FACO

After an optimistic start to the year, financial advisors' confidence in the economy and other key indicators fell sharply in March as the United States escalated its bombing campaign in Iran.

In this month's FACO, we asked how much time advisors spent on their firm's brands, what their marketing objectives were and their main sources of new clients.

The 6-3 Supreme Court ruling against one of President Donald Trump's signature economic policies was consequential, but experts say volatility is unlikely to be over.

Financial advisors say they are increasing client portfolio allocations to international stocks in the latest Financial Planning survey.

Nearly two-thirds of advisors surveyed this month said that internal training programs or workshops were offered by their firms.

Many advisors haven't yet begun putting together an exit plan. Experts say there are common features and defined timelines that can help make it work.

Advisors know that a transition plan is important, but many fall into the trap of procrastination.

The recent fall in the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is likely to blame, experts say, but don't expect that decrease to continue forever.

Findings from iterations of Financial Planning's Financial Advisory Confidence Outlook show which assets have stood the test of time.

One-third of financial advisors say balancing personalization with growth is the hardest trade-off for them to manage. Doing so successfully means making hard choices about what's most important for clients and the business.

Less than a third of firms have a formal, documented plan in place, according to this month's Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook survey. Experts say this is a dangerous state of affairs.

Political instability and other pressures are feeding some clients' portfolio fears, advisors say in this month's Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook.

Across more than two years of advisor surveys, industry worries have evolved dramatically. Yet certain themes continue to capture attention.

Nearly half of advisors are considering adding this service, according to the Financial Planning's October Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook.

As geopolitical and other uncertainty remains, gold is seen as a useful hedge. But experts warn gold's rise won't last forever.

In this month's Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook, advisors' feelings about the overall economy and practice performance were up. That optimism could be fleeting.

For clients holding crypto, about half have experienced notable losses. But 70% have experienced notable gains, the latest Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook found.

Financial Planning's September Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook found that equities are growing hotter and cash is cooling off in client portfolios.

Respondents in this month's Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook cheered the prospect of a Fed rate cut, but they didn't feel good about much else.

Volatility, concerns over security and custody, and a lack of clear regulatory framework are the key barriers to adoption, according to Financial Planning's August Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook survey.