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1. Crypto Under Trump: 3 Moves Needed for Bitcoin’s Big Break
Whether or not you’ve ever invested in crypto (a sector that reminds me of a basketball held underwater), I hope you’ll read this short debriefing without delay. This is crypto’s biggest moment since Satoshi founded bitcoin (BTC). — Stephen McBride
2. What Happens After the Top 10 Stocks Outperform?
For most of the last two years, the 10 largest US stocks have dominated market returns. Now, amid signs of a shift in performance patterns, investors may want to take a closer look at what happened after similar periods of highly concentrated returns in the past. — Alliance Bernstein
3. Why Experts Call Trump Tariffs Inflationary
Instead of taking the “experts” word, let’s consider how tariffs may affect the prices of all goods and services, not just the items subject to tariffs. Furthermore, it’s worth discussing how tariffs could impact the economy, as economic activity greatly influences inflation. Lastly, we lean on historical precedence, capitalism, and the dollar to further evaluate how tariffs might impact inflation and economic growth. — Michael Lebowitz
4. Help Clients Satisfy Their RMDs and Leave a Legacy
Making pre-tax contributions to a tax-deferred account is a great way to build retirement assets. But this protection from taxes can’t last forever. Starting at age 73, your clients are required to take (and pay taxes on) annual required minimum distributions (RMDs). But what happens when you have a client who doesn’t need the money from these withdrawals? What if protecting and passing wealth to their loved ones is a top priority? — Lincoln Financial Group
5. Navigating High-Yield Bonds: Opportunities, Risks and Fallen Angels
While fallen angels may offer enticing yields, the prospects of a Boeing downgrade could dramatically increase the issuer concentration risk in these strategies, some of which have issuer caps as high as 10%! Given the risks associated with issuer concentration in fallen angel strategies, we suggest that investors consider a broader approach to the high-yield market. Rather than relying solely on credit rating history, we believe it’s prudent to use strategies that systematically identify fundamentally strong issuers across the market. — Behnood Noei & Andrew Okrongly
6. Top 5 Reasons Customers Choose to Walk Away
I was recently hired as a keynote speaker to talk to a group of financial advisors about client service. One of the topics of the meeting was a discussion about why a client would leave. The most obvious reason might be that the financial advisor gave bad advice, and the client lost money. But let’s assume the advisor is smart, the advice is sound, and the return on investment meets expectations. Even with all of that, why would a client leave? — Shep Hyken
7. Global Equity Market Concentration Trending Higher
Looking at the assets under management tallies at some global equity exchange traded funds and index funds, it’s safe to say advisors are among the market participants that have tapped these products as avenues for bringing some geographic exposure to client portfolios. — Todd Shriber
8. Are Shoppers Still Driving the Economy?
In this episode, Chris Versace, Lindsey Bell, and Bob Lang explore investment strategies amid policy uncertainty from President-elect Trump's cabinet picks. They also examine the impact of a strong dollar's effect on multinationals, NVIDIA's anticipated report, and a pivotal week for retail earnings. — What Does It Mean?
9. Family Emergencies: How Advisors Can Help Ease the Pain
When clients face overwhelming situations such as accidents, the loss of a loved one, or a life-altering diagnosis, financial advisors play an essential role in providing reassurance and maintaining financial stability. — David Conti
10. Advisors in an AI World: Leveraging Soft Skills for Lasting Success
Financial advisors are bracing for the “next big thing” as artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly prominent role. The rise of AI-powered tools and robo-advisors is automating many of the routine, data-driven aspects of financial planning, creating more efficient and accurate solutions. — Don Connelly
11. Mixed vs. Total Return Funds: Which Markets Outperformed?
From the 2024 US Election and UK Autumn Budget to changing interest rate expectations, what’s been happening in the world of investing and what’s it meant for shares and bonds? Investors have had to deal with a lot over the last three months, from the US Election and UK Autumn Budget to changing interest rate expectations. And this has come with its fair share of stock market volatility. — Hal Cook