Sat.Oct 05, 2024 - Fri.Oct 11, 2024

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You might be missing a financial planning cornerstone: Insurance

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)

By Caroline A. Banks, FPFS Worldwide, we face a dreadful undercoverage of insurance. Too many financial advisors have become simply wealth managers, not realizing that insurance is the foundation of a financial plan. It’s crucial we make sure that this foundation is strong enough to support clients financially, no matter what happens. My own company received a critical illness payout when my husband, who was both the finance and IT director, was ill.

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UPDATE: New CA QSR Min Wage Study. A Victory Lap.

The Big Picture

@TBPInvictus here: If you’re not aware of the brouhaha that was stirred about a year or so ago when CA Gov Gavin Newsom signed into law (taking effect April 1, 2024) a new $20 minimum wage for so-called “limited service” (a/k/a fast food or QSR) restaurant workers, read up here , here , or here. In a nutshell, the usual suspects’ heads exploded well before the legislation even took effect, claiming it would lead to widespread devastation in the fast food space: job losses

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Adviser links: building an enduring franchise

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Blair duQuesnay talks with George Kinder about his new book "The Three Domains of Freedom." (blairbellecurve.com) Daniel Crosby talks behavioral finance with Greg Davies, Head of Behavioral Finance at Oxford Risk. (standarddeviationspod.com) Frazer Rice talks with Megan Gorman quthor of "All the Presidents' Money: How the Men who Governed America Governed Their Money.

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (October 12–13)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a CFP Board ad campaign promoting a career in financial planning to high school and college students sparked an uproar in the planning community, as some advisors questioned whether the messages being sent in the ads – in particular, certain static ads that did not provide as much context into the messaging as a series of 15-second video ads – realistically rep

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Confronting the Change Challenge

Change is difficult, whether in our private or work life. However, without change, growth and learning are difficult not to mention keeping up with the market and staying competitive. We have all worked for or ourselves are the bosses that prefer to keep the status quo. We will discuss how to address the "change challenge" to enable you to be a changemaker and a graceful recipient of change.

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When Luxuries Become Necessities

A Wealth of Common Sense

Each year the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) updates consumer expenditure data on how Americans collectively spend and earn their money. These numbers are averages so your personal household budget probably looks different in some ways. Your circumstances — where you live, your standard of living, how much you make, family situation, etc. — often dictate how you spend.

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More Trending

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Top clicks this week on Abnormal Returns

Abnormal Returns

Top clicks this week The U.S. is in the midst of an 'epic bull market.' (awealthofcommonsense.com) Don't ever hand your phone over to the police. (theverge.com) The time to prepare for a bear market is before it is on the horizon. (optimisticallie.com) Are small cap stocks declining in quality? (advisorperspectives.com) Earnings are the most important driver of stock prices.

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#FASuccess Ep 406: Exiting To A Perpetual Purpose Trust To Facilitate Internal Leadership Succession Without Indebting G2 Advisors, With Michael Kramer

Nerd's Eye View

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 406th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Michael Kramer. Michael is the manager of Natural Investments, an RIA based in San Francisco, California that has offices across the country, overseeing $1.9 billion in assets under management for 1,300 client households. What's unique about Michael, though, is how his firm used the unique perpetual purpose trust structure to facilitate an internal succession plan, allowing th

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YoY Measures of Inflation: Services, Goods and Shelter

Calculated Risk

Here are a few measures of inflation: The first graph is the one Fed Chair Powell had mentioned when services less rent of shelter was up around 8% year-over-year. This declined and is now up 4.4% YoY. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows the YoY price change for Services and Services less rent of shelter through September 2024. Services were up 4.7% YoY as of September 2024, down from 4.8% YoY in August.

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MiB: Joe Lonsdale of 8VC, Palantir, Adapar & Opto

The Big Picture

Live from FutureProof in Huntington Beach, California, Barry Ritholtz speaks with Joe Lonsdale of 8VC. Previously, he co-founded Palantir Technologies , founded Adapar , a wealth management platform, and Opto , a private market investment platform. In this episode, Lonsdale discusses the importance of technology in various sectors, the need for innovation in defense, and the potential of AI to transform the services industry.

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Pricing for Profit: How to Set, Negotiate, and Succeed

Speaker: Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader

In today’s competitive market, pricing is more than just a number — it’s the cornerstone of profitability. The right pricing strategy ensures that you capture the true value of your offering, paving the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Join Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader, in this exclusive session where he will explore how a well-crafted pricing approach balances customer perception with business objectives, creating a powerful tool for securing both competitive advantage a

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Friday links: a cursed star

Abnormal Returns

Finance JP Morgan Chase ($JPM) says the consumer is in good shape. (sherwood.news) One company's loss is another's gain. (ft.com) Biotech IPOs keep happening. (biopharmadive.com) Fund management A closer look at the proposed SPDR SSGA Apollo IG Public & Private Credit ETF. (citywire.com) Blackrock ($BLK) now manages some $11.5 trillion. (s24.q4cdn.com) AI How Flexport is using AI.

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Wealth.com Raises $30M To Provide Estate Documents To Advisors’ Clients (And More Of The Latest In Financial #AdvisorTech – October 2024)

Nerd's Eye View

Welcome to the October 2024 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 digital estate planning platform Wealth.com has raised a whopping $30 million in Series A funding, following on the heels of Vanilla's follow-on $20M capital round just a few months ago – which

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MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey

Calculated Risk

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 5.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending October 4, 2024. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 5.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

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10 Weekend Reads

The Big Picture

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of Colombia Tolima Los Brasiles Peaberry Organic coffee, grab a seat outside, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads: • After Shark Tank, Mark Cuban Just Wants to Break S**t—Especially the Prescription Drug Industry : The billionaire is done with his hit TV show, but he’s still invested in fighting pharma’s middlemen, being a dad, and needling Elon Musk. ( Wired ) • Is the World Really Running Out of Sand?

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2024 Lending Outlook: Innovations and Evolutions in the Financial Sector

As we step into 2024, the lending landscape evolves rapidly with technology, regulations, and market dynamics driving change. For banks and financial institutions to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, these drivers must be understood and engaged with. Lenders can anticipate significant transformation fueled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer behaviors.

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Monday links: investing in yourself

Abnormal Returns

Companies What are the chances that Google ($GOOGL) gets broken up? (ft.com) Pfizer ($PFE) has an activist in Starboard Value. (wsj.com) ETFs Cambria and Alpha Architect are teaming up for the Cambria Tax Aware ETF ($TAX). (wealthmanagement.com) Derivatives-based ETFs are booming, with retail piling in. (bloomberg.com) Jane Street Jane Street is seeing extraordinary profits on the back of the ETF boom.

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Gifting Without The Headache: Tax-Efficient Strategies To Stay Under Gift Reporting Limits

Nerd's Eye View

Gifting is a common planning topic discussed between advisors and clients – often raising questions about which gifts are taxable, need to be reported to the IRS, or may be exempt from reporting altogether. The rules around gifting are nuanced and can create confusion for clients, but advisors with a clear understanding of gifting strategies can guide them toward informed decisions.

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Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase to 258,000

Calculated Risk

The DOL reported : In the week ending October 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 258,000 , an increase of 33,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 225,000. This is the highest level for initial claims since August 5, 2023 when it was 258,000. The 4-week moving average was 231,000, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 224,250. emphasis added The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since 1971.

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10 Monday AM Reads

The Big Picture

My back from vacay morning reads: • Pandemic Start-Ups Are Thriving, and Helping to Fuel the Economy : A record surge in new businesses has helped drive job growth, and could have longer-term benefits. ( New York Times ) • Fidelity: Twitter is worth 80% less than 2 years ago when Elon Musk bought it. That’s according to estimates from investment giant Fidelity: As of the end of August, the firm is worth just $8 billion, according to a Sunday filing by Fidelity’s Blue Chip Growth Fund.

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Banking on Loyalty: Holistic Financial Advice for Unparalleled Business Growth

Speaker: Joe Buhrmann, MBA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Senior Financial Planning Practice Management Consultant eMoney Advisor

During an era of evolving consumer preferences, the banking sector is undergoing a profound shift. As customers continue to broaden their perspectives, banking professionals must support their customers' financial wellness by providing holistic financial advice that aligns with individual goals and circumstances. Without adapting, financial institutions will find that loyalty may crumble amid uncertainty.

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Sunday links: holding on a little longer

Abnormal Returns

Strategy If diversification is good, why not diversify globally? (humbledollar.com) Don't make your investing more complicated than it needs to be. (flyoverstocks.com) Investing doesn't need to be flashy to succeed. (jridley.substack.com) Buffered ETFs Buffered ETFs are popular, but they are complicated and come with real tradeoffs. (wsj.com) The pros and cons of buffered ETFs.

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Defining Bull and Bear Markets

A Wealth of Common Sense

Nick Maggiulli joined me on the show this week to tackle questions about investing in total stock market index funds, how to value your pension, factors that allow you to take more risk in your portfolio and when to sell your big winners. Further Reading: An Epic Bull Market 1It’s worth noting these are price returns only, no dividends included.

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The Sahm Rule as a Recession Indicator

Alpha Architect

Because the Sahm rule focuses solely on the unemployment rate, caution is warranted before assuming it is signaling a recession. The Sahm Rule as a Recession Indicator was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.

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Q3 GDP Tracking: Around 3%

Calculated Risk

From BofA: Since our last weekly publication, our 3Q GDP tracking estimate is unchanged at 2.6% q/q saar. [Oct 11th estimate] emphasis added From Goldman: We left our Q3 GDP tracking estimate unchanged at +3.2% (quarter-over-quarter annualized) and our Q3 domestic final sales forecast unchanged at +2.8%. [Oct 8th estimate] And from the Atlanta Fed: GDPNow The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the third quarter of 2024 is 3.2 percent on October 9, unch

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Navigating Financial Storms: Strategies for Building Resilient Balance Sheets

Speaker: Carolina Aponte - Owner and CEO, Caja Holdings LLC

In today's rapidly changing business environment, building a resilient balance sheet is crucial to the survival of any business. A resilient balance sheet allows a company to withstand financial shocks and adapt to changing market conditions. To achieve this, companies need to focus on key strategies such as maintaining adequate liquidity, managing debt levels, diversifying revenue streams, and prioritizing profitability over growth.

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Longform links: US cultural dominance

Abnormal Returns

Wealth Who died and paid the IRS a $7 billion estate tax bill? (sherwood.news) A profile of Denise Coates, founder of Bet365, and the richest woman in England. (theguardian.com) Global How Iceland became a hotbed for online scams. (nytimes.com) Checking in on the reconstruction of Notre Dame. (gq.com) Lebanon has a lot of geographical advantages. Why is the country so troubled?

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Producer Price Index: Wholesale Inflation Held Steady in September

Advisor Perspectives

Wholesale inflation was unchanged last month, compared to expectations of a 0.1% increase. The producer price index for final demand was flat month-over-month (s.a.). On an annual basis, headline PPI decelerated from 1.9% in August to 1.8% in September.

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10 Investment Must Reads for This Week (Oct. 8, 2024)

Wealth Management

S&P Dow Jones’ updated methodology for some of its indices has impacted $300 billion in ETFs, reports Financial Times. Mergers & Acquisitions looks at whether evergreen funds can scale up, given their promise of greater liquidity for investors. These are among this week’s investment must reads for wealth advisors.

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Cost of Living Adjustment increases 2.5% in 2025, Contribution Base increased to $176,100

Calculated Risk

With the release of the CPI report this morning, we now know the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), and the contribution base for 2025. From Social Security: Social Security Announces 2.5 Percent Benefit Increase for 2025 Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025 , the Social Security Administration announced today.

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How to Navigate Revenue and Expense Management: Competitive Insights for Financial Success

Speaker: Hilary Akhaabi, PhD - Founder, Chief Financial & Operations Officer at Go Africa Global

In the fast-paced world of corporate finance, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for sustainable growth and profitability. This exclusive webinar with leading expert Hilary Akhaabi, PhD, will teach you practical ways to navigate complex financial landscapes and enhance your company's revenue management capabilities. Whether you're aiming to refine your financial strategies or seeking innovative solutions to drive performance, this new session is for you!

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Tuesday links: a collective mistake

Abnormal Returns

Markets Q3 earnings estimates are muted. (sherwood.news) The yield curve is coming to terms with a new Fed regime. (mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) Strategy Two questions you should ask about any piece of market information. (behaviouralinvestment.com) For taxable investors a preference for dividends doesn't make a lot of sense. (rethinking65.com) Why trading successfully is difficult.

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Multiple Jobholders Account for 5.3% of All Employed

Advisor Perspectives

Multiple jobholders account for 5.3% of civilian employment. The survey captures data for four subcategories of the multi-job workforce, the relative sizes of which we've illustrated in a pie chart.

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Daylight CEO Underscores The Need For Philanthropic Planning Know-How

Wealth Management

Those advisors in the UHNW space without philanthropic planning services and understanding could be "left behind" by 2030, according to Daylight Advisors CEO Dien Yuen.

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