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

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 9, 2025

It's natural for advisors to begin discovery meetings by asking questions about a client's current financial situation – understanding cash flow, debt, investments, risk tolerance, or even the burning tax concern that brought them to the advisor's door in the first place is crucial for financial planning. However, starting with these questions can have unintended consequences.

Clients 198

Clients Financial Planning Risk Tolerance Planning 198

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 Government Media 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.

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Clients

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 11, 2025

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the U.S. Senate has confirmed Paul Atkins to be the next Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In terms of enforcement actions, Atkins is expected to prioritize instances of investor harm and be less inclined to issue sanctions for technical rule violations (which were more frequent under previous SEC Chair Gary Gensler).

Financial Planner 159

Financial Planner Communication Commission Clients 159

Wealth Management

APRIL 10, 2025

The Kitces Financial Advisor FinTech Solutions Map has nearly tripled in size since 2018, reflecting the rapid growth and evolution of technology solutions in wealth management.

Wealth Management 277

Wealth Management Management Financial Advisor 277

Calculated Risk

APRIL 10, 2025

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-April 2025 A brief excerpt: Yesterday, in Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-April 2025 I reviewed home inventory, housing starts and sales. In Part 2, I will look at house prices, mortgage rates, rents and more.

Marketing 247

Marketing Marketing Economy Sales 247

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 8, 2025

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 432nd episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast! My guest on today's podcast is Seth Scott. Seth is the founder of Heartwood Financial Planning, an advisory firm affiliated with PlanMember Securities Corporation that is based in Fresno, California, and oversees approximately $100 million in assets under management for 850 client households.

Financial Planning 130

Financial Planning Clients Planning Financial Advisor 130

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 7, 2025

Podcasts Michael Kitces talks with Nick Rodkin, managing partner of Stoic Financial, about working with client couples. (kitces.com) Matt Zeigler talks with Danika Waddell, founder of Xena Financial Planning. (epsilontheory.com) Aging How financial literacy declines with age. (knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu) Why advisers may spot dementia in clients first.

Fiduciary Duty 144

Fiduciary Duty Financial Advice Financial Planning Clients 144

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

Wealth Management

APRIL 10, 2025

Firms including Osaic, Cetera, Raymond James and Kestra are boosting their typical deals to capture Commonwealth advisors in the wake of the acquisition by LPL, sources said.

Recruitment 277

Recruitment 277

Calculated Risk

APRIL 7, 2025

Early in February , I expressed my "increasing concern" about the negative economic impact of "executive / fiscal policy errors", however, I concluded that post by noting that I was not currently on recession watch. Now I am on recession watch , but still not yet predicting a recession for several reasons: the U.S. economy is very resilient and was on solid footing at the beginning of the year, the administration might reverse many of the tariffs (we've seen that before), and Congress might take

Sales 241

Sales Economy Economics Investing 241

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 7, 2025

Welcome to the April 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 Wealthbox has announced it is planning to launch a new built-in AI meeting note tool that it seeks to integrate seamlessly with its existing CRM solution – which serves as a prominent warning for

Tax Planning 130

Tax Planning Taxes Planning Clients 130

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 8, 2025

Quant stuff The case for simple models using more data. (mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) Are researchers building portfolios all wrong? (papers.ssrn.com) Portfolio rebalancing The benefits of portfolio rebalancing are overstated. (roberthuebscher.substack.com) Your portfolio rebalancing frequency doesn't matter all that much. (elmwealth.com) Alternatives Private equity performance degrades with asset growth.

Portfolio 144

Portfolio Retirement Economics Assets 144

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

Wealth Management

APRIL 10, 2025

Cerulli finds that the direct indexing boom still has significant runway among advisors, with 26% actively choosing not to use it despite having access.

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Calculated Risk

APRIL 8, 2025

From Dodge Data Analytics: Dodge Momentum Index Declines 7% in March The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) , issued by Dodge Construction Network, receded 6.9% in March to 205.6 (2000=100) from the revised February reading of 220.9. Over the month, commercial planning declined 7.8% while institutional planning fell 5.0%. Increased uncertainty around material prices and fiscal policies may have begun to factor into planning decisions throughout March , stated Sarah Martin, associate director of forecas

Healthcare 221

Healthcare Planning Education Retail 221

The Big Picture

APRIL 10, 2025

Yeah, yeah, more of me, I know. But this is a fun conversation with Pete Dominick discussing the economy, the market and of course, the new book! Here’s Pete’s description: Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more How Not To Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth – and how to avoid them T he GREAT Barry Ritholtz whohas spent his career helping people spot their own investment errors and to learn how to better manage their own financial behaviors.

Investments 130

Investments Investing Startup Wealth Management 130

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 9, 2025

Podcasts Jim Dahle talks with Rob Orman about building a resilient, long-lasting career. (whitecoatinvestor.com) Christine Benz and Amy Arnott talk with Jay Zigmont, the author of a new book called "The Childfree Guide to Life and Money." (morningstar.com) Dan Haylett talks with Riley Moynes about the four phases of retirement. (humansvsretirement.com) Housing Not every financial decision has to make perfect sense.

Taxes 144

Taxes Education Retirement Accounting 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

Wealth Management

APRIL 9, 2025

A new analysis of historical data found that the IRS audit rate of individual taxpayers has decreased by about two-thirds since 2010.

Numbers 270

Numbers 270

Calculated Risk

APRIL 9, 2025

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-April 2025 A brief excerpt: This 2-part overview for mid-April provides a snapshot of the current housing market. At this moment, we cant talk housing without mentioning the overall economy. Just over two weeks ago, I revised down my outlook for housing this year, see Policy and 2025 Housing Outlook.

Marketing 216

Marketing Marketing Economy Sales 216

Alpha Architect

APRIL 7, 2025

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 What Drives Momentum in Global Stock Markets was originally published at Alpha Architect.

Risk Management 90

Risk Management Marketing Marketing Portfolio 90

Clever Girl Finance

APRIL 11, 2025

Have you ever looked at your bank statement and wondered, Where did all my money go? Ive been theremore than once. And even as a financial expert, Im not immune to money leaks. In fact, staying on top of my spending takes serious intentionality, especially as a mom, a business owner, and a woman wearing many hats. Table of contents 1. Subscriptions: I had them all 2.

Budgeting 79

Budgeting Food Banking Planning 79

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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.

Accounting

Wealth Management

APRIL 7, 2025

Discover how Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) offers significant tax benefits for investors and entrepreneurs, boosting returns and attracting capital.

Taxes 271

Taxes 271

Calculated Risk

APRIL 10, 2025

The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI and the trimmed-mean CPI. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in February. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index increased 0.2%. "The median CPI and 16% trimmed-mean CPI are measures of core inflation calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland based on data released in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly CPI report".

Food 162

Food Banking 162

Zoe Financial

APRIL 7, 2025

Market Drama Featuring Zoe CEO & Founder, Andres Garcia-Amaya, CFA April 7th, 2025 Watch Time: 5 min. Welcome to this week’s Market Drama! Stock Market Update: S&P 500: Down 9% this week, now down ~1314% YTD. Nasdaq: Down 10% this week, now down 19.3% YTD. Oil: Also down nearly double digits for the week. Main driver: April 2nd announcement of aggressive new tariffs caused sharp sell-offs on Thursday and Friday.

Marketing 81

Marketing Marketing Risk Tolerance Financial Advisor 81

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)

APRIL 6, 2025

By Ellis N. Liddell, BS As we all do, your clients experience the joys and challenges of lifes many different stages. This may include buying homes, having children, getting married, expanding their business and retiring. Because I practice holistic financial planning, I help clients navigate through all of this. Creating wisdom teams To fully serve my clients in this capacity, I encourage my clients to have a wisdom team.

Clients 85

Clients Education Financial Advisor Financial Planning 85

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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?

Sales

Wealth Management

APRIL 7, 2025

Its time to move from outdated, opaque and complex revenue-sharing schemes in 401(k) plans to transparent and understandable pricing.

Planning 271

Planning 271

Calculated Risk

APRIL 10, 2025

From the BLS : The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in March, after rising 0.2 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for energy fell 2.4 percent in March, as a 6.3-percent decline in the index for gasoline more than offset increases in the indexes for electricity and natural gas.

Food 147

Food Medical Education Insurance 147

A Wealth of Common Sense

APRIL 8, 2025

Last Thursday the S&P 500 finished the day down 4.8%. Then on Friday it declined another 6%. That’s a loss of more than 10% in just two days. The -10.5% loss was the fifth worse two-day stretch for the stock market since 1950. The other times this happened occurred in 1987, 2008 and 2020, some of the most volatile market environments we’ve ever seen.

Marketing 80

Marketing Marketing 80

Alpha Architect

APRIL 8, 2025

Investing isnt about being mostly right. In fact you can be mostly wrong and beat portfolios that were mostly right! Today, well explore how investors can potentially improve portfolio outcomes by targeting two seemingly contradictory but deeply complementary systems as outlined in the latest Mauboussin-Callahan paper, Probabilities & Payoffs: The Practicality and Psychology of Expected Value.

Investments 73

Investments Investing Portfolio Financial Planning 73

Speaker: Aaron Berson

Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g

Management