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On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law as part of his commitment to protect Americans from the the hazards and vicissitudes (misfortunes) of life. Today, about 69 million Americans per month will receive a Social Security benefit, and about half of recipients age 65 and older depend on Social Security for half of their income.
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
A quick note on tariffs : Over the past few weeks, I’ve been putting together my quarterly call for clients. The challenge is how to frame the current economic scenario in a way that is useful and informative and not the usual run-of-the-mill noise. Its easy to get distracted by the chaos of random policies that have been coming rapid-fire at Americans.
For many financial advisors, a core part of the retirement planning process involves simulating whether the client's assets will last through retirement. Traditionally, these simulations take the form of either Monte Carlo analyses – showing the percentage of simulated outcomes in which the client finishes with assets remaining – or stress tests that assess plan durability under a handful of adverse scenarios.
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
Markets Earnings estimates have plenty of room to come down. (theirrelevantinvestor.com) It looks like we will have two 5-sigma daily moves in a row. (priceactionlab.com) Investors are trying to hide out in consumer staples. (ft.com) Strategy Don't do anything you might regret during a period of market stress. (wsj.com) The chances of you making a good decision under stress are slim.
From the BLS: Employment Situation Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 228,000 in March, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment also increased in retail trade, partially reflecting the return of workers from a strike.
This week, I speak with with Lisa Shalett , Chief Investment Officer and head of Global Investment Office for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Previously, she was CEO and chairman at Sanford Bernstein, CIO at Merrill Lynch Asset Management, and now CIO at both Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and runs their asset allocation models and their outsourced chief investment officer models.
This week, I speak with with Lisa Shalett , Chief Investment Officer and head of Global Investment Office for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Previously, she was CEO and chairman at Sanford Bernstein, CIO at Merrill Lynch Asset Management, and now CIO at both Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and runs their asset allocation models and their outsourced chief investment officer models.
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.
Money management Shane Parrish talks with Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt. (fs.blog) Barry Ritholtz talks with Lisa Shalett, Chief Investment Officer at Morgan Stanley. (bloomberg.com) Meb Faber talks with Mark Haefele, Chief Investment Officer of UBS Global Wealth Management. (podcasts.apple.com) David Senra looks for lessons in the rise of Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel.
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Moody's: Q1 2025 Apartment Vacancy Rate Highest Since 2010; Office Vacancy Rate at Record High A brief excerpt: From Moodys Analytics Economists: Q1 Moodys CRE Preliminary Trend Analysis The national multifamily market has been under supply-side pressure over the past two years. Steady demand finally paused the vacancy climb after a banner year with record-level inventory growth.
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.
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.
Podcasts Michael Kitces talks with AJ Ayers, co-founder of Brooklyn Fi, about building a remote firm focused on equity comp. (kitces.com) Brendan Frazier talks with Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, of KBK Wealth Connection and author of Breaking Money Silence. (podcasts.apple.com) Bogumil Baranowski talks family money dynamics with Emily Bouchrad, founder of Blended Families Flourishing and Bouchard Bespoke Consulting.
From the BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary The number of job openings was little changed at 7.6 million in February , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and total separations held at 5.4 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, Discharges and other (red column
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.
Take a break from the sell-off and plan a fun night for this Monday. Join me on April 7th, 2025 at 7:30 pm for a special evening featuring New York Times bestselling author Michael Lewis, at Landmark Theater in Port Washington. We will be discussing his latest book, plus all of his prior best sellers and films. A Q&A will follow.Everybody who comes gets a signed copy of the new book.
Podcasts Cameron Passmore and Benjamin Felix talk lifecycle investing with Professor Scott Cederburg. (rationalreminder.libsyn.com) Bogumil Baranowski talks with Alex Morris author of "Buffett and Munger Unscripted." (podcasts.apple.com) Dan Haylett talks purpose in retirement with David Marlow, author of "The Ikagi Way" (humansvsretirement.com) Housing What is the best case for housing affordability?
The headline jobs number in the March employment report was above expectations, however, January and February payrolls were revised down by 48,000 combined. The participation rate increased, the employment population ratio was unchanged, and the unemployment rate increased to 4.2%. Earlier: March Employment Report: 228 thousand Jobs, 4.2% Unemployment Rate Prime (25 to 54 Years Old) Participation Since the overall participation rate is impacted by both cyclical (recession) and demographic (aging
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
Fun convo with Joe and Josh of Stacking Benjamins. Transcript waaaay down the page here. Stacking Benjamins: Ever wondered how the top financial minds avoid disaster while the rest of us are busy panic-Googling best investments 2024? Today, Joe welcomes Barry Ritholtz of Ritholtz Wealth Management down to Moms basement for a conversation that flips typical investment advice on its head.
Rates Why the Treasury bond market matters. (econofact.org) How increased bond indexing has changed how bonds trade. (papers.ssrn.com) Why term premia models disagree. (ft.com) Research Don't pay alpha fees for beta exposure. (aqr.com) Where stock market returns have come from. (marginalrevolution.com) Why is the real price of gold rising? (mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) Checking in on spot Bitcoin ETFs one year in.
From the Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending decreased: Construction spending during February 2025 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,195.8 billion, 0.7 percent above the revised January estimate of $2,179.9 billion. The February figure is 2.9 percent above the February 2024 estimate of $2,133.8 billion. emphasis added Both private and public spending increased: Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,686.4 billi
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.
Lisa Skinner , president of Brokerage Services Inc. in Herman, NE, has had a lifelong connection to the financial services industry. Her journey began early, influenced by her father, who was a General Agent for over 50 years. Lisa started working during school breaks, taking on tasks such as filing, computer work, and scanning files to digital formats.
A recurrent theme here has been the opportunity provided by a large installed base, but that is aged and entering the prime years for repair if not replacement. For example, in 2023, we discussed how an older car fleet would provide a long tailwind for auto parts retailers. More recently, we discussed the opportunity present in our nation’s old housing stock.
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: FHFAs National Mortgage Database: Outstanding Mortgage Rates, LTV and Credit Scores A brief excerpt: Here are some graphs on outstanding mortgages by interest rate, the average mortgage interest rate, borrowers credit scores and current loan-to-value (LTV) from the FHFAs National Mortgage Database through Q4 2024 (just released).
Remote finance teams are rewriting how the back-office runs—and attackers are taking notes. Disconnected workflows, process blind spots, and rising cyber threats have become more than just “growing pains”. They’re now liabilities. The challenge isn’t just team distribution, but building resilient systems that protect accuracy, control, and speed across every transaction and touchpoint.
Search is indeed evolving. More and more potential RIA clients are turning to ChatGPT for quick, consolidated answersand I dont blame them. Why sift through keyword-stuffed blogs when you can get a direct answer curated from across the web? AI is improving the end-user experience, and we, as an industry, need to adapt. The key? Deliver more value.
For equity investors there have been two major narratives over the last 17 calendar year period 2008-2024. The first is that US stocks have far outperformed international stocks. The other narrative has been the outperformance of growth stocks relative to value stocks. US Value Stocks Trading at Historically High Discounts was originally published at Alpha Architect.
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Freddie Mac House Price Index Increased in February; Up 3.4% Year-over-year A brief excerpt: Freddie Mac reported that its National Home Price Index (FMHPI) increased 0.18% month-over-month on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis in February. On a year-over-year basis, the National FMHPI was up 3.4% in February, down from up 3.6% YoY in January.
The Memphis-based $583 million firm Vishira Bird Financial Group will boost Mercer's Tennessee presence. The $300 million D. Scott Neal marks its first partner firm in Kentucky.
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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