Client communications

From teaching disaster prep classes before, to holding hands after, advisers’ best practices for catastrophes.

Advisers sound off on the most difficult challenges their clients have handed them.

A look at the new opportunities and restrictions that emerged over the course of the year, with an eye toward what clients can do before Dec. 31.

Fair and equitable can mean different things to different people, as Lise Robinson now knows from personal experience.

Only 2% of clients refer someone because their adviser asked. Instead, word-of-mouth is the best strategy, and digital marketing is one way to get it.

Use upside and downside capture ratios to analyze potential investment products, as well as help those who are nervous feel calmer about their portfolio.

Altering the various components of a portfolio does not improve performance 100% of the time. However, it does improve the outcome often enough that it’s worth teaching your clients the ins and outs of this investment technique.

Clients want and need someone to be honest about their own experiences. If you can show some vulnerability and offer personal insights, their engagement will increase.

Data can be used to show clients in real time how big purchases undermine their portfolio planning. If my adviser had such access, would I still book that trip to Cuba?

When advisers blend behavioral finance approaches with data insights, it makes them even more valuable.

Only 18% of Asian-Americans work with financial professionals, and there is room for growth, a study says.

Clients who make their living from agriculture have some unique planning challenges – Mother Nature, for one.

Positive psychology might be the key to determining just what a client needs.

Political discussions can be a kind of third rail, but planners can — and should — undercut the worry.

Embracing technology is no longer an option. Here’s how David Root of D.B. Root & Co. uses it to build his brand and finds prospects.

Advisers shouldn’t assume that all their favorite clients will follow them out the door.

It’s tough for advisers such as Kimberly Foss to convince prospects that there’s room for indexing in portfolios. Here’s how she gets them on board.

From secret children to sudden engagements, these are client disclosures that shocked planners.

“How I do retirement plans today is very different from how I did it 15 years ago,” says Merrill Lynch adviser Jason Ting.