EDITORS' PICKS
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EDITORS' PICKS
Our editors’ top articles from the last quarter.
When risk tolerance clashes with reality
Advisors can better manage risk by assessing both a client’s capacity for risk and comfort with market volatility.
Putting practice philosophy into action
Adviser Michael Freemire’s practice philosophy blends finance, psychology, and neuroscience—drawing on his education, business experience, and professional training.
Active ‘stock picking’ or passive market exposure?
Despite common perceptions, today’s market favors active over passive investing. Improving breadth may further boost the appeal of active equity strategies.
Planning with perspective, service, and a family-office mindset
Advisor David Reichert emphasizes a family-centric office experience that goes beyond investments to consider the full picture of a client’s financial life.
Creating a financial-planning office space that feels like home
Adviser William Brennan’s office space reflects the human side of his firm’s mission—comfortable yet professional, and welcoming without feeling sterile.
TOP VIEWED
The most-read articles over the last quarter.
Beyond the headlines: The ‘Magnificent Seven,’ AI, and the technology product cycle
The “Magnificent Seven” stocks are at a pivotal point in the early adoption of a new and transformative technology: AI.
Retiring boomers broke this important economic relationship
The U.S. employment-population ratio keeps falling—even with a rising stock market—partly due to retiring baby boomers.
‘Optimized Outcomes’ explains core principles for creating and preserving wealth
Adviser Vijay Khetarpal’s book, “Optimized Outcomes,” shares smart strategies for managing, growing, and preserving wealth for individuals and businesses.
Modeling with the NAAIM Exposure Index
The NAAIM Exposure Index can be a valuable analytical tool, with overbought readings often pointing to continued market momentum.
How the concept of ‘stewardship’ motivated me to become a financial advisor
Financial advisor and former pastor Dr. Gregory McBride guides clients in focusing on stewardship and meaningful values when planning for retirement.
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POPULAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA
The best-performing articles on social media over the last quarter.
Cybersecurity in wealth management: How AI is reshaping risk
As AI-driven cyber threats grow more convincing and dangerous, advisers need strong internal security and proactive client education.
From process to pipeline: How current clients can drive new revenue streams
Many of the best growth strategies are already in your practice—using processes to uncover opportunities within existing client relationships can drive results.
Is there a problem with bitcoin? Or is understanding bitcoin the problem?
Advisers can navigate bitcoin enthusiasm by guiding crypto-interested clients and addressing the risks of an asset known for sharp swings.
In investing, preparation beats predictions
Advisor John Grace believes portfolios should be prepared for a range of outcomes so clients are not devastated when markets turn lower.
Why a 5% pullback can feel like a crisis
A 5% pullback is not a market malfunction but a normal part of the changing environment investors must navigate.
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Why financial planning matters for clients
David Reichert, CFP, AWMA, APMA, founder of Reichert Wealth in Murray, Utah, explains the value of financial planning this way:
“Whether your financial goals are due next year or in 20 years, planning your financial future is one of your most important priorities. Your financial future depends largely on the decisions you make today. That’s why it’s so important to understand the benefits of financial planning and how it may help you improve your financial future.”
Mr. Reichert describes financial planning as a highly personal process that helps clients identify and prioritize the goals unique to their situation, then develop strategies to pursue them. He says his financial-planning process has six ongoing steps:
- Collect essential information.
- Analyze the client’s current strategy to determine whether it is positioned to work toward their financial objectives.
- Consult on the strategies or behavioral changes that may help the client pursue those objectives.
- Use visuals to show how a proposed strategy may help the client progress toward those goals.
- Implement the strategy.
- Monitor and review the plan over time.
Mr. Reichert says financial planning may help clients answer questions such as the following:
- What rate of return do they need on their investments to reach retirement goals or other financial objectives, such as college funding or a down payment?
- What financial resources would be needed if one spouse were to predecease the other?
- How can they optimize cash flow, and how might that affect other financial objectives?
- Does their mix of stocks and bonds (asset allocation) match their risk tolerance and investment-goal time horizon?
- What estate-transfer issues are they likely to face, and how can they transfer an estate or business as tax-efficiently and cost-effectively as possible?
