Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Each week in Weekend Reading For Financial Planners, we seek to bring you synopses and commentaries on 12 articles covering news for financial advisors including topics covering technical planning, practice management, advisor marketing, career development, and more. 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!).

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Financial Advisor Insurance Tax Planning Taxes 240

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Arthur Zeikel was a founding principal of Standard & Poor’s/InterCapital, Inc., and served as Chairman of the Board. He eventually became president of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, leading the division with a value-oriented approach and a focus on long-term fundamentals. He was an adjunct professor at NYU STern School of Business. He co-authored Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management , now in its fifth edition.

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Investing Investments Risk Tolerance Portfolio Management 146

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 30, 2024

From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Mortgage Rates Start New Week With Some Hope Last week wasn't great for mortgage rates. They moved higher on each of the 5 days. Moreover, there was a distinct lack of logical motivation from the economic data. In fact, on a few occasions, the data argued for lower rates only for things to move in the other direction by the end of the day.

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Economics Sales 147

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States passed away this weekend, at age 100, the first former president to ever reach that milestone.

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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?

Sales

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 30, 2024

From the NAR: Pending Home Sales Moved Up 2.2% in November, Fourth Straight Month of Increases Pending home sales gained 2.2% in November the fourth consecutive month of increases and the highest level since February 2023 according to the National Association of REALTORS. The Midwest, South and West experienced month-over-month gains in transactions, while the Northeast decreased.

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Sales Marketing Marketing 147

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

It’s that time of year again, when pundits are forecasting next year’s stock market performance. I believe investors are being gaslighted more than usual this year because the basic underlying assumptions are optimistic and unlikely.

Marketing 64

Marketing Marketing 64

Harness Wealth

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Employee equity compensation, such as Restricted Stock Units ( RSUs ) or Non-Qualified Stock Options (NQSOs), is a relatively common way for companies to attract and retain talent. However, as appealing as these forms of compensation may be, they can result in sizable and unexpected tax bills. In an effort to help employees manage their tax liabilities more effectively, the Internal Revenue Code offers provisions like the 83(b) election , which allows employees to pay tax on the fair market val

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Taxes Compliance Compensation Planning Financial Advisor 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

As is our custom, we conclude the year by reflecting on the 10 most-read practice management articles over the past 12 months. Enjoy!

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Management 59

Validea

DECEMBER 30, 2024

We’re back with our annual predictions episode, where we look back at our (surprisingly not terrible) 2024 market calls and make fresh predictions for 2025 (which will likely be very wrong). In this episode, we’re embracing the humbling experience of market forecasting to prove to everyone (and ourselves) why market forecasting is a waste of time.

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Marketing Marketing Financial Planner Education 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Change is a catalyst that can drive innovation and help position businesses in all industries for sustained success. The adoption of wealthtech illustrates the transformative power of embracing change.

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Management 59

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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.

Accounting

Random Roger's Retirement Planning

DECEMBER 30, 2024

The Financial Times did a quick writeup on the Microstrategy ecosystem that looked at the volatility of the common and the great lengths that the 2x funds have had to go to in order to do what they are intended to do. The simple version is the the two 2x funds are so big that counter parties (banks) are not comfortable, or not able, to provide enough the swaps needed to keep up with how big the funds have become.

Banking 52

Banking Taxes Portfolio Management 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

BlackRock Inc.’s iShares unit offers more than 1,400 exchange-traded funds around the world, yet none of them have performed quite like this.

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Investment Writing

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Can you spot whats wrong in the image below? Please post your answer as a comment. I think that most people will find this mistake quickly. I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading. The post MISTAKE MONDAY for December 30: Can YOU spot whats wrong? appeared first on Susan Weiner Investment Writing.

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Investing Investments 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

On a rather quiet final Friday of the year, I used my Bloomberg Terminal to check how key government bond yields in advanced economies have changed in 2024.

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Government Economy 59

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.

Assets

A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Today’s Talk Your Book is brought to you by Motley Fool Asset Management: See here for more information on the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF On today’s show, we discuss: How the index is constructed The difference between active and passive management Investing in growth vs value How to have conviction as an analyst The Motley Fool’s Top 100 Index characteristics Thinking about valuation and market concentr.

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Investing Investments Valuation Assets 53

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

We prefer equities over fixed income, in particular U.S. equities as the outlook for the U.S. economy is solid and promising.

Economy 59

Economy 59

Cornerstone Financial Advisory

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Weekly Market Insights | December 30th, 2024 Holiday Spending Up Stocks notched a slight gain over the holiday week. A tech-driven rally in the first half of the week was clawed back in the second half as investors took profits following the market holiday. The Standard & Poors 500 Index advanced 0.67 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.76 percent.

Marketing 52

Marketing Marketing Taxes Economics 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Today’s video on the Materials Sector is another in the continuing series of videos where we are looking for value in each of the 10 major sectors as reported by Standard & Poor’s. This particular video is going to be on the Materials Sector.

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Investing Investments Marketing Marketing 59

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

Management

Financial Symmetry

DECEMBER 30, 2024

At Financial Symmetry, we believe that continuous learning helps us better serve our clients. Today, we’re celebrating Riley Davison and Garrison Weaver, who have taken the next step in their careers by earning the Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalSM (FPQP) designation … Continued The post Professional Growth in Action: Riley Davison and Garrison Weaver Earn the FPQP Credential appeared first on Financial Symmetry, Inc.

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Clients 52

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

We’re continuing the Advisor Perspectives tradition of highlighting the most-read investing articles for 2024. Enjoy!

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Investing Investments 52

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Altos reports that active single-family inventory was down 2.5% week-over-week. Inventory will continue to decline seasonally until early next year and probably bottom in late January or February. The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015. Click on graph for larger image. The red line is for 2024. The black line is for 2019.

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Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

We prefer equities over fixed income, in particular U.S. equities as the outlook for the U.S. economy is solid and promising.

Economy 52

Economy 52

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.

Accounting

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 30, 2024

From STR: U.S. hotel results for week ending 21 December The U.S. hotel industry reported positive year-over-year performance comparisons, according to CoStars latest data through 21 December. Growth was elevated due to the Hannukah calendar shift as well as the compressed business travel period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As expected, actual levels were significantly lower than the prior week because of the seasonal slowdown. 15-21 December 2024 (percentage change from comparable week i

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Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

I will be looking at a few indicators in 2025 to tell me where financial markets are going. Most of them relate to the bond market, because it is both a window into the overall economy and an important component of how stocks and other risky assets are valued.

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Economy Financial Market Assets Marketing 52

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Earlier I posted some questions on my blog for next year: Ten Economic Questions for 2025. Some of these questions concern real estate (inventory, house prices, housing starts, new home sales), and I posted thoughts on those in the newsletter (others like GDP and employment will be on this blog). I'm adding some thoughts and predictions for each question.

Economics 162

Economics Food Sales Economy 162

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Gold is heading for one of its biggest annual gains this century, with a 27% advance that’s been fueled by US monetary easing, sustained geopolitical risks, and a wave of purchases by central banks.

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Banking Marketing Marketing 52

Speaker: Ashley Harlan, MBA

What if your role as a fractional CFO went beyond operational support to actively shaping the future of your clients’ businesses? 💼 ✨ In this session, discover how fractional finance professionals can position themselves as architects of growth, guiding their clients toward sustainable success and preparing them for full-time financial leadership.

Clients

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Trends A record number of Americans are set to turn 65 in 2025. (wsj.com) Baby Boomers aren't any stingier with their wealth than other generations. (slate.com) Wealth matters when it comes to longevity. (wsj.com) Advisers The wealth management rush into private credit and private equity is on fast forward. (downtownjoshbrown.com) Five big compliance trends in 2024 including fines for off-channel communications.

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Clients Wealth Management Compliance Communication 144

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

By this time last year, the stock market’s rally had blown past even the most optimistic targets and Wall Street forecasters were convinced it couldn’t keep up the dizzying pace.

Marketing 52

Marketing Marketing 52

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Finance 2025 is setting up to be a consequential year for the Vanguard Group. (riabiz.com) Singapore has seen a steady drop in listed companies. (ft.com) Fund management Investors poured more than $1 trillion into U.S. ETFs in 2024. (wsj.com) Crypto ETFs dominated the list of most successful launches in 2024. (etf.com) Elon Foreign governments are rethinking their approach to Starlink in light of Musk's newfound power.

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Economy Government Media Economics 144

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 30, 2024

I never thought someone would label me a “Permabull.” This is particularly true of the numerous articles I wrote over the years about the risks of excess valuations, monetary interventions, and artificially suppressed interest rates.

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Valuation 52

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

Accounting