Calculated Risk
APRIL 23, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: New Home Sales Increase to 724,000 Annual Rate in March Brief excerpt: The Census Bureau reported New Home Sales in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 724 thousand. The previous three months were revised down, combined. The next graph shows new home sales for 2024 and 2025 by month (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate).
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 23, 2025
During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.
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Calculated Risk
APRIL 21, 2025
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 2.4% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 15.2% from the seasonal bottom in January and is increasing. Usually, inventory is up about 6% or 7% from the seasonal low by this week in the year. So, 2025 is seeing a larger than normal pickup in inventory. The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015.
The Big Picture
APRIL 21, 2025
The transcript from this weeks, MiB: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic , is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube , and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here. ~~~ XXXXX insert transcript here XXXXX ~~~ The post Transcript: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic appeared first on The Big Picture.
Speaker: Claire Grosjean
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.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 18, 2025
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that as total household financial wealth grew to a record high of $90 trillion at the end of 2024, so too did the number of households advancing up the wealth ladder, with the High-Net-Worth (HNW) category of households with at least $5 million seeing a significant gain.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 23, 2025
Podcasts Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Steve Chen talks all things Social Security with Devin Carroll, author of "Social Security Basics." (podcasts.apple.com) Jason and Jeff talk with Ben Carlson about navigating market noise and more. (podcasts.apple.com) Taxes Roth 401(k) rollovers are tricky.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
The Big Picture
APRIL 19, 2025
I had fun speaking with Ben & Michael about the new book and whether it is the culmination of my life’s work. Fun factoid: The sound of Batnick’s eye rolls as he heard the same story for the umpteenth time was always in the back of my head as I wrote the book… Source : How Not To Invest Like Buffett. Michael Batnick, Ben Carlson Talk Your Book, April 19, 2025 The post Talk Your Book: How Not To Invest Like Buffett appeared first on The Big Picture.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 21, 2025
Podcasts Michael Kitces talks with Cameron Passmore, the CEO of PWL Capital, and of the 'Rational Remind' podcast. (kitces.com) Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Charles Schwab Despite some trepidation, Charles Schwab ($SCHW) is inching toward offering spot crypto trading.
Wealth Management
APRIL 25, 2025
One Indiana-based RIA has shifted his affiliation to Cetera, while two others have joined Cetera-affiliated firms in Illinois and Kentucky.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 24, 2025
From the NAR: Existing-Home Sales Receded 5.9% in March Existing-home sales descended in March, according to the National Association of REALTORS. Sales slid in all four major U.S. regions. Year-over-year, sales dropped in the Midwest and South, increased in the West and were unchanged in the Northeast. Total existing-home sales completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops fell 5.9% from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 millio
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.
The Big Picture
APRIL 22, 2025
I had a great conversation with Eric Markowitz of The Big Think about HNTI. He focuses on all the right things: “As Ritholtz puts it, The book is ostensibly about investing. But if you strip it down to its most basic form, its about decision-making, judgment, and behavior. He likens smart investing to participating in humanitys progress buying into the slow, compounding gains of innovation, from safer cars to better sneakers.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 23, 2025
During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 22, 2025
Markets Gold is a crowded trade. (sherwood.news) Why the move in gold matters. (priceactionlab.com) How portfolio diversification has worked in 2025. (morningstar.com) Bonds Treasury bonds have never been risk free. (bloomberg.com) Are bonds still a good diversifier? (morningstar.com) Private assets Tariffs are only going to make things harder for startups.
Wealth Management
APRIL 22, 2025
The fundraising round was led by GIC, Singapores sovereign wealth fund, to fuel product launches and executive hires, and values Altruist at $1.9 billion.
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.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 22, 2025
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NMHC on Apartments: Market conditions Tightened in Q1 pre-Tariffs Excerpt: From the NMHC: Apartment Market Sees Tighter Conditions, Rebounding Deal Flow and Improved Debt Financing in First Quarter Changes in U.S. trade policy over the past two weeks have impacted global financial markets, causing stock prices to fall (and then partially recover) and long-term yields to increase amidst a retreat of capital from U.S.
NAIFA Advisor Today
APRIL 23, 2025
The Social Security Administration announced that it is reinstating National Social Security Month, a campaign to raise public awareness about accessing and optimizing benefits. Last observed in 2019, the campaign was paused during the pandemic and has been revived to help Americans make informed decisions about their retirement income. Every day, 10,000 Baby Boomers become eligible to claim Social Security, creating an opportunity for financial professionals to guide clients through one of the
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 21, 2025
When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.
Carson Wealth
APRIL 21, 2025
Some Giveback After the S&P 500 gained nearly 6% two weeks ago, there was some well-deserved giveback last week, as stocks fell 1.5%, mainly thanks to a huge drop on Wednesday after hawkish comments from Jerome Powell (more on that below). As we noted last week, stocks are trying to carve out a potential low, but risks are clearly still high over the trade war and a Federal Reserve (Fed) in a tough spot.
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Wealth Management
APRIL 23, 2025
Ryan Nauman and Zacks Investment Management's Sal Esposito touch on the evolution of ETFs, transparency in investments, the benefits of incorporating both SMAs and ETFs in portfolios and the role of research in investment management.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 21, 2025
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: California Home Sales Up 4.9% YoY in March; 4th Look at Local Housing Markets A brief excerpt: From the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.): Elevated interest rates and economic uncertainty ease March home sales, C.A.R. reports Marchs sales pace fell 2.3 percent from the 284,540 homes sold in February and was up 4.9 percent from a year ago, when a revised 264,200 homes were sold on an annualized basis.
NAIFA Advisor Today
APRIL 22, 2025
Financial literacy is a critical life skill thats becoming more important as todays students prepare to navigate a changing financial landscape. According to a 2024 report by Tyton Partners and Next Gen Personal Finance, just one personal finance course in high school can translate into a lifetime benefit of nearly $100,000. That powerful statistic should prompt action from policymakers, educators, and communities nationwide.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 21, 2025
When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.
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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?
Clever Girl Finance
APRIL 22, 2025
Recession-proof businesses are more than just smart, they’re essential when economic uncertainty hits. If youve ever worried about job security or how your income would hold up during a downturn, youre not alone. Recessions can bring layoffs, reduced hours, and shrinking markets. But while the economy slows, certain businesses remain steady, and some even thrive.
Wealth Management
APRIL 25, 2025
Cutter Financial Group was found guilty of one violation of federal securities laws, but the jury opted against finding them liable for all the SECs accusations.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 22, 2025
Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Wednesday: At 7:00 AM ET, The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the results for the mortgage purchase applications index. At 10:00 AM, New Home Sales for March from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for 680 thousand SAAR, up from 676 thousand in February.
A Wealth of Common Sense
APRIL 22, 2025
Buying stocks is easy. You might purchase a stock because it’s going down and feel like it represents a wonderful buying opportunity. Or maybe you buy a stock that’s already going up in the hopes that it will continue to go up even more. There is always a good reason to buy. Selling is a little trickier. Sometimes you sell when stocks are up because you think they cannot possibly go up any further.
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
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 22, 2025
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 434th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Vanessa N. Martinez. Vanessa is the CEO of Expressive Wealth, an RIA based in Chicago, Illinois, that oversees $135 million in assets under management for approximately 70 client households, including 10 ‘core' ultra-high-net-worth families.
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)
APRIL 20, 2025
By Anthony Matthews Jones, BSc (Hons), QFA As more countries ban cold calling, its become more important than ever for financial advisors to build a steady source of referrals from their clients. To do this without having to always ask for referrals, encourage clients to become your advocates. When that happens, clients will bring in referrals because they want to, not because you asked.
Wealth Management
APRIL 18, 2025
How automating forms can help financial advisors save time, reduce errors and ultimately improve client experience.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 23, 2025
Fed's Beige Book Economic activity was little changed since the previous report, but uncertainty around international trade policy was pervasive across reports. Just five Districts saw slight growth, three Districts noted activity was relatively unchanged, and the remaining four Districts reported slight to modest declines. Non-auto consumer spending was lower overall; however, most Districts saw moderate to robust sales of vehicles and of some nondurables, generally attributed to a rush to purc
Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System
Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.
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