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1. 5 Analogies to Explain the Risks of Market Timing to Clients
Let’s face it: Most people are lousy timers. Think about the last time you switched to the shortest line at the grocery checkout. That feeling of smugness turns to scorn when the line crawls to a halt while the longer lines churn through. Or, when you constantly switch to the fast-moving lane on the freeway only to watch a long river of red brake lights stretch out in front of you. The actual cost, in terms of time, frustration, and dignity, almost invariably exceeds any possible gain you might have achieved by making the switch. — Don Connelly
2. How To Teach Clients To Save More and Spend Less
Many Americans spend everything they earn. Some spend more, running up credit card debt. This behavior makes saving for the future very difficult. They consider potential savings as “what they have left” after paying bills. Often that is nothing. Putting on your financial planning hat, how can you teach clients to save? — Bryce Sanders
3. Your Client Wants Protection: Fixed Annuity or Fixed Indexed Annuity?
Earlier in the year, LIMRA reported that both fixed and fixed indexed annuity (FIA) sales hit record levels in 2023. Combined, these two types of annuities totaled $286.2 billion, or almost 75% of all annuity sales. More recently, LIMRA reported that the surge in these two annuity types remains unabated. Fixed annuity sales were $48 billion in the first quarter of 2024, up 16% over the previous year, while FIA sales set a record of $29.3 billion for the first quarter. Just ten years ago, the total sales in these two annuity types was 30% of the annuity market. — iCapital
4. My Top 3 Red Flags When Recruiting Advisors
As the CEO of a global financial advisory firm, my role extends beyond steering the strategic direction of the company. A significant part of my responsibility is ensuring that we attract and retain the right talent—individuals who not only possess the requisite skills and experience but also embody our values and culture. Over the years, I’ve interviewed countless candidates and have identified key red flags that often predict future challenges. Here are the top three red flags I see in candidates and why they are crucial in our decision-making process. — Nigel Green
5. Why Prospects Don’t Trust You: The Curse of Mastery
Being an expert often comes with what I call “the curse of mastery” – when someone tells you about their problem, you immediately begin trying to solve it – because you can. The curse of mastery also comes with this belief: solving problems for your prospects up front, is how you prove your value by showing them you know your stuff. — Ari Galper
6. How to Find a 10X Strategic Partner
While the idea of 10x might be hyperbole, everyone had a pretty good time with the conversations for a couple of months or maybe years. There was also an interesting takeaway from the idea. One person can change everything. Your team’s individual contributors are going to set the pace of change in your organization. — Jud Mackrill
7. How 2024's Record-Breaking Elections Influence Market Trends
As we approach the halfway mark of 2024, I figured it’d be constructive to check in on the results of this year’s record-breaking elections. The numbers are particularly striking: Approximately 4.2 billion people are believed to be casting ballots this year, representing half of the world’s population and 68% of global equity market cap. — Frank Holmes
8. The Other Retirement Trend Advisors Can’t Ignore
When it comes to the issue of retirement, advisors are likely focusing on helping clients that are pre-retirees and those already in retirement navigate the challenges arising from exiting the workforce and experiencing a significant drop in steady employment related income. — Todd Shriber
9. The Essential Role of Financial Advisors in Senior Transitions
Navigating the complexities of elder care transitions is a daunting task, but it can also be a significant opportunity for financial advisors to deepen their relationships with clients. For Patti Black, CFP®, a Birmingham, Alabama-based advisor at Savant Wealth Management, this challenge became personal when she had to help her parents find the right senior housing option more than once. — David Conti
10. What the Finternet? The Financial System for the Future
The Bank of International Settlements (BIS), the guys who create the Basel rules and control much of the way the global banking system works, released a paper the other day about the Finternet: “the financial system for the future”. The idea is that all of the financial world will connect through unified ledger systems integrated by internet-based systems. Here’s the outline of the paper ... — Chris Skinner
11. 3 Reasons Retirees Should Work With Younger Advisors
Realizing that I am the same age as many of my clients' grandchildren was a profound moment. It made me understand the weight of my role, not just for my clients but for the generations that will follow. This realization has become a guiding light in my career, a beacon of the beautiful journey I am embarking on. — Colin Hurst