketing Financial Planning 233

Wealth Management

APRIL 4, 2025

RIAs should address insufficient, misaligned, and overcomplicated technology before rushing into AI adoption.

304

304

A Wealth of Common Sense

APRIL 1, 2025

Here’s a crazy stat from Bloomberg: Half of American households account for 97.5% of the wealth in this country. This is the breakdown from Federal Reserve data: On the one hand these numbers — 2.5% of wealth — seem almost impossible for the bottom 50%. On the other hand, this is an improvement from the last decade. It was much worse coming out of the Great Financial Crisis.

Accounting 126

Accounting Numbers 126

The Big Picture

APRIL 15, 2025

I discussed much of this in my Q2 2025 RWM client quarterly call on April 5. I am sharing this now because so many questions have poured in. Best Worst Cases Last Monday, I discussed the consequences of chaos. While the purposes of the new tariff policy were not well explained some of the goals were muddled and unclear it seems a large part of the problem was the roll-out.

Economics 318

Economics Economy Communication Marketing 318

Calculated Risk

APRIL 9, 2025

From the Fed: Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, March 1819, 2025. Excerpt: With regard to the outlook for inflation, participants judged that i nflation was likely to be boosted this year by the effects of higher tariffs, although significant uncertainty surrounded the magnitude and persistence of such effects. Several participants noted that the announced or planned tariff increases were larger and broader than many of their business contacts had expected.

Planning 270

Planning Marketing Marketing 270

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.

Accounting

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 23, 2025

During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.

Clients 233

Clients Marketing Marketing Financial Planning 233

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 23, 2025

Podcasts Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Steve Chen talks all things Social Security with Devin Carroll, author of "Social Security Basics." (podcasts.apple.com) Jason and Jeff talk with Ben Carlson about navigating market noise and more. (podcasts.apple.com) Taxes Roth 401(k) rollovers are tricky.

Retirement Planning 157

Retirement Planning Retirement Taxes Portfolio 157

Wealth Management

APRIL 3, 2025

Advisors can leverage industry consolidation to grow their business while maintaining independence and delivering objective advice to clients.

Wealth Management 289

Wealth Management Management Clients 289

A Wealth of Common Sense

APRIL 15, 2025

At the worst point of this correction the S&P 500 closed down 18.9%. That was before the giant 10% gain the next day. I don’t know if that was the bottom or not but it’s possible we just had another near-bear market (for now): I don’t know why we’ve had so many close calls over the years but there have been a number of near bears over the years that were a hair from being down 20%.

Marketing 145

Marketing Marketing Numbers 145

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.

Management

The Big Picture

APRIL 17, 2025

Your Biggest, Most Avoidable, Unforced Investment Errors Adapted from How Not To Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth – and how to avoid them (Harriman House, March 18, 2025) By Barry Ritholtz Tariffs, inflation, war, debt ceiling, profit warnings, geopolitics, market volatility theres always something happening to fuel your urge to make a decision any decision!

Investing 267

Investing Investments Accounting Startup 267

Calculated Risk

APRIL 4, 2025

From Fed Chair Jerome Powell: Economic Outlook. Excerpt: Turning to monetary policy, we face a highly uncertain outlook with elevated risks of both higher unemployment and higher inflation. The new Administration is in the process of implementing substantial policy changes in four distinct areas: trade, immigration, fiscal policy, and regulation. Our monetary policy stance is well positioned to deal with the risks and uncertainties we face as we gain a better understanding of the policy changes

Economics 257

Economics Economy 257

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 17, 2025

Hiring a contractor is an exciting step for many advisory firms. It represents a chance to delegate tasks, step away from day-to-day operations with more peace of mind, and pass a key milestone of (traditional) firm growth. However, hiring contractors isn’t without its complications. Even outsourced support requires some oversight, and delegation doesn’t always go as far as some might hope.

Management 221

Management Communication Clients 221

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 17, 2025

Decision making Barry Ritholtz, "There is an endless assortment of ways to make mistakes that hurt your portfolio." (ritholtz.com) Not every problem can (or should) be solved by math. (timharford.com) ETFs Investors love CLO ETFs like the AAA CLO ETF ($JAAA). (on.ft.com) Still no sign that traders are giving up on leveraged ETFs. (bloomberg.com) Companies A second judge has ruled Google ($GOOGL) has acted as a monopolist.

Medicine 157

Medicine Math Economy Manufacturing 157

Advertisement

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

Clients

Wealth Management

APRIL 14, 2025

RIAs and consultants discuss the opportunities and perils of furthering organic growth amid volatile markets.

Consulting 286

Consulting Clients Marketing Marketing 286

Discipline Funds

APRIL 4, 2025

Here are three things I think I am thinking about this weekend. 1) How Did We Get Here? I won’t bore you with more of the tariff debunking that I did last weekend. If you want to read that please go back and touch on each of the bullet points I covered. Tariffs are perhaps the most non-partisan issue in economics. It might be the only thing that Paul Krugman and Milton Friedman agreed on.

Economics 131

Economics Economy Healthcare Food 131

The Big Picture

APRIL 21, 2025

The transcript from this weeks, MiB: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic , is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube , and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here. ~~~ XXXXX insert transcript here XXXXX ~~~ The post Transcript: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic appeared first on The Big Picture.

238

238

Calculated Risk

APRIL 30, 2025

From the BEA: Gross Domestic Product, 1st Quarter 2025 (Advance Estimate) Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025 (January, February, and March), according to the advance estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2024, real GDP increased 2.4 percent.

Government 257

Government Food Economics Sales 257

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.

Management

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 16, 2025

The White House's tariff policies have dominated headlines in recent weeks, raising concerns among investors, consumers, and businesses. A rapid sequence of policy announcements and reversals has created volatility across nearly every asset class, with the S&P 500 falling to near-bear-market levels before rebounding sharply. In these moments, the conversations that advisors have with their clients play a crucial role in helping clients maintain perspective, avoid emotional decisions, and sta

Clients 228

Clients Financial Planning Financial Advice Portfolio 228

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 8, 2025

Markets During periods of market stress rumors have the power to move markets. (sherwood.news) How long does it take for the stock market to recover? (ofdollarsanddata.com) Basis trade What is the basis trade? (apolloacademy.com) Why the basis trade is so important to Treasury market liquidity. (ft.com) Strategy How strategy diversification helps you hold on through tough times.

Manufacturing 144

Manufacturing Media Government Economy 144

Wealth Management

APRIL 8, 2025

Daffy, the donor-advised fund-focused charitable giving platform, announced a new set of AI-enabled features, include Quick Donate.

287

287

A Wealth of Common Sense

APRIL 13, 2025

Volatility is heightened right now. We have volatility in markets, government policy, trade and supply chains, which translates into emotional volatility. Let’s look at some of the ways this manifests through a host of behavioral biases that impact us all in some way: Recency biasis when you give more weight or importance to recent events. Stocks are up.

Marketing 121

Marketing Marketing Government 121

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.

Numbers

The Big Picture

APRIL 19, 2025

I had fun speaking with Ben & Michael about the new book and whether it is the culmination of my life’s work. Fun factoid: The sound of Batnick’s eye rolls as he heard the same story for the umpteenth time was always in the back of my head as I wrote the book… Source : How Not To Invest Like Buffett. Michael Batnick, Ben Carlson Talk Your Book, April 19, 2025 The post Talk Your Book: How Not To Invest Like Buffett appeared first on The Big Picture.

Investing 236

Investing Investments 236

Calculated Risk

APRIL 10, 2025

Here are a few measures of inflation: The first graph is the one Fed Chair Powell had mentioned two years ago when services less rent of shelter was up around 8% year-over-year. This declined and is now up 3.3% YoY. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows the YoY price change for Services and Services less rent of shelter through March 2025.

Food 272

Food 272

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 14, 2025

Centers Of Influence (COIs) play a vital role in the growth and service capabilities of a financial advisory firm. When cultivated with care, these relationships can become valuable sources of client referrals and collaborative insight – especially because COIs and advisors often work with similar client profiles. However, establishing these relationships isn't always easy.

Communication 214

Communication Clients Financial Planning Planning 214

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 17, 2025

Books An excerpt from "Everything is Tuberculosis" by John Green. (theatlantic.com) A Q&A with Eunji Kim author of "The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy." (niemanlab.org) An excerpt from Sophie Gilberts new book, "Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves." (theatlantic.com) An excerpt from "Flight of the Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations" by Bruce M.

Planning 144

Planning Management 144

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.

Accounting