Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 664 thousand. The previous three months were revised up, combined. Sales of new single-family houses in November 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 664,000 , according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Markets Higher for longer is the theme going into 2025. (apolloacademy.com) There's large cap growth stocks in the U.S., and then everything else. (awealthofcommonsense.com) Global diversification is doing what it is supposed to do. (disciplinefunds.com) Crypto Is quantum computing an existential threat to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies? (wsj.com) Where does the Hawk Tuah memecoin scandal stand?
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Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
From the MBA: Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Increases to 0.50% in November The Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) monthly Loan Monitoring Survey revealed that the total number of loans now in forbearance increased to 0.50% as of November 30, 2024. According to MBAs estimate, 250,000 homeowners are in forbearance plans. Mortgage servicers have provided forbearance to approximately 8.5 million borrowers since March 2020.
Abnormal Returns
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Podcasts Michael Kitces and Carl Richards discuss navigating the issue of underpaying clients. (kitces.com) John Mihaljevic talks family office dynamics with Prof. Lauren H. Cohen of HBS. (latticework.com) Q&A A Q&A with David Lau, founder and CEO at DPL Financial Partners. (thinkadvisor.com) A Q&A with Ritik Malhotra, co-founder and CEO, of Savvy Wealth.
Speaker: Erroll Amacker
As businesses increasingly adopt automation, finance leaders must navigate the delicate balance between technology and human expertise. This webinar explores the critical role of human oversight in accounts payable (AP) automation and how a people-centric approach can drive better financial performance. Join us for an insightful discussion on how integrating human expertise into automated workflows enhances decision-making, reduces fraud risks, strengthens vendor relationships, and accelerates R
Wealth Management
DECEMBER 23, 2024
In 2025, expect to see an emphasis on organic growth, talent and capturing AI efficiencies at RIA firms, said Schwabs Lisa Salvi.
Clever Girl Finance
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Freelancing is liberating, but without a solid financial plan, it can also be unpredictable. As a freelancer, you juggle not only your craft but also your finances, taxes, and retirement planning. That’s where financial planning for freelancers comes in. As a freelancer, youre your own boss, accountant, and financial planner all rolled into one.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Financial Symmetry
DECEMBER 23, 2024
As the holiday season approaches, many of us find ourselves thinking about gifts. While gifts can come in many forms, monetary gifts often cause the most confusion. In this episode of Financial Symmetry, hosts Chad Smith and Grayson Blaszak discuss … Continued The post How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Gifting Money to Family Ep #231 appeared first on Financial Symmetry, Inc.
Validea
DECEMBER 23, 2024
In this episode of “Two Quants and a Financial Planner,” we explore one of investing’s most debated topics: international diversification. Through clips from 10 different investing experts, we examine whether U.S. investors truly need international exposure in their portfolios. Key topics include: What actually constitutes “international exposure” in today’s interconnected markets Why U.S. stocks have dominated for so long and whether this trend can continue T
A Wealth of Common Sense
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Today’s Talk Your Book is brought to you by VanEck: See here for more information on VanEcks Semiconductor ETFs On today’s show, we discuss: The US lead in technology Looking at NVDA vs its competition in 2024 Why NVDA has slowed down over the last 6mo How the SMH is constructed How advisors are looking at more volatile thematic funds SMH vs SMHX Looking for the next NVDA The issues at Intel Geopolitics and s.
Don Connelly & Associates
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Wouldn't it be great if you could read your clients' minds to know how they feel about you and your service? If you knew what they were thinking, you could ensure you're doing all the right things to exceed their lofty expectations, leading to stronger and more trusting client relationships. Fortunately, you don't need to read minds. All you need to do is ask them.
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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.
Tobias Financial
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Marvin Claude , our Client Service Specialist, brings a passion for technology and finance to his role that goes beyond the typical skill set of his profession. A unique aspect of Marvin’s background is his love for computers and technology, which he has largely developed through self-teaching. Despite having pursued a degree in Finance, Marvin has independently learned coding, integrating this skill into his professional life. “I really enjoy using coding to aid me in my profession
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
After years in the investment world as an institutional manager, an academic researcher and lecturer, and an independent advisor to individual investors, I’ve learned that there are three main objectives we’re trying to achieve when we design client portfolios.
Clever Girl Finance
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Freelancing is liberating, but without a solid financial plan, it can also be unpredictable. As a freelancer, you juggle not only your craft but also your finances, taxes, and retirement planning. That’s where financial planning for freelancers comes in. As a freelancer, youre your own boss, accountant, and financial planner all rolled into one.
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Bond traders have rarely suffered so much from a Federal Reserve easing cycle. Now they fear 2025 threatens more of the same.
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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?
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
We expect the opportunity set to widen for income investors in 2025, though less clarity around the second half requires a dynamic approach.
Cornerstone Financial Advisory
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Weekly Market Insights | December 23rd, 2024 Powell Signal Leaves Investors Cold Stocks were under pressure last week as the Fed Chair’s hawkish comments unsettled investors ahead of the holiday season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average received the hardest hit, falling 2.25 percent. The Standard & Poors 500 Index lost 1.98 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.78 percent.
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Taxpayers may want to consider a Roth IRA conversion for 2024 but need to act before the end of the year to realize income this year. Our Bill Cass explains when a Roth conversion may make sense.
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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.
Covisum
DECEMBER 23, 2024
The Social Security Fairness Act was passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. The Act repeals the Windfall Elimination Provisions (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) for payments payable in January of 2024 forward.
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Start the new year right by reviewing and revamping your financial plan.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: New Home Sales Increase to 664,000 Annual Rate in November Brief excerpt: The Census Bureau reported New Home Sales in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 664 thousand. The previous three months were revised up, combined. The next graph shows new home sales for 2023 and 2024 by month (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate).
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Since we are not going to publish Weekly Economics on December 27, 2024, we will take this opportunity to say farewell to 2024 and to all our readers, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season and a very prosperous New Year 2025!
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.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
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).
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
AI has the potential to elevate industries by blending mechanical precision with human creativity. The key lies in balance: harnessing its capabilities while preserving the uniquely human touch that remains irreplaceable.
Calculated Risk
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was down 2.2% week-over-week. Inventory is now 9.7% below the peak for the year (9 weeks ago). Inventory will continue to decline seasonally until early next year and probably bottom in January or February. The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015. Click on graph for larger image.
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
Displaying your expertise is an attempt to prove your value, and it’s how the industry has always taught advisors to win new clients. However, it does not work.
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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.
Carson Wealth
DECEMBER 23, 2024
That Escalated Quickly; Putting Things in Perspective If you looked at markets last Wednesday, you would hardly know that the Fed had just cut rates. The S&P 500 sold off nearly 3% and we saw 97% of all stocks in the S&P 1500 fall. That is what we call a selling cascade and it has left many bulls bruised and battered. Yes, worries spiked last week over fears about sticky inflation (which we dont see) and fewer rate cuts next year (which wasnt really a surprise to us just two weeks ago o
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
OpenAI is preparing to launch a new artificial intelligence model that it said is capable of more advanced human-like reasoning than its current offerings, ratcheting up the competition with rivals such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google.
Nerd's Eye View
DECEMBER 23, 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, it is a time of reflection on the year… and leaves me so thankful once again to all of you, the ever-growing number of readers who continue to regularly visit this Nerd's Eye View Blog (and share the content with your friends and colleagues, which we greatly appreciate!). We recognize (and appreciate!) that this blog – its articles and podcasts – is a regular habit for tens of thousands of advisors… and that the sheer length of our articles and p
Advisor Perspectives
DECEMBER 23, 2024
This is the first part of a series of Bloomberg Opinion columns exploring the risks related to the US’s rapidly expanding debt and budget deficit.
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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