Darrow Wealth Management
APRIL 21, 2025
Is there an optimal time to convert a traditional IRA or old 401(k) to a Roth IRA? While a Roth conversion may never make sense for some individuals, for others, early retirement years may be the best time to convert pre-tax accounts to tax-free Roth. Your current and projected future tax rate is often a main component of the decision, but there are other considerations and benefits as well.
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.
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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.
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.
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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
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.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 23, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: New Home Sales Increase to 724,000 Annual Rate in March Brief excerpt: The Census Bureau reported New Home Sales in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 724 thousand. The previous three months were revised down, combined. The next graph shows new home sales for 2024 and 2025 by month (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate).
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
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.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 21, 2025
Podcasts Michael Kitces talks with Cameron Passmore, the CEO of PWL Capital, and of the 'Rational Remind' podcast. (kitces.com) Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Charles Schwab Despite some trepidation, Charles Schwab ($SCHW) is inching toward offering spot crypto trading.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 24, 2025
From the NAR: Existing-Home Sales Receded 5.9% in March Existing-home sales descended in March, according to the National Association of REALTORS. Sales slid in all four major U.S. regions. Year-over-year, sales dropped in the Midwest and South, increased in the West and were unchanged in the Northeast. Total existing-home sales completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops fell 5.9% from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 millio
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 21, 2025
When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.
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.
Wealth Management
APRIL 23, 2025
Essential estate planning strategies for volatile markets, including GRATs, charitable trusts, and QPRTs. Learn how to optimize wealth transfer and minimize tax impact during high interest rates and market uncertainty.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 22, 2025
Markets Gold is a crowded trade. (sherwood.news) Why the move in gold matters. (priceactionlab.com) How portfolio diversification has worked in 2025. (morningstar.com) Bonds Treasury bonds have never been risk free. (bloomberg.com) Are bonds still a good diversifier? (morningstar.com) Private assets Tariffs are only going to make things harder for startups.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 22, 2025
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NMHC on Apartments: Market conditions Tightened in Q1 pre-Tariffs Excerpt: From the NMHC: Apartment Market Sees Tighter Conditions, Rebounding Deal Flow and Improved Debt Financing in First Quarter Changes in U.S. trade policy over the past two weeks have impacted global financial markets, causing stock prices to fall (and then partially recover) and long-term yields to increase amidst a retreat of capital from U.S.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 21, 2025
When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.
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.
Wealth Management
APRIL 23, 2025
James Verdi was previously with American Portfolios, one of the legacy broker/dealers integrated into a single entity when Osaic rebranded from Advisor Group.
The Big Picture
APRIL 22, 2025
I had a great conversation with Eric Markowitz of The Big Think about HNTI. He focuses on all the right things: “As Ritholtz puts it, The book is ostensibly about investing. But if you strip it down to its most basic form, its about decision-making, judgment, and behavior. He likens smart investing to participating in humanitys progress buying into the slow, compounding gains of innovation, from safer cars to better sneakers.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 23, 2025
Fed's Beige Book Economic activity was little changed since the previous report, but uncertainty around international trade policy was pervasive across reports. Just five Districts saw slight growth, three Districts noted activity was relatively unchanged, and the remaining four Districts reported slight to modest declines. Non-auto consumer spending was lower overall; however, most Districts saw moderate to robust sales of vehicles and of some nondurables, generally attributed to a rush to purc
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 22, 2025
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 434th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Vanessa N. Martinez. Vanessa is the CEO of Expressive Wealth, an RIA based in Chicago, Illinois, that oversees $135 million in assets under management for approximately 70 client households, including 10 ‘core' ultra-high-net-worth families.
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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
Wealth Management
APRIL 24, 2025
Fee-for-service models can provide steady revenue that isnt tied to markets, according to an AdvicePay report.
A Wealth of Common Sense
APRIL 22, 2025
Buying stocks is easy. You might purchase a stock because it’s going down and feel like it represents a wonderful buying opportunity. Or maybe you buy a stock that’s already going up in the hopes that it will continue to go up even more. There is always a good reason to buy. Selling is a little trickier. Sometimes you sell when stocks are up because you think they cannot possibly go up any further.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 21, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: California Home Sales Up 4.9% YoY in March; 4th Look at Local Housing Markets A brief excerpt: From the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.): Elevated interest rates and economic uncertainty ease March home sales, C.A.R. reports Marchs sales pace fell 2.3 percent from the 284,540 homes sold in February and was up 4.9 percent from a year ago, when a revised 264,200 homes were sold on an annualized basis.
NAIFA Advisor Today
APRIL 23, 2025
The Social Security Administration announced that it is reinstating National Social Security Month, a campaign to raise public awareness about accessing and optimizing benefits. Last observed in 2019, the campaign was paused during the pandemic and has been revived to help Americans make informed decisions about their retirement income. Every day, 10,000 Baby Boomers become eligible to claim Social Security, creating an opportunity for financial professionals to guide clients through one of the
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.
Wealth Management
APRIL 23, 2025
Ryan Nauman and Zacks Investment Management's Sal Esposito touch on the evolution of ETFs, transparency in investments, the benefits of incorporating both SMAs and ETFs in portfolios and the role of research in investment management.
A Wealth of Common Sense
APRIL 25, 2025
There are two big economic trends this decade: 1. Consumers keep spending money no matter what. 2. Investors keep buying the dip no matter what. People keep waiting for these trends to break but they simply won’t. Not yet at least. What’s it going to take? One would imagine a recession would break the spending patterns for many consumers.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 22, 2025
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 results for the mortgage purchase applications index. At 10:00 AM, New Home Sales for March from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for 680 thousand SAAR, up from 676 thousand in February.
NAIFA Advisor Today
APRIL 22, 2025
Financial literacy is a critical life skill thats becoming more important as todays students prepare to navigate a changing financial landscape. According to a 2024 report by Tyton Partners and Next Gen Personal Finance, just one personal finance course in high school can translate into a lifetime benefit of nearly $100,000. That powerful statistic should prompt action from policymakers, educators, and communities nationwide.
Speaker: Cheryl J. Muldrew-McMurtry
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.
Wealth Management
APRIL 25, 2025
Bogart Wealth, Guiding Wealth and three other RIAs are now among the nine firms seeking to make a positive impact on clients, employees, communities and the environment, with FP Transitions joining as a strategic partner.
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.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 21, 2025
From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Mortgage Rates Jump Back Toward 7% The latest headlines involve heavy criticism of Fed Chair Powell on the part of The President. Without any comment on whether that criticism is justified, we can still observe that markets find it unsettling. Traders are expressing that sentiment by pushing stocks lower and rates higher.
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)
APRIL 20, 2025
By Anthony Matthews Jones, BSc (Hons), QFA As more countries ban cold calling, its become more important than ever for financial advisors to build a steady source of referrals from their clients. To do this without having to always ask for referrals, encourage clients to become your advocates. When that happens, clients will bring in referrals because they want to, not because you asked.
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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