Sat.Mar 01, 2025 - Fri.Mar 07, 2025

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Your 2025 Tax Extension Guide: When, Why, and How to File for More Time

Harness Wealth

As is traditional, the 2025 IRS tax filing deadline is April 15th. What is also unfortunately traditional is the run-up to this date, which tends to be a stressful and complicated time even at the best of times. With the most recent spate of natural disasters (such as the California wildfires and Hurricane Milton) making the tax filing process more difficult than normal for many, a tax extension can be a valuable tool for alleviating this pressure and providing much-needed breathing room.

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Fed Chair Powell: Economic Outlook "Uncertainty"

Calculated Risk

From Fed Chair Powell: Economic Outlook Despite elevated levels of uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to be in a good place. The labor market is solid, and inflation has moved closer to our 2 percent longer-run goal. At the Federal Reserve, we are intently focused on the dual-mandate goals given to us by Congress: maximum employment and stable prices.

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The New Rules of SEO: How AI Is Changing Visibility for Financial Advisor Websites

FMG

Financial Advisor Websites and the Changing SEO Landscape Staying visible online is more challenging than ever, especially for financial advisor websites. AI-powered search, social media algorithms, and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are transforming how potential clients find financial advisors. Traditional SEO strategies alone are no longer enough.

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Practical Lessons from Bob Elliott

Validea

In this compilation episode of Excess Returns, hosts Jack Forehand and Matt Zeigler bring you the most valuable insights from their conversations with Bob Elliott, former head of Ray Dalio’s research team at Bridgewater Associates. Elliott’s decade of experience leading research at one of the world’s premier hedge funds provides a rare window into institutional-level thinking that individual investors can apply to their own portfolios.

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8 Ways to Torture Your CFO

The office of the CFO is rapidly evolving, with more and more demands being placed upon the finance and accounting team each year. Join us in this webinar, where we share 8 things to NOT do when it comes to helping the CFO office advance in supporting the business. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how best to support an organization's finance leadership.

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My Bias Blind Spot Bubble

The Big Picture

Since March Madness is nearly upon us, how about a fun basketball story? I was lucky enough to be a hoops fan during the golden age of basketball: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons, Michael Jordan, and the perennially-on-the-verge-of-winning-it-all New York Knicks during the Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason era.

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Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rates Increased in January; Fannie Mae Multi-Family Delinquency Rate Highest Since 2011 (ex-Pandemic)

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rates Increased in January Excerpt: Freddie Mac reported that the Single-Family serious delinquency rate in January was 0.61%, up from 0.59% December. Freddie's rate is up year-over-year from 0.55% in January 2024, however, this is close to the pre-pandemic level of 0.60%.

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How to File Your Form 8606 When Making Backdoor Roth IRA Contributions

Financial Symmetry

If youve been confused when filing your taxes when its time to handle your backdoor Roth contribution, youre not alone. The tricky form 8606 can cause headaches and frustration when preparing your taxes. This method allows individuals whose income exceeds the Roth IRA contribution limits to still take advantage of its tax benefits. Who Needs a Backdoor Roth IRA?

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How to Get Comments on Your Social Post: Social Media for Financial Advisors

FMG

Financial advisors know that social media isnt just for posting updates; its for building connections. A post with meaningful comments is a post that gains traction, tells the algorithm it’s valuable, and reaches more people. If you’re not seeing those comments roll in, its time to tweak your strategy. Social media for financial advisors doesn’t have to be challenging let’s dive into simple ways to encourage comments on your posts.

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Kitces & Carl Ep 159: When You Promised Early Clients Special Fees Or Minimums You Can No Longer Honor

Nerd's Eye View

New financial advisors often start with below-market fees – sometimes to build confidence that prospects will actually pay, other times to attract clients quickly and establish a base. But as the firm grows, so does an advisor's skill set and the demands on their time. And while new clients often come in at higher fees, early clients may still be paying well below the firm's current rates.

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Q1 GDP Tracking: Mid-to-High 1% Range

Calculated Risk

Special Note: There was a surge in gold imports in January. There is a time lag for when the imported gold will show up in inventories. GDPNow will correct for this once the gold is included as an increase in inventories, but currently GDPNow just included the import side. That is why GDPNow's tracking estimate of GDP is likely way too low. From BofA: Our 1Q GDP tracking is down from 2.3% q/q saar to 1.9% q/q saar since our last weekly publication.

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How to Streamline Payment Applications & Lien Waivers Through Innovative Construction Technology

Speaker: Dylan Secrest, Founder of Alamo Innovation and Construction Digital Transformation Consultant

Construction payment workflows are notoriously complex when you consider juggling multiple stakeholders, compliance requirements, and evolving project scopes. Delays in approvals or misaligned data between budgets, lien waivers, and pay applications can grind progress to a halt. The good news? It doesn't have to be this way! Join expert Dylan Secrest to discover how leading contractors are turning payment chaos into clarity using digital workflows, integrated systems, and automation strategies.

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At the Money: Austan Goolsbee, Chicago Fed President on Tariffs, Inflation and Monetary Policy

The Big Picture

At the Money: Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee on Tariffs, Supply Chains and Inflation (March 5, 2025) What is the potential inflation impact of tariffs? Can the Fed ignore supply-chain disruptions that drive up prices? How should investors view the relationship between trade policy and inflation in the current economic environment? This week, we speak withAustan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

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Understanding the Stock–Bond Correlation

Alpha Architect

With over nearly 150 years of data, the study finds that when inflation and interest rates rise, stocks and bonds tend to move together, reducing diversification benefits. This has critical implications for portfolio construction and risk management. Understanding the StockBond Correlation was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.

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Ten Top S&P 500 Stocks

Validea

The S&P 500’s recent impressive gains have been disproportionately driven by the “Magnificent Seven” technology titans: Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, NVIDIA, Meta, and Tesla. While these companies have delivered exceptional returns, their dominance has created an imbalanced market narrative that potentially blinds investors to other opportunities.

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Lawler: Federal Reserve Earnings Still Running Negative; No Remittances to Treasury for a While

Calculated Risk

From housing economist Tom Lawler: Federal Reserve Earnings Still Running Negative; No Remittances to Treasury for a While The sharp runup in short-term interest rates over the last few years that followed the Federal Reserves huge purchases of long-term Treasuries and MBS at extremely low interest rates has resulted in negative earnings at the Federal Reserve since the latter part of 2022.

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Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: What Really Matters

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.

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Tax Filing Errors Freelancers & Contractors Often Overlook

Harness Wealth

Freelancers and contractors may enjoy greater flexibility and independence than full-time employees, however, this autonomy brings increased tax responsibility. Unlike W-2 employees, freelancers and independent contractors are responsible for managing their own tax obligations, which can be a complex process. A key difference lies in how income is handled.

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Market Commentary: Good Riddance February, Hello March

Carson Wealth

Good Riddance, February The second half of February was rough, as worries over the economy, tariffs, and large cap tech weakness dominated the conversation. Heres the thing. Yes, the year-to-date gains we saw in January have vanished, but as weve noted before, early in a post-election year things tend to be choppy. Not to mention February is a weak month historically, especially in a post-election year.

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Navigating the Tax Maze: Should You DIY or Hire a Professional?

MainStreet Financial Planning

Tax season can feel overwhelming, whether you’re filing for the first time or you’ve been doing it for years. Should you tackle your taxes on your own, or is it time to bring in a professional? Lets explore the pros and cons of DIY tax preparation and when seeking expert help might be the right move. The DIY Approach: When It Makes Sense Your Financial Situation is Simple If your income comes from just a few sourceslike a regular paycheck, interest from savings, or basic investmentsD

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Comments on February Employment Report

Calculated Risk

The headline jobs number in the February employment report was slightly below expectations, and December and January payrolls were revised down by 2,000 combined. The participation rate and the employment population ratio decreased, and the unemployment rate increased to 4.1%. Earlier: February Employment Report: 151 thousand Jobs, 4.1% Unemployment Rate Prime (25 to 54 Years Old) Participation Since the overall participation rate is impacted by both cyclical (recession) and demographic (aging p

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How To Overcome Change Fatigue In Finance With Neuroscience-Backed Strategies

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.

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Tax Advisor Weekly News February 28, 2025

Harness Wealth

This weeks Tax Advisor news roundup covers key updates for financial professionals. We break down individual state income tax rates and brackets nationwide, explore a survey revealing that technology spending in the financial services sector is outpacing pay increases, and provide a refresher on 1099-K reporting requirements. Plus, we highlight the risks of oversharing personal information online in relation to your practice.

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Morningstar Office To Shut Down And Push Advisors To Black Diamond (And More Of The Latest In Financial #AdvisorTech – March 2025)

Nerd's Eye View

Welcome to the March 2025 issue of the Latest News in Financial #AdvisorTech – where we look at the big news, announcements, and underlying trends and developments that are emerging in the world of technology solutions for financial advisors! This month's edition kicks off with the news that Morningstar Office will be shutting down in early 2026 as a part of Morningstar's ongoing effort to refocus on its core investment data and analytics business – forcing advisors currently using t

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Knowing When to Update Your Estate Plan

Carson Wealth

From the family tea set to the most complex estate, transferring wealth is quite common. Whats less common, but just as important, is outlining a specific plan for this transfer and updating it as circumstances change. If its been some time since you established your estate plan, you may want to think about giving it a review. After all, you dont want your loved ones blowing the dust off your original plan years from now only to discover that you havent accounted for all the changes along the wa

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Final Look at Local Housing Markets in January and a Look Ahead to February Sales

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Final Look at Local Housing Markets in January and a Look Ahead to February Sales A brief excerpt: After the National Association of Realtors (NAR) releases the monthly existing home sales report , I pick up additional local market data that is reported after the NAR. This is the final look at local markets in January.

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You upgrade everything else. Why not your close process?

You wouldn’t keep using a 2009 flip phone - so why settle for outdated close processes? It’s time for an upgrade. SkyStem's Guide to Month-End Close Software walks you through what today’s best tools can do (and what your team shouldn’t have to deal with anymore). Get smart, fast, and a whole lot less stressed when it’s time to close the books.

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Transcript: Melissa Smith, co-Head of Commercial Banking at JPMorgan

The Big Picture

The transcript from this weeks, MiB: Melissa Smith, co-Head of Commercial Banking at JPMorgan , 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. ~~~ This is Masters in business with Barry Ritholtz on Bloomberg Radio.

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (March 8-9)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that Congressional Republicans, who recently voted to set a $4.5 trillion target cost for their planned tax bill to replace the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), are currently debating whether the “baseline” for that cost should be the current law where TCJA’s provisions will expire in 2026, or if it should assume that TCJA doesn’t expire &

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Time Management Strategies for Financial Advisors: Balancing Client Acquisition and Retention

Don Connelly & Associates

Financial advisors must manage all aspects of their advisory business to ensure client satisfaction, business growth, and profitability. That includes compliance, marketing, business operations, financial management, and professional development. But by the time youre done with all that, your time typically goes unmanaged. The bottom line is that if youre not in control of your time, youre not in control of your business.

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Asking Rents Mostly Unchanged Year-over-year

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Real Estate Newsletter: Asking Rents Mostly Unchanged Year-over-year Brief excerpt: Another monthly update on rents. Tracking rents is important for understanding the dynamics of the housing market. Slower household formation and increased supply (more multi-family completions) has kept asking rents under pressure. Apartment List: Asking Rent Growth -0.4% Year-over-year.

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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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How Millennials Have Thrived in the Five Years Since Covid-19

Wealthfront

March 11, 2025, will mark five years since the World Health Organization proclaimed Covid-19 a pandemic. For many of us, life has changed significantly in that time, and so have our finances. Since March 2020 we’ve lived through a wide range of macroeconomic shifts: the onset of the pandemic brought a swift and sharp decline […] The post How Millennials Have Thrived in the Five Years Since Covid-19 appeared first on Wealthfront Blog.

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#FASuccess Ep 427: Finding The Director Of Operations That Can Rebuild Your Team To Get To The Next Level, With Sten Morgan

Nerd's Eye View

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 427th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Sten Morgan. Sten is the owner of Legacy Investment Planning, a hybrid advisory firm based in Franklin, Tennessee, that oversees $220 million in assets under management for 90 client households. What's unique about Sten, though, is how he realized that the team that helped his firm reach an initial level of success as a $1M+ practice was not the team hed need to take it to the

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Facts Vs Feelings Take 5 – Tariffs 101

Carson Wealth

Welcome back to Carsons Take Five with Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group! This week, we break down the latest round of tariffs, their impact on inflation, corporate profits, and market volatility. While uncertainty looms, we explain why this isn’t necessarily a sign of recession or stagflation and what investors should focus on moving forward.

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Construction Spending Decreased 0.2% in January

Calculated Risk

From the Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending decreased: Construction spending during January 2025 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,192.5 billion, 0.2 percent below the revised December estimate of $2,196.0 billion. The January figure is 3.3 percent above the January 2024 estimate of $2,122.2 billion. emphasis added Private spending decreased and public spending increased: Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1

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The New Way Remote Finance Teams Are Protecting Accuracy And Building Resilience In A Cyber-Threatened World

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.