Darrow Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 9, 2025
The idea of living off dividends in retirement sounds nice, but investors often don’t realize how much money they’ll need invested to generate enough income from dividends to cover lifestyle expenses. Over the last 30 years, the S&P 500’s average dividend yield was 1.98%. So historically, every $1 million invested would yield annual dividend income of $19,800 on average… before tax.
Nerd's Eye View
FEBRUARY 12, 2025
When the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025, it came as a relief to many recipients of state or local government pensions whose Social Security benefits had been, up until now, reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) for individuals claiming retirement benefits under their own name, or the Government Pension Offset (GPO) for those claiming spousal or survivor benefits under a current or former spouse's name.
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Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-February 2025 A brief excerpt: This 2-part overview for mid-February provides a snapshot of the current housing market. I always focus first on inventory, since inventory usually tells the tale ! Im watching months-of-supply closely. New home inventory, as a percentage of total inventory, is still very high.
The Big Picture
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
This week, I speak with Christine Phillpotts , Portfolio Manager for Ariel Investment s emerging markets value strategies. She is also Senior Research Analyst for Consumer and Real Estate across Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe. She also covers all sectors in Africa. Previously, she spent 10 years at AllianceBernstein as Portfolio Manager and Senior Research analyst in emerging markets.
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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
Abnormal Returns
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
Finance Why 24-hour trading isn't a boon for investors. (morningstar.com) Successfully running an ETF is harder than it looks. (jeffreyptak.substack.com) TIPS TIPS yields haven't been this high in a decade. (wsj.com) A speculative, but cautionary take against investing in TIPS. (paulkrugman.substack.com) Crypto The SEC could soon allow for in-kind redemptions for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
Nerd's Eye View
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
To earn the CFP marks, candidates must fulfill four key requirements: Education (holding a bachelor's degree and completing the required coursework through a CFP Board registered program), Exam (passing the 170-question CFP exam), Experience (gaining hands-on experience providing financial advice to the public), and Ethics (acting as a fiduciary). Among these, the Education component offers the greatest flexibility in how it can be completed.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
The consulting firm says the wealth management industry can address the shortage by boosting productivity levels and attracting new talent.
Abnormal Returns
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Markets Too many people confusing speculating for investing. (ritholtz.com) The end of ZIRP did not kill off speculation. (ft.com) Big tech Callie Cox, "History is littered with the tombstones of once-dominant companies who couldnt pivot to the next big thing." (optimisticallie.com) The scale of capital expenditures by the Mag Seven is unprecedented.
Nerd's Eye View
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 424th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is David Grau, Jr. David is the President of Succession Resource Group, an advisory consulting and valuation business based in Portland, Oregon that serves independent financial advisors with RIAs and broker-dealers. What's unique about David, though, is how his two decades of experience supporting financial advisory firms has helped him uncover best practices for founders and su
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 12, 2025
From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 2.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 7, 2025. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
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
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
The consultancy projects independent RIAs to grow 4% annually through 2028, with insurance broker/dealer advisors seeing the most attrition with 2.6% annual declines.
Abnormal Returns
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
Books An excerpt from Yoni Appelbaums new book, "Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity." (theatlantic.com) An excerpt from "Humans: A Monstrous History" by Surekha Davies. (lithub.com) An excerpt from "The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West" by Alexander C. Karp and Nicholas W.
Clever Girl Finance
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
Do you ever feel like your money disappears the moment you get paid? Maybe you have mounting credit card debt or an emergency fund thats dangerously low. If you want to take control of your finances, break the cycle of overspending, and build lasting financial stability, then a low-buy year could be the perfect reset. Table of contents No-buy year vs low-buy year?
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
From the Fed: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization Industrial production (IP) increased 0.5 percent in January after moving up 1.0 percent in December. In January, gains in the output of aircraft and parts contributed 0.2 percentage point to total IP growth following the earlier resolution of a work stoppage at a major aircraft manufacturer.
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.
Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
The government seeks to suspend pending litigation surrounding the fiduciary rule, to allow the Labor Department to decide how to proceed under the new administration.
Abnormal Returns
FEBRUARY 12, 2025
Markets The big multi-decade trends driving the U.S. stock market. (awealthofcommonsense.com) The stock market is getting pricey, but that doesn't necessarily mean sell. (brklyninvestor.com) Crypto Bitcoin strategic reserve, or not, Bitcoin has gone mainstream. (ig.ft.com) Solana ETFs are queued up at the SEC. (sherwood.news) More altcoin ETFs are coming down the pike.
A Wealth of Common Sense
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
Barry Ritholtz joined me on the show this week to discuss questions about timing market corrections with your savings account, how your portfolio should look heading into retirement, managing your parent’s financial plan and how to force yourself into splurging a little when you have more than enough money. Further Reading: How Much is a 3% Mortgage Worth?
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
The DOL reported : In the week ending February 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 213,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 219,000 to 220,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average.
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.
Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
iMessage isnt going anywhere, and neither are the regulators. Here's how financial advisors can stay compliant.
Abnormal Returns
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Investing How the model portfolio business is evolving. (morningstar.com) Robinhood's ($HOOD) proposed robo-advisor offering seems plain vanilla. (riabiz.com) Health The case against HSAs. (kitces.com) People seem to underestimate the chances of needing long term care. (crr.bc.edu) Advisers Certifications are important, but connecting with clients is paramount.
Clever Girl Finance
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
Have you been overspending and want to get back on track? Maybe you just want to boost your savings or finally break free from impulse purchases. A no spend month could be exactly what you need! Table of contents What is a no spend month? The benefits of a no spend month Expert tip: A no spend month can make you more intentional Mistakes to avoid during your no spend month Commonly asked questions about doing a no spend month Articles related to spending less Try a no spend month!
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 8, 2025
The key reports this week are January CPI and Retail sales. For manufacturing, the January Industrial Production report will be released this week. Fed Chair Powell presents the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday. -- Monday, February 10th -- No major economic releases scheduled. -- Tuesday, February 11th -- 6:00 AM: NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for January. 10:00 AM: Testimony, Fed Chair Jerome Powell, Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress ,
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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.
Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
A new analysis from Nariet shows REITs have performed well in both high and low interest rate environments.
Truemind Capital
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
To create wealth from investments, you need to let your investments compound. To let compounding work and create exponential gains, you must stay in thegame for a long period of time. To stay in the game for long, you must not panic and withdraw during marketdownturns. To ensure you do not panic during market crashes, you need to set the right expectations for your investments.
Clever Girl Finance
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
If you’re thinking about using the cash envelope system to budget effectively, having the right cash envelope wallet is key. A well-organized wallet makes it easy to divide, access, and track your cash, helping you stay committed to your budgeting goals. Without one, managing your envelopes can feel chaotic, making it harder to stick to your plan.
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 12, 2025
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, but is still elevated, and is now up 3.9% YoY. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows the YoY price change for Services and Services less rent of shelter through December 2024.
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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?
Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
Zakharia, hired to stabilize the firm, confirmed she has left the performance reporting tech company.
Darrow Wealth Management
FEBRUARY 13, 2025
When starting to search for a financial advisor, investors may not realize the different types of advisors out thereand theyre not all trying to sell you something. If youre looking for a fee-only financial advisor or wealth manager, its probably because you know fee-only advisors don’t sell products. Finding the right financial advisor is so important.
XY Planning Network
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Happy clients are pure gold for growing your financial planning practice. The XYPN benchmarking survey repeatedly confirms that satisfied clients are one of your most valuable sources for high-quality referrals. If you haven't started cultivating a referral culture in your firm yet, there's no better time than now.
Calculated Risk
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
From BofA: Next week, we will initiate our 1Q GDP tracker. [Feb 14th] emphasis added From Goldman: Following this mornings retail sales and industrial production reports, we lowered our Q1 GDP tracking estimate by 0.3pp to +2.0% (quarter-over-quarter annualized) and our Q1 domestic final sales forecast by 0.1pp to +2.2%. We lowered our Q4 past quarter tracking estimate by 0.1pp to +2.1% [Feb 14th estimate] And from the Atlanta Fed: GDPNow The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally
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
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