Wed.Mar 19, 2025

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FOMC Statement: No Change to Fed Funds Rate; "Uncertainty Increased"

Calculated Risk

Fed Chair Powell press conference video here or on YouTube here , starting at 2:30 PM ET. FOMC Statement: Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run.

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Morgan Stanley Plans About 2,000 Job Cuts to Keep a Lid on Costs

Wealth Management

Morgan Stanley's 15,000 financial advisors will not be impacted by the layoffs.

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FOMC Projections: GDP Revised Down, Inflation Revised Up

Calculated Risk

Statement here. Fed Chair Powell press conference video here or on YouTube here , starting at 2:30 PM ET. Here are the projections. In December, the FOMC participants midpoint of the target level for the federal funds rate was around 3.875% at the end of 2025 (3.6%-4.1%) and the long run range was 2.8% to 3.6%. The FOMC participants midpoint of the target range is now at 4.0% at the end of 2025 (3.9%-4.4%) and the long run range is 2.6% to 3.6%.

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Ten Advisor Movement Predictions for 2025

Wealth Management

With the 2024 recruiting headwinds behind us, advisor transitions are expected to look much different in 2025, according to a new report from Diamond Consultants.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

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.

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LA Ports: February Inbound Traffic Up YoY, Outbound Down

Calculated Risk

Container traffic gives us an idea about the volume of goods being exported and imported - and usually some hints about the trade report since LA area ports handle about 40% of the nation's container port traffic. The following graphs are for inbound and outbound traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in TEUs (TEUs: 20-foot equivalent units or 20-foot-long cargo container).

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UBS Client Says His Wife Moved In With Their Wealth Advisor. It Got Messy

Wealth Management

The drama spotlights an issue that has long bedeviled U.S. financial firms: when brokers or investment advisors have personal or intimate relationships with their clients.

More Trending

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401(k) Real Talk Episode 144: March 19, 2025

Wealth Management

Open, honest and candid discussion about mass layoffs at the DOL, the use of ESG funds, ARS acquired, the Wealthies and more.

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Three Things – Avoiding Mistakes

Discipline Funds

Here are some things I think I am thinking about this week: 1) How NOT To Invest. Barry Ritholtz is out with a new book called “How Not to Invest” I loved this one. We spend a lot of time in the investment world talking about all the optimal ways to invest. But investing is what we all call a loser’s game. That is, you don’t need to win by having the optimal winning strategy.

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Who Will Inherit Gene Hackman’s $80M Estate?

Wealth Management

Questions swirl after Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead in their home.

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Charitable Gift Annuities – Creative Solutions for Different Donor Needs

NAIFA Advisor Today

Charitable gift annuities (CGAs) offer a unique way for donors to achieve their philanthropic goals while securing a reliable income stream. Increasingly, nonprofits, donors, and financial professionals are leveraging CGAs to meet a variety of financial and charitable objectives with a single gift. Simple to establish and available in multiple formats, CGAs can even be funded through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), making them a versatile tool for charitable planning.

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Stop Falling Short When It Matters Most—The Elite Advisor’s Playbook to Success

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?

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Ohio Court Rules Willful FBAR Penalties Survive Death

Wealth Management

But the $1,518,883 amount is disproportionate for a successor in interest.

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Best Ad Practices That Work for Marketing Financial Advisor Services

Indigo Marketing Agency

Best Ad Practices That Work for Marketing Financial Advisor Services One of the most surefire ways of growing a business fast and keeping a steady stream of leads coming in is with advertising. The major media platforms, like Meta, LinkedIn, and Instagram, make money from advertisers. So they want you to be successful when you advertise with them. The only downer is that too many small business advertisers lose money on ads.

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Solana ETFs Are Coming to Wall Street in Latest Crypto Push

Wealth Management

The Volatility Shares Solana ETF (SOLZ) will track Solana futures while the Volatility Shares 2X Solana ETF (SOLT) will offer twice the leveraged exposure.

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How Wealthfront’s Tax-Loss Harvesting Performed in 2024

Wealthfront

At Wealthfront, our focus on optimizing your after-tax returns is one of the key factors that sets us apart from other robo-advisors. We estimate our clients have saved about $1 billion in taxes over the last decade. Weve written before that tax-loss harvesting is arguably the most valuable service a robo-advisor can provide, and weve […] The post How Wealthfronts Tax-Loss Harvesting Performed in 2024 appeared first on Wealthfront Blog.

Taxes 52
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Demo SkyStem’s Award Winning Month-End Close Solution & Earn $100

Is your finance team bogged down by endless data requests and disorganized spreadsheets during the month-end close? It’s time to consider a better option – automate with ART! SkyStem’s solution works alongside your ERP to transform the close and account reconciliation process and speed up month-end work. Explore SkyStem’s ART - the award-winning account reconciliation automation platform - and receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you for your time.

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Lincoln Financial Teams with Bain Capital, Partners Group to Join Evergreen Fund Arms Race

Wealth Management

Lincoln Financial has unveiled two evergreen fund filingsfocused on private credit and royaltiesas it teams with Bain Capital and Partners Group.

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Quarterly Market Update Webinar – April 2025

Tobias Financial

Join us on Tuesday, April 15th at 12:30 PM Eastern for our Quarterly Market Update Webinar. When: Tuesday, April 15th at 12:30 PM Eastern Registration: Click here to register. Cost: Complimentary After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the webinar. We look forward to your attendance.

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Innovations from Syntax Data

Wealth Management

Syntax is making waves in the wealth management space with its newly launched portfolio creation tool, now actively used by over 110 investment professionals.

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Musk’s xAI Startup Joins Microsoft-BlackRock $30 Billion AI Fund

Advisor Perspectives

Microsoft Corp., the biggest backer of Sam Altman’s OpenAI, and BlackRock Inc., which has an executive on the artificial intelligence startup’s board, are joining forces with one of its chief rivals.

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Next-Level Fraud Prevention: Strategies for Today’s Threat Landscape

Speaker: Sierre Lindgren

Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.

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Minority RIA Investors Seek to Offer Financial Backing That Doesn't Impede on Independence

Wealth Management

At Future Proof Citywide in. Miami, minority investment platforms touted the chance for RIAs to seed a stake in return for support but not control.

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How to Put the Power of Direct Indexing at Your Fingertips

Advisor Perspectives

Customization is an integral part of direct indexing. The technology behind it can make or break the experience for clients and advisors alike. We dive into the features and functions that make the best tools.

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Sequoia Brings M&A Counsel Michael Marhofer In House

Wealth Management

Michael Marhofer, who advised the serial $22.6 billion RIA acquirer on 11 transactions, will now be an executive VP and general counsel for Sequoia.

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Credit for diversification or diversification of credit?

SEI

The benefits to diversifying your portfolio within credit include risk mitigation, reduced reliance on equities and more. Get SEI's analysis of credit sector correlation.

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Fall In Love With the Month-End Close

It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.

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Fed’s Interest Rate Decision: March 19, 2025

Advisor Perspectives

The Federal Reserve concluded its second meeting of the year by keeping the federal funds rate (FFR) at 4.25-4.50%, as expected.

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Fixed income investing: Staying focused in uncertain times

SEI

Although we are still in the early days of 2025, investors are already facing increasing challenges as markets are characterized by volatility, interest rate risk, and (most of all) uncertainty. For some, its a time of panic. For us, its a time of reflection.

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Google's $32 Billion for Cloud Upstart Is a Leap of Faith

Advisor Perspectives

It’s not often you see big tech firms getting pushed around. Upstart Wiz Inc. has just squeezed Google owner Alphabet Inc. to pony up $32 billion for a privately owned five-year-old cybersecurity firm.

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Are You Killing Your Flow with These Common Self-Interruptions?

Leading Advisor

Financial advisors thrive on focus and productivity, but common self-interruptions can derail even the best plans. These interruptions, often unintentional, can limit your ability to… The post Are You Killing Your Flow with These Common Self-Interruptions? appeared first on Leading Advisor - Simon Reilly.

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The Future Of Finance: How To Manage Spend The Right Way

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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Investors Look for Fed’s Take on Growth After US Bond Rally

Advisor Perspectives

Bond investors will look for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to hit just the right notes in his Wednesday remarks to keep up the momentum behind a rally in the $29 trillion Treasury market.

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Is Your Financial Confidence Holding You Back?

Zoe Financial

Is Your Financial Confidence Holding You Back? Published: March 20th, 2025 Reading Time: 6 minutes Written by: The Zoe Team Have you ever stood in a grocery aisle, staring at a wall of options, unable to pick one? Its a simple choice, yet the sheer number of possibilities makes it overwhelming. Now imagine that feelingbut with your finances. A recent survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Zoe found that over half of Americans (53%) feel financially frozenstuck, overwhelmed, or unsure a

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Cathie Wood Sells Meta Shares for First Time in Nearly a Year

Advisor Perspectives

Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management LLC is cutting its stake in Meta Platforms Inc. for the first time in around a year, the latest sign of a downturn in fortunes for big US tech stocks.

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Anti-Theft Devices for Cars: Do They Lower Insurance?

YouSet Insurance

Installing an anti-theft device in your car can help keep it safe and earn you a discount on car insurance.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

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.