The Big Picture

DECEMBER 18, 2024

@TBPInvictus here Our story so far : California has been raising its minimum wage for the past decade, starting at $8/hour through 2013. Many fast food workers (specifically) got bumped to $20/hour, from $16, in April (the law is very specific about who is eligible for the increase). Over that decade, with its minimum wage rising, California’s fast food industry has bested the rest of the US by leaps and bounds.

Food 260

Food Math Numbers Economics 260

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 15, 2024

Also on the site Stuff is stuff: on the challenges of cleaning out a late parent's home. (abnormalreturns.com) Have you signed up for daily e-mail newsletter? Well, you should. (abnormalreturns.com) Top clicks this week Lessons learned from the young Warren Buffett. (wsj.com) Google ($GOOGL) has never been this cheap relative to the market. (sherwood.news) Want to understand the current market regime?

Investing 174

Investing Investments Marketing Marketing 174

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Maintaining adequate books and records is a cornerstone of compliance for all investment advisers. While state and Federal regulations clearly outline recordkeeping requirements for areas like financials, advertisements, and trading records, there is a notable gap when it comes to documenting the delivery of services – especially financial planning services – necessary to justify the fees charged for those services.

Financial Planning 130

Financial Planning Planning Compliance Advertising 130

A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 3, 2024

The United States is the envy of the world in terms of financial markets and economic performance. Ruchir Sharma at The Financial Times outlines how this is impacting capital flows: Global investors are committing more capital to a single country than ever before in modern history. And the dollar, by some measures, trades at a higher value than at any time since the developed world abandoned fixed exchange rates 50 years.

Marketing 145

Marketing Marketing Financial Market Economics 145

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

Carson Wealth

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Strategic charitable giving not only benefits the recipient but can also create significant tax advantages for the giver. While many people approach their financial planning with careful strategy, its easy to overlook the same level of intention when it comes to charitable giving. Lets explore several potentially effective financial planning tools that may help you maximize your impact and meet your philanthropic goals.

Financial Planning 98

Financial Planning Planning Estate Planning Taxes 98

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 5, 2024

We lost one of the greats this week: Art Cashin passed away Sunday at the age of 83. CNBC’s Bob Pisani did a wonderful remembrance of Art: “In the intensely competitive and often vicious world of stock market commentary, Cashin was that rarest of creatures: a man respected by all, bulls and bears, liberals and conservatives alike.” It made me want to share a few of my favorite Art Cashin stories… I first met Art when I was a newbie strategist in the 2000s.

Compliance 290

Compliance Marketing Marketing Management 290

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Markets How major asset classes performed in November 2024. (capitalspectator.com) Crypto Why managing a leveraged Microstrategy ($MSTR) ETF is harder than it looks. (wsj.com) Crypto ETFs continue to attract record inflows. (msn.com) Silk Road Bitcoin are in motion. (coindesk.com) Crypto is a 24/7/365 enterprise. (howardlindzon.com) Private credit The private credit industry how has its own data companies.

Communication 163

Communication Manufacturing Media Banking 163

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the CFP Board announced a series of proposed changes to its certification requirements, including an increase in required Continuing Education (CE) hours for current certificants to 40 hours every two years (up from the current 30 hours) and, for candidates for certification, a tightening of the Experience requirement (so that qualifying experience for the 6,000-hour "Stan

Financial Planner 130

Financial Planner Certification CFP Education 130

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. Further Reading: 10 Money Revelations in my 40s 1And these peer rankings are net worth figures. This reader didn’t mention how much debt or home equity his family has, if any.

Retirement 133

Retirement Assets Accounting Management 133

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

Carson Wealth

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Giving is an important part of our society. It provides us the opportunity to support causes we believe in and make a positive impact. Keep in mind, giving isn’t always about donating money. It can also include volunteering time or donating goods and resources. Here are some examples of the impact: 1 In 2023, Americans donated $557.16 billion, 67% of this giving was attributed to individuals.

Taxes 119

Taxes Nonprofit Accounting Assets 119

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 3, 2024

The uncertain shape and scope of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs represent the biggest wildcard to the stock outlook for 2025, according to Morningstar. Several ETF sponsors have filed to roll out new crypto ETFs that provide some buffer protections to lower the overall risk profile, reports Financial Times. These are among the investment must reads we found this week for wealth advisors.

Investing 104

Investing Investments Wealth Advisor 104

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 11, 2024

At The Money: Optimizing Personal Health in Finance , with Phil Pearlman (December 11, 2024) Wall Street is always looking for an edge over the competition. But what if there was a giant source of overlooked alpha? We discuss how to obtain “Fitness Alpha.” Full transcript below. ~~~ About this week’s guest: Phil Pearlman, is former Chief Behavioral Officer at the Bank of the Ozarks and founder of the Pearl Institute.

Food 147

Food Portfolio Management Marketing 147

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 1, 2024

Markets The S&P 500 returned 5.87% in November 2024. (on.spdji.com) It's hard to make the math on hedge funds add up. (humbledollar.com) Companies The biggest risks to Google ($GOOGL) have nothing to do with anti-trust concerns. (wsj.com) The Microstrategy ($MSTR) story will make for a great book one day. (readtrung.com) AI It looks like Twitter shareholders are going to get bailed out by their stake in xAI.

Math 174

Math Budgeting Food Taxes 174

Advertisement

Join us in this webinar, where we share best practices on how to think about the reconciliation work each month, when best to do reconciliations, how they should be prepared, and some common pitfalls to avoid. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how to properly prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and its impact on the financial statements.

Accounting

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 416th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Fran Toler. Fran is the CEO of Toler Financial Group, an RIA based in Silver Spring, Maryland, that oversees nearly $200 million in assets under management for 280 client households. What's unique about Fran, though, is how she decided to transition from the independent broker-dealer model to a 'supported independence' corporate RIA platform in order to avoid the compliance he

Compliance 130

Compliance Financial Advisor Financial Advice Clients 130

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Fed's Beige Book Economic activity rose slightly in most Districts. Three regions exhibited modest or moderate growth that offset flat or slightly declining activity in two others. Though growth in economic activity was generally small, expectations for growth rose moderately across most geographies and sectors. Business contacts expressed optimism that demand will rise in coming months.

Economics 111

Economics Economy Sales Investments 111

Advisor Perspectives

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Understanding how money impacts human behavior and psychology may help serve your clients effectively.

Financial Advisor 111

Financial Advisor Clients 111

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 2, 2024

About 83% of aspiring CFP planners under 35 are “very likely” or “likely” to work at a firm encouraging pro bono policies, according to a new survey.

CFP 115

CFP 115

Advertisement

As we step into 2024, the lending landscape evolves rapidly with technology, regulations, and market dynamics driving change. For banks and financial institutions to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, these drivers must be understood and engaged with. Lenders can anticipate significant transformation fueled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer behaviors.

Banking

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 19, 2024

I have been playing a lot this year with ChatGBT, and saved some of my favorites. This is one of them: Chapter 1: The Creation of the Market In the beginning, the Trader created the Market and the Economy. The Market was formless and void, and volatility was upon the face of the indices. The Spirit of Investment hovered over the trading floor. And the Trader said, “Let there be Value,” and there was Value.

Startup 130

Startup Portfolio Marketing Marketing 130

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Strategy Diversification still matters. (novelinvestor.com) How to combat confirmation bias. (safalniveshak.com) Art Cashin Art Cashin was one of a kind. (ritholtz.com) A remembrance of Art Cashin. (jaywoods.substack.com) Companies Dollar stores have had a rough 2024. (sherwood.news) Palantir ($PLTR) did not. (axios.com) Fund management BlackRock ($BLK) will soon oversee almost $600 billion of alternative assets.

Retail 183

Retail Media Economy Sales 183

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 9, 2024

For many financial advisory firms, ownership has traditionally been tied to equity, where advisors take on financial risk in exchange for legal ownership and a share of the firm's success. However, as the cost of equity rises and accessibility becomes more limited, firms face the challenge of inspiring ownership behavior without distributing equity.

Investments 130

Investments Investing Distribution Accounting 130

A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 8, 2024

Not all investment mistakes are created equal. Some are annoying. Some are self-inflicted. Some are painful. And some you can’t come back from. Here’s a look at Ben’s hierarchy of investment mistakes: Annoying mistakes.These are the investment mistakes that can cause regret but don’t necessarily wreck your plan. Annoying investment mistakes include things like: Selling a winning position too ear.

Investing 139

Investing Investments Planning 139

Speaker: Joe Buhrmann, MBA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Senior Financial Planning Practice Management Consultant eMoney Advisor

During an era of evolving consumer preferences, the banking sector is undergoing a profound shift. As customers continue to broaden their perspectives, banking professionals must support their customers' financial wellness by providing holistic financial advice that aligns with individual goals and circumstances. Without adapting, financial institutions will find that loyalty may crumble amid uncertainty.

Financial Advice

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 12, 2024

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: The "Home ATM" Mostly Closed in Q3 A brief excerpt: During the housing bubble, many homeowners borrowed heavily against their perceived home equity - jokingly calling it the Home ATM - and this contributed to the subsequent housing bust, since so many homeowners had negative equity in their homes when house prices declined.

Sales 102

Sales Accounting 102

Wealth Management

DECEMBER 11, 2024

The deal will help SEI provide tax optimization unified managed household capabilities across the SEI Wealth Platform.

Taxes 109

Taxes Management 109

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 4, 2024

At the Money: Deferring Capital Gains on Appreciated Equity. (December 4, 2024) Are you holding large, concentrated equity positions that have accrued big gains? Would you like to diversify but also defer paying big capital gains taxes? Meb Faber, founder and chief investment officer of Cambria Investments, speaks about a new ETF that may be the solution to the challenge of concentrated equity positions.

Taxes 130

Taxes Portfolio Accounting Management 130

Abnormal Returns

DECEMBER 14, 2024

Cruise GM's ($GM) Cruise unit is exiting the robo-taxi business. (cnbc.com) Why GM ($GM) is pulling the plug on Cruise. (axios.com) Autos Chinese automakers are making inroads in Mexico. (nytimes.com) The risk to pedestrians from giant SUVs and pickups is growing. (vox.com) EVs The Lucid ($LCID) Motors Gravity SUV has a 450 mile range. (techcrunch.com) New Rivian ($RIVN) owners really like their cars.

Media 148

Media Food Financial Advising Medical 148

Speaker: Carolina Aponte - Owner and CEO, Caja Holdings LLC

In today's rapidly changing business environment, building a resilient balance sheet is crucial to the survival of any business. A resilient balance sheet allows a company to withstand financial shocks and adapt to changing market conditions. To achieve this, companies need to focus on key strategies such as maintaining adequate liquidity, managing debt levels, diversifying revenue streams, and prioritizing profitability over growth.

Financial Planning

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 12, 2024

There's an old joke in the financial planning industry that the ideal client is "anyone with a pulse". For advisors just starting out, that sentiment often rings true – every prospect willing to pay for their service feels like an opportunity. However, as their firms mature, advisors often notice a divide manifesting between newer clients paying higher fees and 'legacy clients' from the early days paying discounted rates.

Clients 130

Clients Communication Financial Planning Accounting 130

A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 6, 2024

Retirement is still a relatively new concept. Throughout most of human history, people worked late into life, maybe retired for a few years or worked until they keeled over. Retiring to a life of leisure is a concept that’s only been around in a big way since the post-WWII era. I wrote about this before: In the 1940s, only 3% of men who retired said they did so because they were looking for a life of leisure.

Financial Advisor 131

Financial Advisor Retirement Wealth Management Management 131

Calculated Risk

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Inflation Adjusted House Prices 1.4% Below 2022 Peak Excerpt: It has been over 18 years since the bubble peak. In the September Case-Shiller house price index released last week, the seasonally adjusted National Index (SA), was reported as being 75% above the bubble peak in 2006. However, in real terms, the National index (SA) is about 11% above the bubble peak (and historically there has been an upward slope to real house prices).

Numbers 104

Numbers 104