Wealth Think

When people think of jobs on Wall Street, they often imagine a bunch of accountants, analysts, stockbrokers, mathematicians and other brainy types. But not everyone in the financial sector follows the same path.

We got lucky in 2012. The financial markets held up. The economy, while slow, didn’t tank. Inflation remained benign. And the world held together. Blogger Steve Sanduski asks, will we say the same about 2013 a year from now?

How important is naming, branding, promoting and marketing? For some independent advisors who came to independence from larger employee advisor models, you may not have thought as much about your brand in the past. As an independent firm in a growing and increasingly competitive landscape, it’s important to recognize that you are building a brand as much as a business.

The impact of last week’s tax accord in Congress -- officially known as the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 -- is likely to be far wider and more complex than many have imagined. And many of these complexities will directly impact financial advisors.

Blogger Craig Faulkner says he is tired of hearing people his age talk about how confusing all the new technology is. He is convinced that most advisors are more intimidated by the idea of technology than by the technology itself. Check out three tricks to help you get the jump on all of the new data, devices, and demands they make on your brain and your time.

Ed Slott, Your IRA Expert, examines how the expiration of the Bush tax cuts will impact Roth IRAs.

Have you ever wondered how some financial advisors manage to get all their business from referrals? Despite what some people may tell you, simply asking for referrals isn’t enough. Here are 8 surefire ways to fill your prospect pipeline in 2013.

For financial planners, social media is an important tool as they search for newer ways to generate leads, build personal relationships with clients and prospects, and grow a reputation as an influencer in financial services. However, many are still hesitant to jump aboard the social media bandwagon due to compliance regulations and lack of knowledge on how to begin.

Asking the right questions from the start can ensure you discover the kind of clients you really want for your business.

How many times have we said to ourselves, “If I’d only known then what I know now?” At this year’s Securities America Assistant University, a panel of experienced advisor assistants shared the benefit of hindsight and the top things they wish they had known in their first year as an assistant.