Wealth Think

Ahead of next month’s Business & Wealth Management Forum in Chicago, it’s time to start asking some big-picture questions. For example, how could our profession have a bigger political impact than we do today and if there are better ways to add value than simply tending client portfolios?

While there may be investing opportunities in the markets, the weak housing market and unemployment hovering just above 9% are the issues that concern the nation and that are depressing the president’s poll numbers. And, voters -- including those without jobs and those who want to look for better ones --are getting mighty impatient.

While there may be investing opportunities in the markets, the weak housing market and unemployment hovering just above 9% are the issues that concern the nation and that are depressing the president’s poll numbers. And, voters -- including those without jobs and those who want to look for better ones --are getting mighty impatient.

Now almost 30 years old and seemingly back at the top of her game, why would the pop superstar still need her father to serve as her conservator? One company claims it’s simply a ploy to duck a deposition in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

Video can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your website. Most websites, including financial advisor sites are about conveying information. The easier you make your content to process for your visitors, the more likely they are to stick around. Video is a great way to do this.

As a financial advisor, you are always looking for ways to add value and bond with your clients. One of the most unique and innovative ways I've found for doing just that also drive referrals years into the future and provide a wealth of insight about their individual goals and values is a legacy profile.

In Part Two of this series on China, I’ll look at the massive build out within China and see if this fixed investment boom is sustainable. If the building boom ends, it could cause a worldwide economic slowdown.

For the past 25 years, a quiet but remarkable study has been going on at the School Sisters of Notre Dame convent in Mankato, Minn. What we’re learning might not only be the keys to happiness and long life, but have some interesting financial planning implications as well.

I think we all know that the financial planning profession is drowning in paperwork and the problem is only going to get worse. This vexing -- and increasing -- compliance hassle is generating a certain amount of frustration in the profession, and most of the people I talk with don't know where to turn. So who speaks for the planner?

It was not long ago that the term alternative investments prompted images of exotic venture capital, private equity and hedge fund investment strategies frequented almost exclusively by very wealthy households and institutional investors.