Practice management

Drew Lunt, founder of Scratch Capital in Boise, Idaho, still uses Black Diamond for his portfolio accounting needs, but as his client base expands to more affluent, complicated clients, he has looked outside the industry for solutions.

Take Financial Planning's latest self-study, general knowledge CE quiz to stay up to date on trends, earn an hour of credit and maintain professional certification.

Step away from the rote 30-second spiel. Instead, forge connections with advisory prospects based on trust, not tactics.

A clear division is emerging between smaller independent RIAs and their larger billion-dollar competitors, as some firms aggressively pursue a "one-stop shop" model for their clientele.

The findings suggest that "crises, behavioral biases and interpersonal conflicts are not fringe topics but core aspects of modern advising," the authors of a study say.

The question ties into so many of the factors that distinguish large and small firms, various client niches and decisions about whether or not to hire staff.

Prepping clients for natural disasters and climate emergencies should start with coverage and end with estate planning.

Allowing artificial intelligence to make investment management decisions poses an organizational threat, according to the majority of advisors in Financial Planning's AI Readiness Survey.

The fact that many financial advisors say they do not provide tax planning belies how much value they may add through that service, according to an expert.

Tips and tricks on building a successful niche: This week, Andrew Barninger of Personal Wealth Advisory shares insights on financial planning for business owners looking for an exit.

Some financial advisors may still hesitate to get on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or TikTok. But experts say growing firms need to be on the social platforms.

Wealth management firms are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence to grow their businesses and reduce time spent on administrative work. Amid the AI boom, firms say education has become their top priority.

Replacing outmoded wealthtech products and practices can not only save advisors time and effort but also boost a firm's bottom line.

The many technical planning questions may be moot until spouses can find common ground on money and wealth in general, CFP Board conference panelists said.

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

In a field with very high rates of attrition, financial planners are finding pillars of support in study groups as they work to reach more young customers.

Former Morgan Stanley broker Kathy Frazier sued the firm in 2015 and was later joined by six other Black plaintiffs who also alleged they had been systematically excluded from the best advisory teams and client leads.

It may be tempting to hire a "2.0 version" of a departing employee, but doing so risks reinforcing stale processes and mindsets.

Financial Planning's second annual ADVISE AI conference, taking place Oct. 28-29 in Las Vegas, will delve into how the emerging technology continues to revolutionize the industry.

Building a multigenerational practice speaks to some of the highest ideals of a planner's professional calling, speakers at a CFP Board conference said.