Clever Girl Finance
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Freelancing is liberating, but without a solid financial plan, it can also be unpredictable. As a freelancer, you juggle not only your craft but also your finances, taxes, and retirement planning. That’s where financial planning for freelancers comes in. As a freelancer, youre your own boss, accountant, and financial planner all rolled into one.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 22, 2024
Here is a review of the Ten Economic Questions for 2024. Below are my ten questions for 2025 (I've been doing this online every year for 20 years!). These are just questions; I'll follow up with some thoughts on each of these questions. The purpose of these questions is to provide a framework of how the U.S. economy will likely perform in 2025, and if there are surprises - like in 2020 with the pandemic - to adjust my thinking.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 417th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Paul G McManus. Paul is the CEO of More Clients More Fun, a marketing company that helps financial advisors conceptualize and publish their own book in a consolidated 6-week process. What's unique about Paul, though, is how he counsels advisors not to write books for the potential royalties they could earn, but rather as a means to establish themselves as an authority in the m
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 25, 2024
Podcasts Christine Benz talks with Daniel Crosby about his new book "The Soul of Wealth: 50 Reflections on Money and Meaning." (morningstar.com) Robin Powell talks with Jonathan Clements about the importance of investor behavior. (youtube.com) Katti Gatti Tassin and Henah Velez talk about the many downsides of spending too much on your car (or pickup truck).
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
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Richard Hill, the head of Cohen & Steers real estate strategy, talks about how financial advisors should tackle commercial real estate investment next year.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 664 thousand. The previous three months were revised up, combined. Sales of new single-family houses in November 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 664,000 , according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Markets We should be grateful for 2024's returns, especially if you avoided the negativity. (allstarcharts.com) No one else is to blame for your investing failures. (microcapclub.com) Companies OpenAI is officially transitioning to a for-profit company. (techcrunch.com) How Reddit ($RDDT) became a huge winner in 2024. (slate.com) Video game companies are going broke building new games with life-like graphics.
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 25, 2024
iCapitals Lawrence Calcano points to continued innovation in tech and product development as key to making alts more hospitable for advisors.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: Lawler: New Census Population Estimates Show Massively Higher Population Growth Excerpt: From housing economist Tom Lawler: New Census Population Estimates Incorporate Revised Methodology for Estimating Net International Migration, Show Massively Higher Population Growth Last week Census released its Vintage 2024 estimates of the US resident population, and the new estimates show substantially faster population growth over the past few years
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that according to a recent study by DeVoe & Company, only 42% of RIAs surveyed have written succession plans and either have begun to implement them or have already done so. The report suggests this might be due in part to increased RIA valuations and the assumption of some firm founders that next-generation employees won't be financially able to buy out the firm from them,
Advertisement
Where are top advisors focusing in 2025? AcquireUp’s 2025 Industry Index reveals it all. Based on insights from 200+ financial professionals nationwide, discover why 74% say seminars and referrals deliver the best ROI, how automation is helping advisors scale faster, and why only 8% are tapping into niche marketing (a major growth opportunity!). Whether you're refining your client acquisition strategy or scaling your practice, this report gives you the real-world data, benchmarks, and action ste
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Spotify How Spotify ($SPOT) went to war against it own artists by uploading proprietary tracks. (honest-broker.com) Spotify ($SPOT) insiders are selling a lot of stock. (ft.com) Listening Does listening to an audiobook count as 'reading'? (wsj.com) The 20 best podcast series of 2024 including 'Road to Rickwood.' (theatlantic.com) Seven under-the-radar sports podcasts to check out.
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 24, 2024
Our tech columnist catches up with Haik Sahakyan, co-founder and CEO of ARQA.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: Question #9 for 2025: What will happen with house prices in 2025? Excerpt: Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of these questions concern real estate (inventory, house prices, housing starts, new home sales), and Ill post thoughts on those in this newsletter (others like GDP and employment will be on my blog).
Alpha Architect
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Managers are more likely to vote for analysts who exhibit greater say-buy/whisper-sell behavior toward these man agers. This suggests that analysts reduce the accuracy of their public recommendations, thereby maintaining the value of their private advice to funds. Do sell-side analysts say buy while whispering sell? was originally published at Alpha Architect.
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.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Markets Higher for longer is the theme going into 2025. (apolloacademy.com) There's large cap growth stocks in the U.S., and then everything else. (awealthofcommonsense.com) Global diversification is doing what it is supposed to do. (disciplinefunds.com) Crypto Is quantum computing an existential threat to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies? (wsj.com) Where does the Hawk Tuah memecoin scandal stand?
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Carlo di Florio, president of the industry compliance consulting firm ACA Group, said SEC Chair Nominee Paul Atkins approach to digital assets would be one of the most important legacies hell leave should he be confirmed.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
From the MBA: Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Increases to 0.50% in November The Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) monthly Loan Monitoring Survey revealed that the total number of loans now in forbearance increased to 0.50% as of November 30, 2024. According to MBAs estimate, 250,000 homeowners are in forbearance plans. Mortgage servicers have provided forbearance to approximately 8.5 million borrowers since March 2020.
Financial Symmetry
DECEMBER 23, 2024
As the holiday season approaches, many of us find ourselves thinking about gifts. While gifts can come in many forms, monetary gifts often cause the most confusion. In this episode of Financial Symmetry, hosts Chad Smith and Grayson Blaszak discuss … Continued The post How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Gifting Money to Family Ep #231 appeared first on Financial Symmetry, Inc.
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.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Podcasts Michael Kitces and Carl Richards discuss navigating the issue of underpaying clients. (kitces.com) John Mihaljevic talks family office dynamics with Prof. Lauren H. Cohen of HBS. (latticework.com) Q&A A Q&A with David Lau, founder and CEO at DPL Financial Partners. (thinkadvisor.com) A Q&A with Ritik Malhotra, co-founder and CEO, of Savvy Wealth.
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Advisors share how they are growing their firms while navigating an ever-changing industry landscape.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 27, 2024
Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of these questions concern real estate (inventory, house prices, housing starts, new home sales), and I posted thoughts on those in the newsletter (others like GDP and employment will be on this blog). I'm adding some thoughts and predictions for each question.
Midstream Marketing
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Introduction and Key Highlights In todays challenging landscape, standing out and building meaningful client connections is essential. Forefield, developed by a leading fintech company, provides comprehensive solutions tailored to help professionals streamline their efforts and achieve growth. Forefield Advisor Marketing is a powerful suite of tools for financial professionals, aimed at enhancing client engagement and driving business growth.
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.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Autos Most big auto mergers don't work out. (msn.com) Is there any reason to drive faster than 100 mph? (fastcompany.com) We should move faster toward expanding autonomous vehicles. (hunterwalk.com) Should you give your new teen driver a new car or a hand-me-down? (awealthofcommonsense.com) Energy The race is on to build viable sodium-ion batteries.
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 23, 2024
In 2025, expect to see an emphasis on organic growth, talent and capturing AI efficiencies at RIA firms, said Schwabs Lisa Salvi.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: Question #8 for 2025: How much will Residential investment change in 2025? How about housing starts and new home sales in 2025? Excerpt: Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of these questions concern real estate (inventory, house prices, housing starts, new home sales), and Ill post thoughts on those in this newsletter (others like GDP and employment will be on my blog).
Validea
DECEMBER 27, 2024
In this episode of Excess Returns, hosts Jack Forehand and Justin Carbonneau sit down with Jacob Pozharny, partner at Bridgeway Capital Management, to explore the increasingly important role of intangible assets in modern investing. Jacob breaks down what intangible assets are – from intellectual property and proprietary algorithms to brand value and customer relationships – and explains how these harder-to-measure assets are changing traditional investment approaches.
Advertisement
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.
Alpha Architect
DECEMBER 27, 2024
A critical task in stock selection is identifying a firms true profitability. Given the potential of AI to deal with large data, an important question is: Can AI outsmart seasoned analysts? Forecasting Earnings, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Versus Equity Analysts was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 27, 2024
There's a lot that can be learned from the estate mishaps of the rich and famous. 2024 was no different.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 27, 2024
From Goldman: We lowered our Q4 GDP tracking estimate by 0.1pp to +2.3% (quarter-over-quarter annualized). Our Q4 domestic final sales forecast stands at +2.3% (quarter-over-quarter annualized). [Dec 27th estimate] emphasis added And from the Atlanta Fed: GDPNow The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the fourth quarter of 2024 is 3.1 percent on December 24, unchanged from December 20 after rounding.
Cornerstone Financial Advisory
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Weekly Market Insights | December 23rd, 2024 Powell Signal Leaves Investors Cold Stocks were under pressure last week as the Fed Chair’s hawkish comments unsettled investors ahead of the holiday season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average received the hardest hit, falling 2.25 percent. The Standard & Poors 500 Index lost 1.98 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.78 percent.
Advertisement
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?
Expert insights. Personalized for you.
52 
Let's personalize your content