Wealth Think

How do your clients refer you? Steve Wershing, "The Referral Doctor," says the answer can help you attract significantly more. And one simple question can teach you a lot about providing your clients the motivation to refer.

Steve Atkinson, "The Advisors' Coach," says investing in people, entrepreneurship and improved corporate efficiencies is a far cry from gambling and it's important that advisors and their clients appreciate the difference.

Legacy expert attorneys Danielle and Andy Mayoras say the circumstances surrounding the late musician's estate serve as the latest reminder that having the proper estate planning instructions in place - and keeping them updated - is extremely important for every client.

The growing complexity of investing has created challenges for investors and financial advisors alike. Saxon Sorrentino of Fiserv says the best way to enhance productivity is to improve and integrate technology.

Marketing expert Marie Swift says basic seminars are no longer a client magnet. Successful financial planners must be educators, networkers, and online trailblazers. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Chris Kirby says financial advisors often become hostages of their own "to-do" lists. That's why it's so important to create and adhere to a list of things that you're not going to handle so you can focus on the most important (and revenue-generating) tasks.

Starting a hedge fund is much different from launching other kinds of companies. Most significantly, there is almost no chance that you will be able to start this business out of a garage. No -- to get a hedge fund up and running, you need buckets and buckets of cash.

Ask Ed Slott: Your IRA Expert answers readers' questions about how to manage and account for excess contributions made to IRAs for tax purposes.

As the trend toward independence continues, the opportunities raise questions from those advisors who are considering making the move. Dynasty Financial Partners' Shirl Penney provides some answers.

Steve Wershing, "The Referral Doctor," says one of the great misconceptions in our business is that clients "give" us referrals. If advisors want to learn how to attract a significant number of ongoing referrals, they must understand the dynamic that causes people to make referrals in the first place.