Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” – this week’s edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey found that Americans’ top “burning questions” when it comes to retirement include the amount they need to have saved to retire comfortably (with respondents expecting to need $1.26 million), whether Social Security […]
From Emotion To Logic: 6 Questions To Help Clients Navigate Market-Related Fears Productively
During periods of market volatility, it’s common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor’s first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the […]
#FASuccess Ep 434: Attracting HNW Clients By Focusing Not On Estate But Legacy Planning Instead, With Vanessa N. Martinez
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 434th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast! My guest on today’s podcast is Vanessa N. Martinez. Vanessa is the CEO of Expressive Wealth, an RIA based in Chicago, Illinois, that oversees $135 million in assets under management for approximately 70 client households, including 10 ‘core’ ultra-high-net-worth families. What’s unique […]
Optimizing The Planning Process To Address Challenges For Clients Who Are 1 Year Away From Retirement
When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations. […]
Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (April 19–20)
Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” – this week’s edition kicks off with the news that as total household financial wealth grew to a record high of $90 trillion at the end of 2024, so too did the number of households advancing up the wealth ladder, with the High-Net-Worth (HNW) category […]
Kitces & Carl Ep 161: Avoiding Staff Management Duties You Don’t Want By Paying A Virtual Assistant For Only What You Need
Hiring a contractor is an exciting step for many advisory firms. It represents a chance to delegate tasks, step away from day-to-day operations with more peace of mind, and pass a key milestone of (traditional) firm growth. However, hiring contractors isn’t without its complications. Even outsourced support requires some oversight, and delegation doesn’t always go […]
4 Ways And 5 Charts To Talk Tariffs With Clients With Empathy And Strategy
The White House’s tariff policies have dominated headlines in recent weeks, raising concerns among investors, consumers, and businesses. A rapid sequence of policy announcements and reversals has created volatility across nearly every asset class, with the S&P 500 falling to near-bear-market levels before rebounding sharply. In these moments, the conversations that advisors have with their […]
#FASuccess Ep 433: When You 10X Your Advisory Firm To Over $20M Of Revenue…And Want To 10X Again, With Cameron Passmore
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 433rd episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast! My guest on today’s podcast is Cameron Passmore. Cameron is the CEO of PWL Capital, a wealth management firm based in Ottawa, Canada, that oversees just over $5 billion Canadian dollars (or approximately $3.5B U.S. dollars) in assets under management for 2,400 […]
A 3-Meeting Framework To Vet And Establish Productive COI Relationships
Centers Of Influence (COIs) play a vital role in the growth and service capabilities of a financial advisory firm. When cultivated with care, these relationships can become valuable sources of client referrals and collaborative insight – especially because COIs and advisors often work with similar client profiles. However, establishing these relationships isn’t always easy. Advisors […]
Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (April 12–13)
Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” – this week’s edition kicks off with the news that the U.S. Senate has confirmed Paul Atkins to be the next Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In terms of enforcement actions, Atkins is expected to prioritize instances of investor harm and be […]