Sat.Jan 20, 2024 - Fri.Jan 26, 2024

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StrongBox Wealth: Picking Deep Moat, Rising Dividend Stocks

Wealth Management

Chuck Cooper III, advisor and managing partner at Lee’s Summit, Mo.-based StrongBox Wealth, provides a peek inside the $400 million RIA’s stock picking strategy within its high conviction, conservative growth model portfolio.

Portfolio 244
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What High-Net-Worth Prospects (Really) Want From A Financial Advisor

Nerd's Eye View

In the early days of wealth management, a financial advisor's value proposition was relatively explicit, typically focusing on a limited range of portfolio management activities (e.g., selling and trading) or on sales-oriented advice that centered on implementing insurance products. As the industry has evolved, though, the value offered by financial advisors, especially for High-Net-Worth (HNW) clients, has come to involve a far more comprehensive range of services in addition to traditional inv

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U.S. Courts: Bankruptcy Filings Increase 17 Percent in 2023; 42% Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Calculated Risk

From the U.S. Courts: Bankruptcy Filings Rise 16.8 Percent Total bankruptcy filings rose 16.8 percent, with significant increases in both business and non-business bankruptcies, in the twelve-month period ending Dec. 31, 2023. This accelerates a continuing rebound in filings after more than a decade of sharply dropping totals. According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S.

Economy 331
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Top clicks this week on Abnormal Returns

Abnormal Returns

Top clicks this week On the importance of time when it comes to compounding. (humbledollar.com) How to use AI to do fundamental company analysis. (howardlindzon.com) How to use a negative checklist. (novelinvestor.com) Where are real interest rates going to settle? (mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) You can only control your own behavior. (creativeplanning.com) There's no magic in personal finance, but there are some surprising hacks.

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Is The Key To Better Spend Management

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.

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Aaron Klein Joins Fynancial as Strategic Advisor

Wealth Management

Klein, who stepped down as CEO of Nitrogen in November, will serve as a strategic advisor for Fynancial, a new 'Social Financial Platform.

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At the Money: How to Pay Less Capital Gains Taxes

The Big Picture

At the Money: How to Pay Less Capital Gains Taxes (January 24, 2024) We’re coming up on tax season, after a banner year for stocks. Successful investors could be looking at a big tax bill from the US government. How can you avoid sticker shock when Uncle Sam comes knocking? On this episode of At the Money, we look at direct indexing as a way to manage capital gains taxes.

Taxes 247

More Trending

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Research links: overly complicated models

Abnormal Returns

Research How to model private credit returns, per AQR. (institutionalinvestor.com) Another example showing the impact of screening out negative momentum stocks with lottery-like characteristics. (alphaarchitect.com) How to build a better low vol strategy. (blogs.cfainstitute.org) How smartphones have affected the transmission of investor sentiment. (papers.ssrn.com) Bloomberg has built an AI tool to summarize earnings calls.

Assets 297
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T3: Rapid Uptick in Tax and Estate Planning Software By Advisors

Wealth Management

Double-digit percentage point gains in both were notable findings in the annual advisor tech survey revealed at the T3 conference this week, as was the persistently low adoption of cybersecurity tools.

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (January 27-28)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news of a survey indicating that about 90% of financial advisors would switch firms based on bad technology at their current firm, and that 44% have already done so. The survey also suggests that a firm's tech stack can affect its ability to attract and retain clients, with 93% of advisors who said they work with state-of-the-art technology reporting that they have added new c

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PCE Measure of Shelter Slows to 6.4% YoY in December

Calculated Risk

Here is a graph of the year-over-year change in shelter from the CPI report and housing from the PCE report this morning, both through December 2023. CPI Shelter was up 6.2% year-over-year in December, down from 6.5% in November, and down from the cycle peak of 8.2% in March 2023. Housing (PCE) was up 6.4% YoY in December , down from 6.7% in November, and down from the cycle peak of 8.3% in April 2023.

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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

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.

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Monday links: understanding psychology

Abnormal Returns

Markets Putting the past bear market into historical perspective. (awealthofcommonsense.com) Bitcoin How supply and demand drives Bitcoin. (theirrelevantinvestor.com) FTX sold a bunch of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ($GBTC). (coindesk.com) Is Bitcoin mining a good business? (herbgreenberg.substack.com) Finance In credit cards there's Visa ($V), Mastercard ($MA), and everyone else.

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A Rough Climate for Private Equity Exits Leads to a Spike in Continuation Funds

Wealth Management

Some private equity investment managers are choosing to roll over select assets into new funds, giving LPs the option to renew as well.

Assets 286
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Drafting A Power Of Attorney (POA) Using A Comprehensive ‘Kitchen Sink’ Approach To Avoid Common Pitfalls

Nerd's Eye View

As more Americans are living well into their 80s and even into their 90s, the spectrum of risks that an aging population faces is only getting wider. The need to address longevity risk has become increasingly important, allowing financial advisors to add even more value for their clients by ensuring that their financial needs are met throughout retirement.

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New Home Sales increase to 664,000 Annual Rate in December

Calculated Risk

The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in December 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 December 2023 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.

Sales 306
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Are Robots Replacing You? Keeping Humans in the Loop in Automated Environments

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

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Saturday links: the heart of grift

Abnormal Returns

EVs Why isn't every car a hybrid at this point? (nytimes.com) Behind the slowdown in EV sales. (snippet.finance) EV owners need to consider depreciation. (bloomberg.com) Why we need to get EVs in the hands of 'superdrivers.' (nytimes.com) Solar energy California is making it harder for residents to put up solar panels. (nytimes.com) The Bureau of Land Management wants to boost utility-scale solar on public lands.

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Data Shows Advisors Don’t Get Philanthropy

Wealth Management

It’s time to get educated before it’s too late.

Education 285
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Avoiding Client Power Of Attorney (POA) Rejection By Taking A Comprehensive ‘Kitchen Sink’ Approach

Nerd's Eye View

As more Americans are living well into their 80s and even into their 90s, the spectrum of risks that an aging population faces is only getting wider. The need to address longevity risk has become increasingly important, allowing financial advisors to add even more value for their clients by ensuring that their financial needs are met throughout retirement.

Clients 246
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AIA: "Architecture firm billings remain soft to end the year"; Multi-family Billings Decline for 17th Consecutive Month

Calculated Risk

Note: This index is a leading indicator primarily for new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) investment. From the AIA: ABI December 2023: Architecture firm billings remain soft to end the year Nearly one third of firms report an uptick in significantly delayed projects over the past six months Business conditions at architecture firms remained soft to close out 2023, with an AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 45.4 for December (any score below 50 indicates declining billings).

Clients 303
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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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Sunday links: what we’re blind to

Abnormal Returns

Equities The S&P 500 is at a new all-time high. (tker.co) Lessons learned from the two-year bear market. (theirrelevantinvestor.com) Diversification Why investors should just take a pass on China. (humbledollar.com) It's easy to forget, but diversification still matters. (disciplinefunds.com) Crypto A little Bitcoin in your portfolio goes a long way.

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Joe Duran's New RIA Investment Firm Hires Opto Investments Co-Founder

Wealth Management

Will Armenta co-founded the "alts-for-advisors" platform with Joe Lonsdale, and advises Lonsdale's $6 billion venture capital fund. He'll be a managing director at Duran's Rise Growth Partners.

Investing 284
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Kitces & Carl Ep 130: Helping Everyone You Can Vs Getting Paid What You’re Really Worth

Nerd's Eye View

Few service industries have as much potential to impact lives as financial advice, and it's that very ability for financial advicers to help their clients achieve positive outcomes that can often compound for decades and beyond that make the profession deeply satisfying for so many. It's no wonder, then, that the profession attracts individuals who are highly service-minded and enjoy helping others.

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Jan 26th COVID Update: Weekly Deaths Increased

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Due to changes at the CDC, weekly cases are no longer updated. For deaths, I'm currently using 4 weeks ago for "now", since the most recent three weeks will be revised significantly. Hospitalizations have more than quadrupled from a low of 5,150 in June 2023. Hospitalizations are less than 20% of the peak of 150,000 in January 2022.

Numbers 290
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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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MiB: Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, CEO Betterment

The Big Picture

This week, we speak with Sarah Kirshbaum Levy , chief executive officer of Betterment , an independent digital investment adviser with $40 billion in assets under management. Before joining Betterment, Kirshbaum Levy was chief operating officer of Viacom Media Networks, where she oversaw global strategy, finance and operations. Previously, Levy served as COO at Nickelodeon, where she spearheaded Nickelodeon’s entry into new segments, including consumer products, resorts, Broadway and them

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Global X Closures Show the Flipside of the ETF Boom

Wealth Management

The New York-based ETF provider is liquidating 19 niche funds, part of a broader trend of increasing closures alongside record numbers of new launches.

Numbers 285
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Friday links: a misplaced fondness

Abnormal Returns

Markets Bob Seawright, "If you keep making the same wrong call over and over, you don’t get any credit for it when it eventually turns up." (betterletter.substack.com) Dividends are less volatile than stocks themselves. (awealthofcommonsense.com) How to think about the growth in money market fund assets. (spilledcoffee.substack.com) Crypto How the structure of the Bitcoin market has changed with the introduction of the spot ETFs.

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Personal Income increased 0.3% in December; Spending increased 0.7%

Calculated Risk

The BEA released the Personal Income and Outlays report for December: Personal income increased $60.0 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in December , according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI), personal income less personal current taxes, increased $51.8 billion (0.3 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $133.9 billion (0.7 percent).

Food 282
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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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10 Weekend Reads

The Big Picture

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of coffee, grab a seat by the fire, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads: • The Downfall of Diddy Inc. : After months in court, Sean Combs withdrew his racially charged lawsuit against Diageo. A look inside that battle reveals the failed attempt of a fading hip-hop mogul—who’s been buffeted by charges of sexual assault—to salvage a crumbling business empire. ( Businessweek ) • America’s New Business Boom : Americans Have Been Forming New

Startup 174
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The Quiet Year That Wasn’t

Wealth Management

Why Stratos Wealth slowed down to drive growth for the future.

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Adviser links: acquiring talent

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Michael Kitces talks social media with Thomas Kopelman who is the co-founder of AllStreet Wealth. (kitces.com) Zach Conway and Kelsey McKenna talk with Michael Conway, CEO of Conway Wealth, about the multifaceted roles financial advisors play beyond managing investments. (open.spotify.com) Daniel Crosby talks with Richard Shotton who is the founder of Astroten, a consultancy that applies behavioral science to marketing.

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Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase to 214,000

Calculated Risk

The DOL reported : In the week ending January 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 214,000 , an increase of 25,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 187,000 to 189,000. The 4-week moving average was 202,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average.

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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.