A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 5, 2024

We also touched on questions about managing your brokerage account, the best way to optimize asset location, RSUs vs. HELOCs when paying for a home renovation and jewelry as an asset class. The post Are You on Track For Retirement? Further Reading: 10 Money Revelations in my 40s 1And these peer rankings are net worth figures.

Retirement 117

Retirement Assets Accounting Management 117

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

Which could prove to be a boon for the financial advice industry as more consumers are willing to entrust their assets to an advisor (while at the same time possibly making it tougher for some advisors to differentiate themselves primarily by how they put their clients' interests first?).

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Advice Retirement Financial Advisor 246

A Wealth of Common Sense

MARCH 9, 2025

I have some good news and bad news about the state of retirement savings for Americans. Torsten Slok shows half of American households have no retirement assets to speak of: Young people still have time to play catch-up. It’s scary so many people 65 and older have no retirement assets to lean on.

Retirement 116

Retirement Assets 116

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 4, 2023

AFS 401(k) Retirement Services and AFS Financial Group is a retirement plan and wealth management consulting firm with $2.3 billion in assets under advisement.

Retirement 279

Retirement Retirement Planning Wealth Management Consulting 279

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 28, 2025

Also in industry news this week: A recent survey indicates that younger "DIY" investors are more likely to be interested in working with a human advisor than their older counterparts, suggesting an opportunity for advisors to tap into this demographic (perhaps by setting minimum planning fees that ensure these clients can be served profitably today (..)

Financial Planner 228

Financial Planner Retirement Retirement Planning Clients 228

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 28, 2024

Historically, advisors haven't had many avenues to manage clients' 401(k) plan accounts, since unlike traditional custodial investment accounts, advisors generally lack discretionary trading authority in employer-sponsored retirement plans. Read More.

Assets 246

Assets Management Clients Compliance 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 30, 2024

And as 2024 draws to a close, we wanted to highlight 24 of the most popular and insightful articles that were featured throughout the year (that you might have missed!).

Financial Advisor 240

Financial Advisor Insurance Tax Planning Taxes 240

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Retirement is often framed as one's "golden years", a time to enjoy the fruits of several decades of hard work. Nevertheless, some retirees can find it emotionally challenging to bring themselves to go beyond the basics in retirement spending (e.g., On the behavioral side, clients could 'practice' retirement (e.g.,

Retirement 246

Retirement Clients Planning Food 246

Darrow Wealth Management

JANUARY 16, 2025

A step-up in basis is a tax advantage for individuals who inherit stocks or other assets, like a home. Heres how stepped up cost basis works on stock and other assets at death. Understanding step-up in basis at death If youve received an inheritance you may have questions about the tax treatment of certain assets.

Assets 98

Assets Estate Planning Taxes Wealth Management 98

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Also in industry news this week: NASAA has proposed an amendment to its broker-dealer conduct model rule that would restrict the use of the terms “advisor” and “adviser” for broker-dealers and their registered representatives who are not also investment advisers or investment adviser representatives A recent study suggests that (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Asset Allocation Taxes Tax Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 27, 2024

The report suggests this might be due in part to increased RIA valuations and the assumption of some firm founders that next-generation employees won't be financially able to buy out the firm from them, though additional data indicates that many firms don't have career paths in place that could help next-generation advisors envision their path to firm (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Insurance Coverage Insurance Valuation 246

Wealth Management

AUGUST 7, 2024

Including permanent life insurance can help prevent blind spots in retirement planning and enable clients to live longer.

Financial Planning 306

Financial Planning Retirement Planning Planning Assets 306

The Chicago Financial Planner

NOVEMBER 27, 2022

One of the best tax deductions for a small business owner is funding a retirement plan. Beyond any tax deduction you are saving for your own retirement. You deserve a comfortable retirement. If you don’t plan for your own retirement who will? Two popular small business retirement plans are the SEP-IRA and Solo 401(k).

Retirement Planning 263

Retirement Planning Retirement Planning Financial Planner 263

Abnormal Returns

APRIL 1, 2024

Markets How major asset classes performed in March 2024. nytimes.com) When living in France is a better option in retirement. capitalspectator.com) There has been a fair amount of equity return dispersion, YTD. mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) Strategy Why U.S. equity outperformance looks obvious in hindsight.

Assets 261

Assets Financial Advising Wealth Management Engineering 261

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 15, 2024

On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor (DoL) issued the final version of its Retirement Security Rule (the "Final Rule"), which imposes an ERISA fiduciary standard "that applies uniformly to all investments that retirement investors may make with respect to their retirement accounts ".

Retirement 246

Retirement Commission Banking Financial Advising 246

Wealth Management

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

The deals with Southeast Financial Group, Radiance Private Wealth and Silvertree Retirement Planning are part of the Summit Growth Partners initiative and bring it to 16 strategic investments this year.

Retirement Planning 264

Retirement Planning Assets Retirement Planning 264

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 28, 2024

Historically, advisors haven't had many avenues to manage clients' 401(k) plan accounts, since unlike traditional custodial investment accounts, advisors generally lack discretionary trading authority in employer-sponsored retirement plans. Read More.

Assets 245

Assets Management Compliance Retirement Planning 245

Abnormal Returns

MARCH 10, 2025

kindnessfp.com) Why clients need to organize their digital assets for estate planning purposes. flowfp.com) Stop using this phrase in retirement planning. thinkadvisor.com) Why clients may feel like they can't have enough assets in retirement. wealthmanagement.com) The number of cash balance plans are on the rise.

Estate Planning 162

Estate Planning Retirement Planning CFP Portfolio Management 162

Wealth Management

JUNE 16, 2023

billion retirement plan consulting business. In RIA news this week, Hightower announced its 3rd billion-dollar-plus acquisition this month, while SageView picked up a $5.2

Assets 260

Assets Retirement Planning Consulting Retirement 260

Wealth Management

JANUARY 15, 2025

RetirementDNA, a San Diego-headquartered advisory team with over $1 billion in assets under management, has joined Integrated Partners.

Retirement Planning 264

Retirement Planning Recruitment Retirement Planning 264

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 7, 2024

Traditionally, people tend to think of their estate as comprising one big 'pot' of assets, focusing on the sum of all the assets rather than on each individual asset itself.

Estate Planning 246

Estate Planning Taxes Assets Planning 246

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. You may need more money than you think to retire on dividends. Retire on dividends?

Retirement 67

Retirement Asset Allocation Taxes Portfolio 67

Abnormal Returns

JANUARY 15, 2025

Podcasts Khe Hy talks with Christine Benz author of "How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful and Wealthy Retirement." podcasts.apple.com) Retirement Retirement is a great time to do some creative tax planning. awealthofcommonsense.com) The best retirement withdrawal strategy is one you can live with.

Retirement 162

Retirement Tax Planning Taxes Budgeting 162

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

For example, if taxes were expected to rise in the future, it would be better to contribute to a Roth retirement account (which is taxed on the contribution, but not upon withdrawal) than to a traditional pre-tax account (which is tax-deductible today but is taxable on withdrawal). Read More.

Taxes 246

Taxes Retirement Tax Planning Accounting 246

Wealth Management

MAY 19, 2023

Education on key asset allocation strategies is necessary to get clients ready for their golden years.

Clients 290

Clients Asset Allocation Retirement Education 290

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 24, 2024

Over the past few decades, advicers have used Monte Carlo analysis tools to communicate to clients if their assets and planned level of spending were sufficient for them to realize their goals while (critically) not running out of money in retirement.

Communication 246

Communication Retirement Clients Accounting 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 4, 2023

And when it comes to retirement planning, one popular technique is the use of ‘guardrails’, which set an initial monthly withdrawal rate that can be later adjusted as the size of the client’s portfolio changes. Financial advisors have a wide range of strategies at their disposal to create financial plans for their clients.

Retirement 246

Retirement Distribution Retirement Planning Asset Allocation 246

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

While asset protection is a popular planning topic for High-Net-Worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth clients, those who are not HNW are susceptible to the same threats to wealth. Notably, certain client assets have built-in creditor protection without the use of (often expensive) products or tools.

Education 246

Education Assets Clients Estate Planning 246

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Podcasts Christine Benz talks 2025 taxes with Ed Slott author of "The Retirement Savings Time Bomb Ticks Louder." morningstar.com) Dan Haylett talks with Christine Benz, author of "How to Retire: 20 Lessons For a Happy, Successful, And Wealthy Retirement." tonyisola.com) How to get more money into a 529 account.

Retirement 147

Retirement Estate Planning Taxes Assets 147

Wealth Management

MARCH 26, 2025

Open, honest and candid discussion about retirement plan assets, PE funds in workplace plans, the future of the DOL fiduciary rule and more.

Retirement Planning 269

Retirement Planning Retirement Planning Assets 269

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 20, 2023

Tony is the Co-founder and COO for Hixon Zuercher Capital Management, an independent RIA based in Findlay, Ohio, that oversees more than $300 million in assets under management for nearly 330 client households. Read More.

Retirement 246

Retirement Clients Financial Advisor Financial Planning 246

The Big Picture

MARCH 24, 2025

As Paul Krugman recently wrote on his excellent Substack , using a chart identical to the one immediately above (Paul used FRED ): “People may imagine that government is a bigger part of the economy than it is because of all the money we spend supporting retired Americans, covering their health bills, and so on [Chart 1].

Government 310

Government Investing Investments Economy 310

Wealth Management

JANUARY 10, 2025

A survey of DC recordkeepers found a large majority expect to see more financial advisors selling 401(k) plans with less than $5 million in assets.

Financial Advisor 264

Financial Advisor Retirement Planning Planning Retirement 264

Abnormal Returns

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

(tonyisola.com) Age is just one factor when it comes to your asset allocation. aptuscapitaladvisors.com) Retirement There are different levels of retirement readiness. ofdollarsanddata.com) Invest time in your life, not in managing your portfolio. theretirementmanifesto.com) Gen X is next up for senior living.

Asset Allocation 162

Asset Allocation Retirement Financial Planning Accounting 162

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 23, 2023

Testamentary CGAs, on the other hand, can be established after a donor’s death, funded with IRA or other assets to provide income for another person. Ultimately, for financial advisors, the Legacy IRA can be one part of a broader toolkit for helping retired clients with values-based, purposeful legacy planning. But the SECURE 2.0

Taxes 246

Taxes Retirement Clients Estate Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 21, 2025

Daniel is the CEO of WMGNA, a hybrid advisory firm based in Farmington, Connecticut, that oversees approximately $270 million in assets under management for 200 client households. My guest on today's podcast is Daniel Friedman.

Taxes 208

Taxes Tax Planning Financial Advisor Compensation Planning 208

Wealth Management

JANUARY 12, 2024

Also, Smartleaf Asset Management collaborates with Clearstead Advisors and retirement assets in automated state savings programs reach $1 billion.

Management 288

Management Retirement Assets 288