Michael Kitces

When financial advisors consider both the hard-dollar and time investments required to land quality leads, everyone benefits.

There comes a point when advisors must decide how much to scale. Here's a guide.

Technology can speed up the planning process, but advisors still need to smartly allocate human resources.

Businesses, particularly small ones, are looking for help to limit liability when sponsoring defined contribution plans.

Technology tools are pitched as time savers, but that’s not how advisors are actually using them.

Despite raised thresholds, advisors can still find big itemization opportunities if they know where to look.

Alternative compensation structures may provide more consumer protection, and drive higher client satisfaction.

To stand apart from broker-dealers, advisors may not need tougher rules, but smarter marketing.

Without acknowledging both the downside and tremendous upside of long time horizons, the 4% rule is no rule at all.

Though designed to raise standards for broker-dealers, the SEC’s 564-page rule sent ripples throughout the advisory industry.

It's important to categorize necessary and discretionary expenses, but advisors need to know how clients are defining them.

It’s not as easy as hanging out a shingle. Advisors and back-office employees need to master certain traits.

Adding clients may increase the top line, but it may come at the expense of profits, free time and even happiness.

Younger investors tend to have limited assets, but that doesn’t mean their advice needs are simple.

There is no secret formula but there are some time-tested calculations that can reveal a firm’s productivity, or lack thereof.

Capital gains tax rates are not just taxed at a single, more favorable, rate anymore.

Retirees who use a smaller withdrawal rate may amass significant excess wealth. That can mean trouble for advisors.

There’s a lot to be said for being lean and mean.

It’s crucial to know how much of a drawdown an investor can tolerate before panic sets in.

Career-switchers may think becoming a financial planner is an easy transition, but done improperly can pose dangers to themselves and clients.