feed - Part 87

How To Find Your Niche As A Financial Advisor

May 5, 2014 07:01 am 13 Comments CATEGORY: Marketing

As more and more people earn their CFP certification and become financial planners, the mere fact that one is a financial planner is no longer the differentiator that it once was. In turn, financial planners find themselves increasingly compelled to focus into a niche where it's easier to stand out and win clients... being a generalist may bring a lot of prospects but few clients, while settling into a niche may narrow the field of prospects but results in an incredibly high likelihood that clients (in the niche) will say yes and choose to do business.

Of course, a niche is not just conceived overnight; in practice, it's established and refined over time. It starts with a target clientele, which leads to developing a unique expertise for working with those clients and the problems they face, and that in turn leads to the development of services and a business model to fit the clients and their needs. As services are delivered, new ways to focus on the clientele emerge, new expertise is acquired, the business model is further refined, and the process continues to iterate until a finely honed niche emerges.

However, that still leaves open the key question: how do you find or choose a niche in the first place? In truth, there are many paths to finding a niche, from focusing on a passion, to an area where you already have an affinity or connections, to your existing clients or even former colleagues in a prior line of business. For those who truly have "no idea" what to do, the easiest path may simply be to start taking anyone you know out to lunch, asking them what their needs and issues are, and beginning to define a vision for your business accordingly. By asking people what's important to them and unique about their concerns, you can find a niche of your own, and may even discover that your interviewees become the first people to refer clients to your new business.

Weekend Reading for Financial Planners (Apr 26-27)

April 25, 2014 04:14 pm 1 Comment CATEGORY: Weekend Reading

Enjoy the current installment of "weekend reading for financial planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the latest news in the CFP Board's lawsuit with the Camardas... which is that there is no news, the CFP Board is "still working on" going through more than 60,000(!) documents to prepare for discovery, and that the CFP Board may have already racked up 2,000 hours' worth of legal fees at an estimated cost of $600,000, preparing for a case that hasn't even gotten underway in court yet. Given that both the CFP Board and the Camardas are asking that the opposing party pay all the legal fees, the case may potentially be spectacularly expensive for the losing party, in addition to any other ramifications from the outcome.

Beyond that news, this week's readings include several articles related to retirement research, including a look at whether "dynamic" asset allocation strategies based on market valuation may lead to more sustainable retirement income than just rebalancing to the same static portfolio each year, a discussion of the current landscape of retirement preparedness for baby boomers (which suggests that while the average baby boomer is in danger, in practice there is an increasing gap between the retirement "haves" and "have-nots"), an overview of the "2 schools of thought" on retirement income planning (probability-based versus safety-first) and the differences between the two retirement planning approaches, a study of whether small-cap value stocks are as good for retirement income portfolios as they are for accumulation portfolios, and a study on the best time to annuitize a managed portfolio for retirement income that finds at best retirees should be waiting until their 70s if not later (or never).

We also have a few investment-related articles this week, from a look at whether the commonly discussed long-term benefits from rebalancing may actually be overstated, to an examination of whether it really makes sense to own commodities futures as a diversifier or return enhancer in a world where commodities themselves theoretically just rise on average at the pace of inflation (generating no real return). There's also an article that provides some good basic due diligence questions to consider whenever you're evaluating one of the increasingly popular "tactical" managed-ETF portfolio strategies.

We wrap up with three interesting articles: the first examines some recent research from Cerulli Associates which finds, contrary to common wisdom, that being referred is only a key factor for 1-in-9 affluent investors choosing an advisor, and that (by a small margin) "reputation" is actually the most common driver of the advisor selection decision; the second is a profile in the NY Times of an investment adviser who started out 8 years ago as a stock-picker but, despite some reasonable success, ultimately decided that using ETFs and index funds and managing holistically was what clients really needed; and the last by industry pioneer Roy Diliberto on how the world would be different if he could be "King for a Day" and set things right for the financial planning profession... with a lot of changes that will resonate with today's financial planners. Enjoy the reading!

Is There A “Robo-Advisor” Bubble? Wealthfront, Betterment, & LearnVest Raise $95M In Capital In Two Weeks!

April 16, 2014 07:01 am 19 Comments CATEGORY: Technology & Advisor FinTech

As the buzz around the "robo-advisors" continues, this week marks another two big announcements: Betterment has raised another $32M in a fresh round of venture funding, with another $28M for Learnvest, following on the heels of $35M from Wealthfront just two weeks ago. Collectively, the three platforms have raised a whopping $95M in just the past two weeks, with the total collective funding for the robo-advisor space approaching a quarter of a billion dollars.

Yet despite all this focus, the actual business and revenue growth results for robo-advisors has been fairly meager, at least so far. The latest fundraising for these three platforms brings their total venture capital funding up to more than $150M, despite the fact that after 3-5 years the companies have been around with "exponential" growth, they cumulatively have less than $5M of revenue. Collective across all the robo-advisor-labeled platforms, actual assets under management (not just fuzzy "advisements") is no more than a few billion dollars, which at the fee schedule for these platforms likely amounts to little more than $10M of revenue for platforms that have cumulative venture capital funding in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars. Which implies, to say the least, that at least a few of these VC investments probably won't work out so well.

Nonetheless, this doesn't mean the robo-advisor trend should be ignored, despite the fact that they have little more than roughly a 1/1000th market share of household investable assets. While there's still little evidence to suggest that robo-advisors are drawing any volume of clients from human advisors, they are demonstrating how the core of constructing and implementing a passive, strategic portfolio can be commoditized for an extremely low cost. In the end, we may look back on this 2009-2014 era as one that transformed technology-driven portfolio construction the way the introduction of the index fund transformed the world of stockpickers 40 years ago. Notably, the introduction of the index fund did not eliminate the need for or value of human advisors, but it did force advisors to continue to evolve their value proposition to keep up, as today's evolving robo-advisors will likely do as well. In fact, in the end, the primary players that get "disrupted" by robo-advisors may not actually be human advisors at all, but the custodians, broker-dealers, asset management, and technology firms that support them!

What Comes After CFP Certification? Finding Your Niche Or Specialization With Post-CFP Designations

March 24, 2014 07:01 am 64 Comments CATEGORY: Personal/Career Development

As the ranks of CFP certificants are on the rise, the CFP certification is increasingly transitioning from a "nice to have" designation to the minimum standard for financial planners. Yet as the popularity and adoption of CFP certification grows, simply having one is no longer the differentiator that it once was. Instead, advisors are increasingly faced with pressure to move beyond "just" the CFP marks, and explore "post-CFP" education to truly demonstrate expertise and differentiate.

Fortunately, the reality is that just as there are a growing number of CFP educational programs, there is also a growing range of post-CFP educational programs available, too. Ironically, though, trying to navigate the 'alphabet soup' of available programs can be as difficult for advisors choosing a credible program as it is for consumers choosing a credible advisor! Nonetheless, from designations designed to deepen subject matter expertise, to those built outright to support a standalone niche unto itself, there are a large number of choices available to those who have completed CFP certification and are now asking"what's next?"

In today's blog post, we look through the list of the more credible programs that are available, from advanced designations in financial planning, wealth management, investments, and retirement, to niche educational programs for working with doctors, divorcees, or the LGBT community, and more. Have you considered what your next step will be in your post-CFP studies?

How Financial Advisors Can Use LinkedIn As More Than Just A Passive Digital Resume

March 4, 2014 07:01 am 9 Comments CATEGORY: Marketing

As the message about the importance - and value - of social media gets out, an increasing number of advisors are beginning to join social media sites, with LinkedIn reported as being by far the most popular amongst advisors for business. Yet a deeper look at advisor use of social media platforms suggests that for many, they may be doing little more than just showing up, and their LinkedIn presence is little more than having written out their resume in digital form (with, not surprisingly, quite limited results, if any!).

In this guest post, public relations and advisor marketing consultant Kevin Dinino shares some thoughts about more intermediate and "advanced" LinkedIn tools and strategies, and how they can be applied in the context of advisors. From adopting LinkedIn Groups for networking, with a study group, or as the advisory firm's company intranet, to the Advanced People Search capabilities and even the Volunteer Marketplace, there's a lot more to LinkedIn for advisors beyond just listing out the details of your current job description and work history!

So if you've heard that other advisors are generating business from LinkedIn but feel like you're missing out despite having created a LinkedIn profile, hopefully this article will give you some ideas about how to take your social media marketing efforts to the next level. Or alternatively, if you have perhaps been tinkering a little on LinkedIn already, but don't feel like you're making any headway, perhaps you'll find a few new tools and strategies to try out!

Weekend Reading for Financial Planners (Feb 22-23) – Practice Management & Tech Edition!

February 21, 2014 02:33 pm 0 Comments CATEGORY: Weekend Reading

Enjoy the current "Practice Management and Tech" installment of "Weekend Reading for Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the latest announcement by the SEC of its new "Never Before Examined Initiative" and the details of its push in 2014 and the coming years to ramp up the pace of examinations on SEC-registered investment advisers who have been registered for at least three years but have never actually been examined. The new initiative will include both a general risk assessment of the potential threats the RIA's business poses given its model and how it is structured, along with a more focused review of key examination areas.

From there, we have several practice management articles this week, including a look at a younger advisor who decided to build his business by buying a practice rather than just building it one client at a time, a growing advisor network called "Protected Tomorrows" for advisors who wish to serve special-needs clients (with a training program to get advisors who wish to work in the niche up to speed), a discussion from Angie Herbers about the importance of having a clearly articulated direction for your firm (and how to communicate to employees if you really don't have a clear direction in your own mind as the firm owner!), and a great reminder from Mark Tibergien that while compensation can play a role in managing your staff it should not be used as a primary motivation tool and is not a substitute for more active employee management.

We also have a number of advisor technology-related articles this week, including a detailed review of the new portfolio risk analytics tool RiXtrema, the new "socially-powered" advisor CRM Wealthbox, the relaunched cloud-based version of Money Tree financial planning software, and an overview of several popular (and one new) advisor tech tools to improve the operational efficiency of your practice and your staff.

This week's reading wraps up with three interesting articles: the first is a great reminder that in today's world where your website is increasingly your first impression to clients (even those referred to you), it's absolutely crucial to have a good photo/image of yourself (so if you don't have a professional headshot, spend a few hundred dollars and get one!); the second looks at how, when it comes to employee performance, the bell curve is not a very good description of the landscape, as in practice the distribution is more like a "Power Law" where there are a larger number of good performers, most employees are actually slightly below average, and the truly subpar employees actually may be fewer than anticipated (but more extreme as well); and the last article provides a great reminder that there's a real difference between doing "data gathering" with clients (which is purely quantitative) and having a real "discovery" process that learns more about who they are and what motivates them, which is crucial to actually being able to help clients implement your recommendations.

And be certain to check out Bill Winterberg's "Bits & Bytes" video on the latest in advisor tech news at the end! Enjoy the reading!

How To Be More Decisive In Your Own (Investment) Decision-Making Process

January 27, 2014 07:01 am 1 Comment CATEGORY: Personal/Career Development

Making decisions is a fundamental part of life; in fact, it's almost daunting to consider how many decisions we actually make just to navigate our day-to-day lives, not to mention the weightier decisions that have to be made from time to time. Yet despite the crucial nature of making good decisions, most people have little if any framework or process around how decisions are made, except perhaps for creating basic lists of "pros" and "cons" that in practice often do little more than confirm the decision we already intended to make.

In the book "Decisive" noted authors Chip and Dan Heath take a deep dive into the research around decision-making, including both the shortcuts our brains typically take to make decisions (so that we are not rendered paralyzed by the volume of decisions to be made on a day-to-day basis) to the best practices in how to actually craft and effective decision-making process and when necessary avoid the shortcuts that may be helpful for routine decisions but can be destructive when misapplied in more important situations.

From the ideas of multitracking potential solutions to adopting a devil's advocate (or at least a culture that encourages them), what results is an excellent and inspirational book about how to change your own approach to making decisions, along with some ideas about how you might apply the concepts in your business and with your clients. As the authors clearly illustrate, even for those of us who pride ourselves on the depth of our analytical skills, the reality is that good process trumps good analysis - and notably, good process may lead to better analysis as well!

Weekend Reading for Financial Planners (Jan 18-19) – Practice Management & Tech Edition!

January 17, 2014 01:01 pm 0 Comments CATEGORY: Weekend Reading

Enjoy the current installment of "weekend reading for financial planners" with a special focus on practice management and technology topics! This week's reading kicks off, though, with news from the CFP Board's ongoing saga in the Camarda lawsuit; the latest development is that the CFP Board declined to answer a large number of questions in a deposition with its staff counsel, in turn prompting the Camardas to ask a Federal judge to sanction the CFP Board for failure to comply with the deposition and the CFP Board maintaining that the questions from the Camarda attorneys are just a "fishing expedition" beyond the scope of their actual case.

From there, we also have an article on the recently announced SEC regulatory priorities for 2014, which includes a deeper look at "reverse churning" inactivity in fee-based AUM accounts, the activities of dual-registered advisors, how advisors handle IRA rollovers (dovetailing on the DOL's anticipated new fiduciary rules), and a big push for more investment adviser examinations. There's also a discussion of whether robo-advisors may finally start to become a threat to advisors - or not - as Wealthfront announced this week that it has crossed the $500M AUM mark, after being at little more than $100M a year ago.

We also have a number of additional practice management and technology articles this week, including: two interesting industry studies released this week, where the first shows that wealthy clientele are increasingly adopting a multi-advisor approach and not consolidating advice and assets with just one person, and the second study finding that while advisor client retention is consistently high, there is a noticeable dip in retention for advisors 2-4 years after a client relationship begins (suggesting a clear area for focus for advisors who want to boost retention); an article looking at how best to build relationships with centers of influence (based on a live panel where attorneys and accountants were asked to rate advisors' "pitches" to them); some very practical tips about how to dramatically increase how many meetings you're conducting and the amount of face time you're getting with your clients; and two technology articles by Bill Winterberg, the first looking at some helpful productivity apps, and the second a review of how to use the free Google Forms service to conduct based survey and client data gathering activity.

We wrap up with three interesting articles: the first is a remarkably good list of all the conventional practice management wisdom that is often repeatedly but rarely implemented in full, presented as a series of potential "mistakes" that advisors should avoid; the second is an article about the latest research on persuasion and how to (ethically) influence clients to act; and the last is a fascinating interview with popular personal finance blogger "Mr. Money Mustache" who retired at the age of 30 and now writes about how to retire early with a modest lifestyle, built around a message not of Scrooge-like frugality but a simple focus on enjoying the things that matter the most in life and letting go of the rest of our spending excesses (and some light chastisement towards financial planners that perhaps we focus too much on saving for old-age affluence and not enough on managing spending). Enjoy the reading!

In The Press

Michael Kitces' writing, research, expertise, and opinions are regularly cited in the press.

2014 - 2020

Ezvid Wiki - May 25, 2020 - 5 Helpful Financial Planning Resources

Financial Advisor Magazine - February 7, 2020 - "Happy Accidents Or Planned, Advisors Enjoy Virtual Practices"

RIABiz - February 7, 2020 - "Schwab execs all but dash RIA hopes for TD Ameritrade VEO One survival by pitting the open-API platform against expediency and an admitted pro-Schwab bias"

Financial Planning - January 29. 2020 - "‘This can be done. Go do it.': XYPN hires 2, hits 56% women on leadership"

Money Marketing - January 23, 2020 - "What does the next generation of clients want?"

CNBC - January 23, 2020 - "This mistake around new IRA withdrawal rules could leave you with a bigger tax bill"

Money Marketing - January 14, 2020 - "Danby Bloch: ‘Til we e-meet again"

San Francisco Chronicle - December 25, 2019 - "More answers to questions on retirement plans and the Secure Act"

Barron's - December 17, 2019 - "For Financial Advisor Ads, a New Frontier"

Financial Planning - December 6, 2019 - "Schwab hires small RIA advocate ahead of TD Ameritrade acquisition"

AdvisorHub - December 6, 2019 - "Schwab Hires Ex-TD Ameritrade CEO Tom Bradley on Eve of Merger"

Financial Planning - December 1, 2019 - "The most transformative software for advisors?"

Investment News - November 18, 2019 - "RIA consolidation could put $2.4 trillion in play over next decade"

Financial Advisor - November 14, 2019 - "Kitces To Advisors: Differentiate Yourself Or Die"

RiaBiz - November 7, 2019 - "Goldman Sachs & Co. appoints Rachel Schnoll to yank off United Capital band-aid that Joe Duran didn't -- making FinLife work with non-UC applications"

ThinkAdvisor - November 7, 2019 - "Michael Kitces to Advisors: Differentiate or You're Doomed"

San Francisco Chronicle - November 2, 2019 - "Sell a house? Cash in an IRA? You may be hit with a surcharge on Medicare premiums"

Investment News - November 1, 2019 - "States considering rules for how advisers charge subscription fees"

Morningstar - October 24, 2019 - "Not OK"

Investment News - October 24, 2019 - "TD's Skip Schweiss says he'll do whatever it takes to avoid conflicts as president of FPA"

RiaBiz - October 15, 2019 - "Fidelity's Abby Johnson took eight days to succumb Chuck Schwab's commission torpedo but those days may have been put to good use. One big casualty of Fidelity Investments' buckle on zero-fee commissions may be the zero-fee RIA custody tailwind of three decades duration"

Fosters - October 6, 2019 - "When is 4% less than 4%? – after taxes"

New York Post - October 5, 2019 - "Be careful whom you trust with your money so they don’t Madoff with it"

Investment News - October 4, 2019 - "Price-pressure trend shines new light on RIA-custodian relationships"

Washington Post - October 4, 2019 - "Schwab’s Next Target? Your Financial Adviser"

Investment News - October 3, 2019 - "Schwab's next target? Financial advisers"

ETF Trends - October 2, 2019 - "E-Trade drops commissions on trades, joining Schwab, TD Ameritrade in brokerage fee war"

ThinkAdvisor - September 20, 2019 - "Kitces Addresses Concerns on XY Planning's Rapid Growth"

RiaBiz - September 16, 2019 - "How Michael Kitces' and Alan Moore's plan to sue the SEC on XY Planning's dime -- on behalf of all RIAs -- is a good business risk and a sign of possible FPA impotency"

Investment News - September 16, 2019 - "XY Planning Network firms wonder if group can support them long term"

Consumer Reports - September 2, 2019 - "Why Indexed Annuities May Promise More Than They Deliver"

Financial Advisor - September 1, 2019 - "When Subscription Fees Work"

Kiplinger - August 29, 2019 - "Live Well Without Running Out of Money in Retirement"

ThinkAdvisor - August 23, 2019 - "Why Wealthfront's Latest Deal Won't Impact Advisors"

New York Times - August 23, 2019 - "Your Long-Term Care Insurance Rate Spiked. Now What?"

Forbes - August 22, 2019 - "Triple Your FIRE Portfolio's Size By Using The 3.5% (Not 4%) Rule"

Wealth Management - August 22, 2019 - "Wealthfront Buying RIA, Facet Buying Clients"

RiaBiz - August 19, 2019 - "Abby Johnson set financial services on fire with a 1.91% 'cash' offer, drawing 'first blood' in an 'accelerating war of rates,' analyst says"

Financial Advisor - August 9, 2019 - "Do Men And Women Advisors Get Equal Pay For Equal Work?"

RiaBiz - August 8, 2019 - "Tim Hockey: 'As we all know, the environment that's facing our entire industry has gotten a little more interesting.'
Tim Hockey leaves baffled analysts (and everyone else) probing for answers to explain abrupt departure plan as TD Ameritrade CEO; It's about... nothing!"

AdvisorHub - August 7, 2019 - "Fidelity Stokes New-Account War, Offering 1.9% on Client Cash"

The Telegraph - August 5, 2019 - "Liz Weston: How to mess up a variable annuity"

RiaBiz - August 1, 2019 - "Charesse Hagan has agreed to be an on-call technology coach but not without the ability to pitch for paid gigs.
FPA keeps adding coaches to its pro-bono roster but quid pro quo makes the medicine go down as mom-and-pop consultants help mom-and-pop advisors"

Nasdaq - August 1, 2019 - "Building a Disruptive Innovation for Advisors"

Financial Planning - July 26, 2019 - "Considering subscription pricing? What you should know first"

Benefits Pro - July 12, 2019 - "Edelman Financial Engines lays first building block in bid to disrupt trillions in flows to IRAs"

RiaBiz - July 8, 2019 - "Vanguard hits back at Fidelity's loss-leader strategy by courting higher-margin businesses, like China and private equity, and axing low-margin ones like annuities--Wealth management franchises are next"

Kiplinger - July 3, 2019 - "States Step in to Boost 401(k) Savings"

Seeking Alpha - June 26, 2019 - "Retirees, Don't Say No When The Market Offers You A Nice Bonus"

Forbes - June 19, 2019 - "This One Easy Strategy Can Save Your Retirement From Disaster"

Financial Advisor - June 17, 2019 - "Kitces: Financial Planning Is No Longer Enough To Win Clients Over"

Investment News - June 17, 2019 - "Target-date fund design may be wrong for retirees"

City Wire - June 14, 2019 - "AUM fee model will survive, but there's a catch"

Financial Advisor - June 13, 2019 - "Strategies For Clients With Retirement Savings Shortfalls"

Investment News - June 13, 2019 - "4 strategies for Roth conversions"

Financial Advisor - June 13, 2019 - "Don't Like Annuities? You'll Like Them Even Less When Your Client Dies"

Barron's - June 7, 2019 - "A Road Map for More Retirement Income"

Investment News - June 4, 2019 - "Oranj and TradeWarrior battle moves beyond the courtroom"

Barron's - June 3, 2019 - "Worried You’re Going to Retire in a Bear Market? Here’s What to Do."

Investment News - May 28, 2019 - "SEC to tackle thorny topic: How much advice brokers can give without being an adviser"

Investment News - May 16, 2019 - "Michael Kitces says traditional retirement investment strategy is wrong"

Barron's - April 18, 2019 - "Michael Kitces: A Whirlwind in Advisor Land"

Financial Planning Magazine - April 17, 2019 - "FPA slows — and could halt — its chapter rollup initiative"

Professional Planner - April 17, 2019 - "Trust, confusion and disclosure: Kitces on US advice today"

City Wire - April 15, 2019 - "‘I was terrible at it’: Inside Michael Kitces’ journey from cold-calling flop to RIA guru"

RiaBiz - April 12, 2019 - "Commonwealth CEO Wayne Bloom brushes off rep pushback, spins off Advisor360 to sell formerly exclusive software and research to competitors"

RiaBiz - April 12, 2019 - "Schwab connected lawyer’s InvestmentNews column erupts like a sudden spring storm, roiling advisors, after firing a warning shot at RIAs without revealing connections"

Morningstar - April 9, 2019 - "Is There an Upside to Sequence of Return Risk?"

City Wire - April 9, 2019 - "Kitces: try charging a percentage of income for advice"

Bloomberg - April 8, 2019 - "Bigger 401(k) Contributions Are Easier for Empty Nesters"

401K Specialist - April 5, 2019 - "The NeverEnding Story—Reg BI and the Latest Fiduciary Folly"

Wall Street Journal - April 5, 2019 - "You Pay for Netflix and Spotify Monthly. What About Financial Planning?"

Investment News - March 29, 2019 - "Schwab moving to subscription fees could be watershed moment for advice industry"

ThinkAdvisor - March 28, 2019 - "Schwab Rolls Out Subscription-Based Financial Advice"

Advisor's Edge - March 25, 2019 - "Managing risk with the clock ticking"

RiaBiz - March 25, 2019 - "Josh Brown launches by-and-for RIA event, Wealth/Stack, in Arizona but can the super-blogger reform the bastion of intrusive sponsorship"

Wall Street Journal - March 21, 2019 - "WSJ Wealth Adviser Briefing: BlackRock Price Cuts, Green Real Estate, NYC Investor Club"

City Wire USA - March 20, 2019 - "Joe Duran and Michael Kitces team up for new 'unfiltered' podcast"

Barron's - March 19, 2019 - "Kitces: How Advisors Really Spend Their Time"

Investment News - March 14, 2019 - "Envestnet acquires MoneyGuide for $500 million"

The Globe and Mail - February 23, 2019 - "The new retirement challenge: What to do when things go right"

Money Management - February 21, 2019 - "Tech puts value of advice in question"

RiaBiz - February 4, 2019 - "Fidelity Investments takes another leap into the future, enlisting Amazon to turn advisors into virtual reality avatars, but some say it's pie-in-the-sky"

RiaBiz - January 26, 2019 - "Edelman and Carson mark end of era as 'last holdouts' to dump FINRA, but are they jumping from frying pan into fire of SEC scrutiny?"

Investment News - January 14, 2019 - "Factions emerge in OneFPA overhaul"

New York Times - January 7, 2019 - "How to Dodge a Market Dip That Threatens Your Retirement"

The Street - December 26, 2018 - "3 Pitfalls When Making Charity Donations From Your IRA"

Financial Advisor IQ - December 12, 2018 - "Five Big Trends Shaping the Industry"

San Francisco Chronicle - November 24, 2018 - "Here’s something most brokerage firms would rather you ignore"

RiaBiz - November 1, 2018 - "Schwab IMPACT hits speed bumps in its 27th year on the stage, in the kitchen, with long lines and in the hard questions RIAs asked"

Wealth Management - October 30, 2018 - "Free Financial Planning: Gimmick or Groundbreaking?"

Financial Advisor IQ - October 24, 2018 - "Kitces-Led Platform Bets on Regulatory Uncertainty for Fee-Only Advisors"

Financial Advisor IQ - October 23, 2018 - "Advisory Fees Could Be Under Fire From a Surprising Source"

Financial Advisor - October 17, 2018 - "Goals-Based Financial Planning Doesn’t Need to Be So Hard…Or Expensive"

Investment News - October 15, 2018 - "What Elon Musk can teach advisers about social media"

Morningstar - October 11, 2018 - "7 Smart Tax Maneuvers in a (Still-) Lofty Market"

MarketWatch - October 9, 2018 - "What is a ‘real interest rate’ and how does it affect retirees?"

Investment News - October 4, 2018 - "FPA welcomes conference attendees with #MeToo notice"

Wealth Management - October 4, 2018 - "Ten Essentials of Stellar Financial Advisor Websites"

RiaBiz - October 3, 2018 - "Michael Kitces reveals 'crazy goal' of on-boarding 10,000 advisors and, yes, it may cause 'culture' problems"

Wealth Management - October 1, 2018 - "Michael Kitces on the Biggest Opportunities, Oversold Ideas in Advice"

MarketWatch - September 19, 2018 - "Want a career change? Maybe you should become a certified financial planner"

The Street - September 15, 2018 - "How to Market Your Financial Firm on a Budget"

Investment News - September 15, 2018 - "SEC advice rule contains a huge hole"

Bankrate - September 12, 2018 - "Adding it up: Here’s how much Americans spend on financial vices"

RiaBiz - September 7, 2018 - "After dream of cloud-based PortfolioCenter falters, Schwab Advisor Services makes good by showering small RIAs and third-party software vendors with windfalls"

RiaBiz - September 6, 2018 - "As Principal takes RobustWealth reins, the looming question is whether it follows the Northwestern-LearnVest script, which had a depressing final scene"

Investment News - September 4, 2018 - "Apex will soon custody cryptocurrency assets"

RiaBiz - August 28, 2018 - "Twitter war pits Josh 'Downtown' Brown against Michael Kitces over hush-hush issue: Do RIA custodians face Merrill-Lynch style conflicts over advisor custody fees?"

MarketWatch - August 16, 2018 - "What you don’t know about sleep can save you money"

Morningstar - August 16, 2018 - "Could Your Long-Term Care Premiums Be Hiding in Plain Sight?"

ThinkAdvisor - August 16, 2018 - "At 34, and Top-Rated by Forbes, Merrill Advisor Forms His Own Wealth Firm"

MarketWatch - August 13, 2018 - "Give your money only to financial advisers who fit your needs, not theirs"

Investment News - August 9, 2018 - "Custodians ponder charging RIAs asset-based fees"

Financial Planning - August 6, 2018 - "When to show HNW clients the Roth IRA back door"

Kiplinger - August 1, 2018 - "Cutting the Tax Bill on Company Stock"

Financial Advisor - August 1, 2018 - "Kitces On Why The SEC's Best Interest Proposal Violates The '40 Act"

MarketWatch - July 31, 2018 - "Big changes to your 401(k) and IRA — and more retirement news"

Investment News - July 31, 2018 - "Climbing the digital mountain"

RiaBiz - July 31, 2018 - "The very millennial reason Shirl Penney snagged Merrill Lynch's 34 year-old Ayco-killer and his $1B team and why Focus Financial lost out"

Financial Planning - July 12, 2018 - "How outsourced investment strategies are reshaping wealth management"

Wall Street Journal - July 12, 2018 - "Behind on Retirement Savings? It’s Not Too Late to Catch Up"

RiaBiz - July 6, 2018 - "Taking the helm from famous founder, Jay Shah gets Personal Capital out of Vanguard's shadow with new shape, new deals and a 70% leap in assets"

Investment News - July 2, 2018 - "New digital Fidelity platform will let consulting firms bid for adviser projects"

CardRates - June 25, 2018 - "Things to Consider When Hiring a Financial Advisor — A Conversation with Financial Planning Expert Michael Kitces"

Financial Planning - June 19, 2018 - "LPL takes a shortcut to blockchain"

Financial Advisor - June 19, 2018 - "Please Pass The ‘Catch-Up’: Helping Your Clients Meet Their Retirement Goals"

PR Newswire - June 7, 2018 - "Investopedia Releases List of Most Influential US Financial Advisors"

USA Today - June 6, 2018 - "Social Security: Will I not get spousal benefits because of state retirement pension?"

US News - June 6, 2018 - "Why the 4 Percent Withdrawal Rate Is Obsolete"

Investment News - June 2, 2018 - "The legacy of the DOL fiduciary rule: Almost gone, but never forgotten"

Kiplinger - June 1, 2018 - "Follow QCD Rules to Make Your IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions Count"

RiaBiz - May 30, 2018 - "LPL Financial is latest to go the 'risk number' route by signing deal with LifeYield, which signed a Riskalyze deal in February"

PhillyNews - May 11, 2018 - "Vanguard's hybrid robo-advisor creates Amazon-like fear among competitors; Bogleheads say robo can be great training"

Mutual Fund Observer - May 9, 2018 - "Michael Kitces: 4 Ways To Mitigate The Impact Of RMDs"

MarketWatch - May 4, 2018 - "Don’t cheat yourself with the 4% rule"

Investment News - May 2, 2018 - "Advisers must align a client's portfolio with these 3 personal risk measures"

Financial Advisor - May 1, 2018 - "Emotion-Driven Planning Will Accelerate Soon"

ThinkAdvisor - May 1, 2018 - "2018 IA 25 RIA/Advisory Winners"

Morningstar - April 30, 2018 - "2 Ways to Upgrade Your 401(k) Without Leaving Your Job"

Wealth Management - April 27, 2018 - "Commentary: Fiduciary Duties Need to Include Non-Conflicted Investment Research"

LA Times - April 22, 2018 - "Don't run out of money in retirement: Here's how much to use per year, and why"

RiaBiz - April 9, 2018 - "What Tom Bradley's first post-TD Ameritrade gig says about him is interesting and his specific MaxMyInterest robo mission, more so"

Financial Advisor - April 6, 2018 - "Women Advisors Are Socially Savvier Than Men, But Report Gaining Less AUM"

Morningstar - April 6, 2018 - "Why Buy Annuities?"

Kiplinger - April 4, 2018 - "Find the Right Financial Advice at the Right Price"

Morningstar - April 1 2018 - "4 Reasons Roths Are Right for Younger Investors"

Investment News - March 31, 2018 - "Are annuities finally getting some respect?"

Financial Planning - March 28, 2018 - "What Wealthfront's reported valuation drop means for indie robo advisors"

Morningstar - March 27, 2018 - "Roth or Traditional: Keep the Decision Personal"

Wall Street Journal - March 25, 2018 - "Six Questions to Ask a Financial Adviser About Fees"

US News - March 20, 2018 - "A New Quagmire for Quarterly U.S. Taxpayers"

WRAL - March 19, 2018 - "Why reverse mortgages are a harder sell now"

CFA Institute - March 18, 2018 - "Time for Financial Professionals to Sharpen Their Saws"

Barron's - March 17, 2018 - "How to Curb the High Cost of Caregiving"

Wealth Management - March 9, 2018 - "The Markings of a True Destination RIA"

Professional Planner - February 28, 2018 - "Influential US adviser has praise, criticism for Australia"

Seeking Alpha - February 26, 2018 - "An Advisor's Advisor"

Wall Street Journal - February 22, 2018 - "Why Top-Earning Medicare Users Will Pay More Next Year"

Cuffelinks - February 22, 2018 - "Kitces Part 1: How robo misunderstood the advice model"

Morningstar - February 13, 2018 - "Should Your Clump Your Charitable Donations?"

RiaBiz - February 1, 2018 - "Tim Hockey goes to Florida with an RIA 'problem' that's not RIAs"

Think Advisor - February 1, 2018 - "CFPs Cry Foul Over Proposed 7-Step Planning Process"

RiaBiz - January 25, 2018 - "After PayPal demurs, Michael Kitces and Alan Moore launch online payments firm for RIAs"

Morningstar - January 22, 2018 - "How Empty-Nesters Can Play Retirement Catch-Up"

Investment News - January 17, 2018 - "TD Ameritrade finds momentum in its new model portfolio marketplace"

Think Advisor - January 16, 2018 - "Inside ETFs to Feature Mohamed El-Erian, Serena Williams"

Morningstar - January 9, 2018 - "Retirees: What You Should Watch in 2018"

RiaBiz - January 8, 2018 - "Vanguard's new CEO Tim Buckley hints the next move for his firm's RIA's 30-basis-point fee may be down, down, down"

Reverse Mortgage Daily - January 4, 2018 - "Two More Key Reverse Mortgage Tax Resources"

Think Advisor - January 2, 2018 - "The Ever-Evolving Financial Advisor"

Investment News - January 2, 2018 - "AdvisorEngine acquires Junxure CRM"

CNBC - January 1, 2018 - "8 books to help you become wealthier in 2018"

MarketWatch - December 22, 2017 - "I need a blockchain vacation’ — here’s what looks overhyped in fintech for 2018"

ETF - December 21, 2017 - "Kitces On Financial Advice’s Future"

Insurance News Net - December 19, 2017 - "Advisors Caution About Going Independent Under Tax Reform"

Morningstar - December 19, 2017 - "What the Tax Package Means for Your Financial Plan"

Barron's - December 19, 2017 - "Tax Bill is Sweet and Sour for Advisors"

New York Times - November 28, 2017 - "This Giving Tuesday, Here's How to Give"

Investment News - November 21, 2017 - "Wealth managers inundated with questions on Bitcoin"

ETF - November 17, 2017 - "How Advisors Can Compete With Vanguard"

Investment News - October 23, 2017 - "TD Ameritrade triples time before it charges fees on popular ETFs"

RiaBiz - October 9, 2017 - "The 2017 FPA conference lean heavily on a Michael Kitces, unimpressed with the group's 'silence' on the CFP Board"

Financial Planning - October 5, 2017 - "CFP Board rebuts criticism of fee increase"

Wealth Management - October 5, 2017 - "Editor's Letter: October 2017"

Financial Advisor - October 3, 2017 - "Voices Of Experience"

Money Magazine - September 21, 2017 - "How to Make Sure Your Money Lasts Through Your Retirement"

RiaBiz - September 18, 2017 - "Michael Kitces attacks CFP Board for jacking fees 17% in name of 'strategy' when the certificant is flush with $20 million in reserves"

Consumer Reports - August 31, 2017 - "Long-Term-Care Insurance Gets a Makeover"

Investment News - August 30, 2017 - "State-registered advisers face fee model inconsistencies"

The Hill - August 29, 2017 - "Our consumer financial watchdog misses the mark on Social Security"

MarketWatch - August 25, 2017 - "How to plan for health care in retirement without going broke"

Financial Observer - August 24, 2017 - "Advisers insourcing funds management"

Barron's - August 22, 2017 - "Fiduciary Fans Seek Clarity From CFP Board"

Investment News - August 11, 2017 - "How to fund a Social Security delay"

Barron's - August 11, 2017 - "How Much Are You Paying for Your Portfolio?"

Investopedia - July 10, 2017 - "The ETF 'Open Secret': They're a Tax Loophole"

Wall Street Journal - July 9, 2017 - "The ABCs (and T’s and Z’s) of the New Fiduciary Rule"

MarketWatch - June 29, 2017 - "These are the new standards that 75,000 Certified Financial Planners must follow"

Mic.com - June 29, 2017 - "9 smart things to buy as an investment in your future"

Wall Street Journal - June 28, 2017 - "How to Monitor Your Retirement Readiness"

Investment News - June 20, 2017 - "CFP Board's proposal to expand fiduciary duty draws praise, carries risks"

Wall Street Journal - June 16, 2017 - "Investment Blogs You Should be Reading"

Investment News - June 10, 2017 - "Finra CEO Robert Cook keeps low profile — for now"

Wall Street Journal - June 9, 2017 - "Beware of Winging Your Retirement"

MarketWatch - May 31, 2017 - "Opinion: One chart sums up how the timing of your stock-market returns changes your retirement nest egg"

Morningstar - May 11, 2017 - "What We Know for Sure About In-Retirement Withdrawal Rates"

The New York Times - May 8, 2017 - "Yes, Numbers Matter in Money Decisions, but So Do Emotions"

Reuters - May 4, 2017 - "Future of retirement planning belongs to the cyborgs"

LIMRA - May 4, 2017 - "LOMA Secure Retirement Institute"

Morningstar - May 4, 2017 - "How Much Cash Do You Really Need?"

RiaBiz - May 3, 2017 - "Jack Bogle's ICI grumbles and Kunal Kapoor's 'future' mode make Morningstar's 2017 conference sparkle with an uber relevance"

Morningstar - April 27, 2017 - "The Digital Age Changes Everything"

nextavenue - April 24, 2017 - "Why Boomers Shouldn’t Despair About Retirement"

Morningstar - April 23, 2017 - "Pulling Money From Your Roth IRA? Read This First"

Financial Planning - April 12, 2017 - "Personal Capital reverses course, raises account minimums to $100K again"

Barron's - April 4, 2017 - "Time to Bid 12b-1 Fees Adieu"

ASPPA News - March 30, 2017 - "Retirement Planning and the Hierarchy of Financial Priorities"

Los Angeles Times - March 26, 2017 - "The old magazine scam is alive and well. Here's how to fight back"

Money - March 6, 2017 - "Some People Have a Crazy Idea of What They Can Afford in Retirement"

Bloomberg - March 3, 2017 - "Think You’re Set for Retirement? Don’t Get Too Comfortable"

Wealth Management - February 21, 2017 - "Fiduciary Duty Can't Be Killed"

Barron's - February 21, 2017 - "Small RIA Custodians Work Their Niches"

MarketWatch - February 18, 2017 - "Plan for the inevitable: Why financial advisers need to think about succession"

Investment News - February 17, 2017 - "Small custodians compete for advisers with niche needs"

MarketWatch - February 8, 2017 - "After Trump’s fiduciary order, there’s concern — and some optimism"

RiaBiz - February 6, 2017 - "Rekindling old feud, Michael Kitces blasts Betterment, if civilly, for stealth price hike and other shortcomings"

The Washington Post - February 6, 2017 - "It’s too late for Trump to stop this financial rule"

San Francisco Chronicle - February 3, 2017 - "Trump’s fiduciary rule order could pose problem for investors"

Financial Planning - January 31, 2017 - "Betterment embraces hybrid robo advice"

Think Advisor - January 23, 2017 - "Kitces to Advisors: Don’t Fear Robos"

Star Tribune - January 21, 2017 - "You may not need as much money for retirement as you think"

Fortune - January 17, 2017 - "This Is the Real Reason Wall Street Should Fear the ‘Fiduciary Rule’"

USA Today - January 16, 2017 - "Investing apps can foil financial planning"

Investor's Business Daily - January 12, 2017 - "Some Financial Advisors' Pay Is About To Rise — Is Yours?"

Financial Advisor - December 28, 2016 - "Will Low Returns Destroy Retirement?"

ETF - December 28, 2016 - "What Are Advisors To Do About Robos?"

Squared Away - December 1, 2016 - "Retirees’ Tax Puzzle: Pay Now or Later?"

Wealth Management - November 28, 2016 - "The DOL’s Fiduciary Rule Brings More Surprises"

New York Times - November 10, 2016 - "What Money Experts Are Telling Clients After the Election"

ThinkAdvisor - November 9, 2016 - "Trump, GOP Could Torpedo DOL Rule, Dodd-Frank"

Bloomberg - November 9, 2016 - "Is Trump Going to Mess With Your Investments? Six Tips"

Morningstar - November 6, 2016 - "The One Portfolio Move To Make Before Year-End"

Forbes - November 1, 2016 - "Ratcheting Up Retirement Spending"

ebn - October 25, 2016 - "Views Roth 401(k), Pre-Tax 401(k) Or Both?

St. Louis Post Dispatch - October 21, 2016 - "Small Investors Catch A Break As Brokers Get Squeezed"

Morningstar - October 20, 2016 - "Tax-Gain Harvesting Can Be A Profitable Strategy"

Bloomberg - October 19, 2016 - "Blackrock, Schwab ETF War Alerts Retirement Advising"

New York Times - October 7, 2016 - "How to Improve Your Retirement Income if You Haven't Saved"

Money - October 6, 2016 - "Here's The Tipping Point When Health Replaces Money As Retirees Top Concern"

Market Watch - September 28, 2016 - "Is Your Tolerance For Risk Being Measured Correctly?"

Wealth Management - September 27, 2016 - "Betterment Adds Automated Asset Location Strategy"

Bloomberg - September 27, 2016 - "This Investing Robot Could Juice Your Returns By 15%"

Wealth Management - September 26, 2016 - "Are Reverse Mortgages On The Comeback Trail?"

Chicago Tribune - September 16, 2016 - "For Financial Advisers, Sussing Out Fear Moves To The Forefront"

CNBC - September 12, 2016 - "There's No Such Thing As Free Financial Advice"

Kiplinger - September 7, 2016 - "Ways Your Employer Can Help You Plan For Retirement"

Wall Street Journal - September 5, 2016 - "The Best Asset Mix Near Retirement"

Wealth Management - August 24, 2016 - "Why Is Betterment Partnering With Uber?

Nasdaq - August 19, 2016 - "So You've Got A Roth IRA...How Should You Invest It?"

Financial Planning - August 15, 2016 - "CFP Board Opens Up New Mandatory Arbitration To New Scrutiny"

ThinkAdvisor - August 12, 2016 - "CFP Board To Make Advisor Arbitration Results Public"

Bankrate - August 6, 2016 - "Early Retirement Age: Can You Retire At 62?"

Consumer Reports - July 28, 2016 - "How Robos Handle the "F" Word"

Investor's Business Daily - July 18, 2016 - "SEC's Proposed Rule On Continuity Plans Is Aimed At Protecting Investors"

Salon - July 18, 2016 - "Should You Save Enough To Live To 100?"

Star Tribune - July 18, 2016 - "Should You Save Enough To Live To 100?"

Forbes - July 14, 2016 - "Why Retirees Aren't Running Out Of Money"

Market Watch - July 13, 2016 - "How Saving Too Much Can Make Your Retirement Less Satisfying"

Newsmax Finance - July 12, 2016 - "Retirement Spending Plans Are As Important As Investment Growth"

Bloomberg - July 12, 2016 - "The Richest Generation in US History Just Keeps Getting Richer"

Wealth Management - July 7, 2016 - "Will Tech Ease the DoL Burden?"

Financial Planning - June 29, 2016 - "After Trading Halt, Betterment Suffers Its Own Brexit Shock"

Wealth Management - June 28, 2016 - "New SEC Proposal Will Force Advisors To Plan For Succession"

Financial Planning - June 28, 2016 - "When Tax-Loss Harvesting Isn't The Best Idea"

Bloomberg - June 24, 2016 - "Investors Scared of Brexit: This Is What To Do Now"

Nasdaq - June 24, 2016 - "Meet Your New Robo Advisor, Disguised As Your Old Money Manager"

Bloomberg - June 23, 2016 - "Do You Pass the Financial Stress Test?"

The Motley Fool - June 21, 2016 - "Simple Financial Advice for New Grads"

Bloomberg - June 20, 2016 - "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Investors"

Chicago Tribune - June 12, 2016 - "Your investment behavior could be costing you a fortune"

Financial Planning - June 8, 2016 - "Kitces: Tech Trend Will Lead Advisers Into Niche Practices"

Kiplinger - June 7, 2016 - "How To Build The Right Mix Of Investments In Retirement"

Vox Personal Finance - June 6, 2016 - "The Sneaky But Probably Legal Way Rich People Shield Retirement Savings From Taxes"

The News Tribune - June 5, 2016 - "How Much Do You Need For Retirement"

Morningstar - June 2, 2016 - "Investing a Lofty Cash Stake in a Lofty Market"

Morningstar - May 26, 2016 - "Fresh Approaches to Paying for Long-Term Care"

Investment News - May 24, 2016 - "CFP Board Halts Program to Tack Donation onto Certification Dues to Fund its New Center"

CNBC - May 23, 2016 - "5 Crucial Retirement Years For Your Money"

Philly.com - May 15, 2016 - "What Robo-Advisers Miss For Investors"

Wealth Management Today - May 10, 2016 - "3 Secrets of Portfolio Rebalancing by Michael Kitces"

USA Today - May 4, 2016 - "Commission vs Fee: How To Pick A Financial Adviser Right For You"

CNN Money - April 20, 2016 - "Should you follow the 4% retirement rule"

Forbes - April 19, 2016 - "The 4% Rule And The Search For A Safe Withdrawal Rate"

Investment News - April 18, 2016 - "Annually rebalancing client portfolios hurts performance: Pinnacle's Michael Kitces"

BenefitsPro - April 17, 2016 - "Robo-advisors: The coming wave in the financial industry"

Barron's - April 16, 2016 - "Why Your Advisor Doesn't Like The Fiduciary Rule"

ThinkAdvisor - April 13, 2016 - "LPL Going Robo With BlackRock's FutureAdvisor"

Marketwatch - April 11, 2016 - "Time's up: Millions of Americans are about to lose Social Security benefits"

Senior Housing News - April 11, 2016 - "Nontraded REITs Must Survive on 'Merit' Under Fiduciary Rule"

Investment News - April 5, 2016 - "Crawling Up The Wealth Management Pyramid"

RIABiz - April 4, 2016 - "What To Make Of Peter Mallouk's Sweeping Deal With Tony Robbins -- And Where The Unlikely Pairing Goes From Here"

Financial Times - March 30, 2016 - "How Social Media Helps Financial Advisors Woo Clients"

San Francisco Chronicle - March 16, 2016 - "Answers to questions on Social Security 'file and suspend'"

Bloomberg - March 14, 2016 - "Breaking Up Is Hell. Especially With Your Financial Adviser"

Morningstar - March 10, 2016 - "Last-Minute IRA Contributors: 10 Mistakes To Avoid"

Money - March 9, 2016 - "Digging Deaper Into the Best Retirement Withdrawal Strategies"

401(k)Specialist - March 1, 2016 - "Why 401(k) and Social Security Coordination Is Critically Important"

Seeking Alpha - February 25, 2016 - "Senate Report: Fiduciary Rule Puts Retirees, Advisors, and Broker-Dealers All On The Same Chopping Block"

Marketwatch - February 24, 2016 - "Planning For The Obama Administration's New And Not-So-New Retirement Plan Laws"

Morningstar - February 14, 2016 - "Are Changes to Retirement Plans Afoot?"

Forbes - February 10, 2016 - "Is The Self-Driving Car In Your 401(k) Setting Your Portfolio Up For A Crash?"

Wall Street Journal - February 10, 2016 - "Obama Budget Would Curb Some Popular Strategies"

International Business Times - February 10, 2016 - "Market Turmoil: Roth IRA Conversion Can Turn Portfolio Losses Into Tax Savings With This Strategy"

Financial Planning - February 9, 2016 - "Nearing Milestone, Network for Young Advisors Mines 'Untapped Market'"

Wealth Management - February 4, 2016 - "Why Less Is The New More"

BenefitsPro - February 3, 2016 - "The Roth Conversion Calculus For Retirees"

ThinkAdvisor - February 1, 2016 - "Wirehouses Gear Up On The Tech Frontier"

Morningstar - January 31, 2016 - "The Best Resources For Retirement Planning: Reader Favorites"

New York Times - January 29, 2016 - "Annuities as an Alternative to Shakey Markets? Not So Fast"

Financial Advisor - January 21, 2016 - "Adhering To Ethics Code No Longer Required For FPA Members"

Investment News - January 21, 2016 - "Longevity Annuities Better Deal Than Bonds, Immediate Annuities, But Lag Equities"

The Fiscal Times - January 21, 2016 - "Finally, A Reliable Path For Retirees To Donate To Charity"

Nerd Wallet - January 15, 2016 - "The High Cost Of Claiming Your Powerball Jackpot"

Wall Street Journal - January 7, 2016 - "529 Plans Open Doors To to Disabled From Any State"

Chicago Tribune - December 29, 2015 - "Your Birth Date Affects How Social Security Change Affects You"

Fox Business - December 24, 2015 - "Medicare Increases for 2016 - What Seniors Should Do"

Marketwatch - December 21, 2015 - "New Social Security Strategies For Couples"

Wall Street Journal - December 11, 2015 - "Robo Advisers Seen Exploding in Popularity"

Morningstar - December 7, 2015 - "Fighting Inflation in Retirement"

Fiscal Times - December 7, 2015 - "Five Apps to Organize Your Financial Life"

New York Times - December 4, 2015 - "The End of Social Security Loopholes: What Now?"

Wall Street Journal - December 2, 2015 - "Who Really Is A 'Fee-Only' Financial Advisor?"

Wealth Management - December 1, 2015 - "Old-Fashioned Exams"

Market Watch - November 24, 2015 - "Why Investors Should Approach Robo Advisers With Caution"

The Motley Fool - November 22, 2015 - "The Real Threat to Your Retirement Portfolio - It's Not What You Think!"

New York Times - November 16, 2015 - "AR Capital to Stop Creating Nontraded REITs"

Chicago Tribune - November 3, 2015 - "The Budget Bill's Impact on Social Security Benefits"

The Fiscal Times - November 2, 2015 - "Retirees Get Big Lessons On Loopholes From Budget Deal"

Next Avenue - November 2, 2015 - "You May Have Just Lost A Way To Max Social Security Benefits"

Forbes - November 2, 2015 - "Relief on Medicare Premiums, But You May Have Just Lost A Way To Max Social Security Benefits

San Francisco Chronicle - November 2, 2015 - "Budget Law Kills 'File And Suspend" Strategy For Singles, Too"

New York Times - October 30, 2015 - "Rarely Used Social Security Loopholes, Worth Thousands of Dollars, Closed"

Slate - October 30, 2015 - "The Budget Deal Closed a Social Security Loophole"

San Francisco Chronicle - October 29, 2015 - "Federal Budget Bill Would Kill Social Security Loopholes"

USA Today - October 29, 2015 - "Lawmakers Put Kibosh on Social Security Benefit-Boosting Strategies"

RiaBiz - October 29, 2015 - "Morningstar Report Suggests Jiu-Jitsu Tactic for Buying Annuities: Game Them Right Back By Waiting"

Wall Street Journal - October 28, 2015 - "Budget Deal Ends Key Social Security Claim Strategies"

San Francisco Chronicle - October 26, 2015 - "Congress Nearing Partial Fix For Medicare Part B Fee Increase"

CNBC - October 19, 2015 - "Is the Future For Robo-Advisors Bright...Or A Bust?"

USA Today - October 8, 2015 - "Medicare Part B Premiums Rise to Rise 52% For 72 Million Enrollees"

Kiplinger - October 1, 2015 - "A Trick to Saving For Retirement If You Earn Too Much"

Kiplinger - October 1, 2015 - "Make Your Money Last A Lifetime"

Marketwatch - September 29, 2015 - "What Retirees Should Be Asking About QLACs"

Financial Advisor - September 28, 2015 - "Michael Kitces Trades Jabs With Leading Robo-Advisor"

Chicago Tribune - September 16, 2015 - "Retirement: Investing For The Long Haul"

Chicago Tribune - September 1, 2015 - "Obscure Rule May Hike Medicare Premiums For Some"

ThinkAdvisor - August 31, 2015 - "Should Advisors Change How They Charge?"

Reuters - August 27, 2015 - "Young Workers In Target-Date Funds Hit Hard By Market Drop"

Wall Street Journal - August 26, 2015 - "Got Losses? A Tax Break Could Soothe the Pain"

401(k) Specialist - August 24, 2015 - "Why the Time is Right for Rollovers"

Professional Planner - August 21, 2015 - "Strategies to Reduce Retirement Income Uncertainty Amid Market Volatility"

Consumer Reports - August 20, 2015 - "4 Tax-Smart RMD Strategies: How to Save When Making Required Minimum Distributions From Retirement Accounts"

Financial Planning - August 19, 2015 - "In Wealth Management, Big Data Means Big Deals"

Financial Advisor - August 13, 2015 - "Kitces Goes from Paraplanner to Advice-Industry Spokesman"

San Francisco Chronicle - July 29, 2015 - "How to Find an Unbiased Financial Adviser"

Financial Planning - July 24, 2015 - "Dispelling Reverse Mortgage Myths"

Benefits Pro - July 24, 2015 - "RIA Sees Emerging Conflict of Interest For Fee-Only Advisors"

AARP - July 24, 2015 - "2016 Social Security COLA? Don't Bet On It"

Bloomberg Business - July 22, 2015 - "Millennials Have a Ton of Stock. They Just Don't Know It"

Bloomberg Business - July 8, 2015 - "Watch an Elite Financial Adviser Hack His Own Retirement"

NPR - July 8, 2015 - "Fact Check: 36 Percent Or Not? Inside Jeb Bush's Tax Math"

Kansas City Star - July 6, 2015 - "The Journey: Taking a Look at Longevity Annuities in Retirement"

The Motley Fool - June 21, 2015 - "Social Security: Why the 8% "Return" Myth Shouldn't Make You Wait To Retire"

Financial Planning - June 15, 2015 - "The Advisor With A "275M Firm and a Software Startup"

Financial Planning - June 9, 2015 - "It's Not About Timing: IRS on Backdoor Roth Conversions"

Wall Street Journal - June 9, 2015 - "Why a Big Raise Today Can Cause Problems Tomorrow"

Reuters - June 5, 2015 - "Reverse Mortgages Worth A Look, If Approached With Caution"

RiaBiz - June 4, 2015 - "Michael Kitces Attacks CNBC For Its Top-100 Fee-Only List Because So Many Listed RIAs Disclose Non-Fee Comp on Their ADVs"

Wall Street Journal - May 31, 2015 - "A Better Way to Tap Your Retirement Savings"

CheatSheet - May 19, 2015 - "5 Easy Ways to Save Enough Money For Retirement"

Bloomberg - May 18, 2015 - "Will You Be Able to Work in Retirement?"

Marketwatch - May 18, 2015 - "Here's the Advice You Get From Vanguard's New Robot-Human Hybrid"

New York Times - May 15, 2015 - "Why Stocks Belong in a Retirement Portfolio"

Marketwatch - May 8, 2015 - "Here's Another Sign That Rock-Star Fund Managers May Be An Endangered Species"

Marketwatch - May 7, 2015 - "How To Save For College In The Age Of Ultron"

Time Money - May 4, 2015 - "Do You Really Need A Long-Term Care Plan?"

Chicago Tribune - May 4, 2015 - "Is An Online Investment Advisory Service Right For You?"

Marketwatch - May 2, 2015 - "Can You Tell A Human Financial Adviser From A Robot?"

Kiplinger - May 1, 2015 - "4 Secrets To Buying Long-Term Care Insurance"

Financial Planning - April 29, 2015 - "Apple Watch Financial Apps: Too Soon?"

CNBC - April 17, 2015 - "Robo Firms Gaining Traction With Traditional Advisors"

New York Times - April 3, 2015 - "Why Paying For Financial Advice Makes Sense"

YahooFinance - April 2, 3015 - "The Battle of the Robo-Advisers Heats Up"

Kiplinger - April 1, 2015 - "Be Wary of "Senior" Experts"

Financial Advisor - April 1, 2015 - "The Long And Short Of It"

Time Money - March 31, 2015 - "Would You Trust Your Retirement To A Machine?"

Reuters - March 30, 2015 - "Three Tax Mistakes Even Smart People Make"

Wall Street Journal - March 27, 2015 - "The Investing Lesson of 1937: Hold Some Cash"

Investment News - March 26, 2015 - "Top 10 Adviser Marketing Myths"

US News - March 25, 2015 - "How Much Cash is Too Much Cash for Your Portfolio?"

Time Money - March 24, 2015 - "The Secrets to Making a $1 Million Retirement Stash Last"

Wall Street Journal - March 15, 2015 - "How to Fund a Roth IRA Through a Standard 401(k)"

Morningstar - March 11, 2015 - "Aftertax 401(k) Contributions Get More Attractive"

Morningstar - March 11, 2015 - "Retirement Planning in Overhauled Markets"

Bankrate - March 4, 2015 - "Take on the 52-Week Money Challenge"

Fiduciary News - March 3, 2015 - "The Best Way Plan Sponsors Should Pay Fees for 401k Fiduciary Advice"

CNBC - March 2, 2015 - "Robo-Advisors Have Yet To Prove Their Worth: Analysts"

RiaBiz - March 1, 2015 - "After Famous Twitter Feud, Jon Stein and Michael Kitces Make Up and Join Forces"

ThinkAdvisor - February 27, 2015 - "XY Planning Brings Betterment Institutional to Next-Gen Clients"

New York Times - February 27, 2015 - "Making Money Decisions When You Lose Your Job"

YahooFinance - February 25, 2015 - "Make Your Retirement Savings Last a Lifetime"

Investment News - February 24, 2015 - "Labor Department Rankles Advisers with Quick Video on Fiduciary"

Time Money - February 20, 2015 - "5 Ways to Invest Smarter at Any Age"

New York Times - February 19, 2015 - "Long-Term Care Insurance: Costs Are Up but Vary Widely"

Radical Personal Finance - February 17, 2015 - "The Massive Impact of Conferences on Personal Career and Income: Interview with Michael Kitces"

Wall Street Journal - February 17, 2015 - "Reaching Out to Clients' Children Worth the Effort?"

Think Advisor - February 17, 2015 - "Advisory Firms Enter Robo Race"

Fox Business - February 16, 2015 - "How to Avoid Running Out of Money in Retirement"

Wall Street Journal - February 15, 2015 - "Investors Snap Up Online Financial Advisers"

RiaBiz - February 11, 2015 - "What to Make of Fidelity Investments Paying $250 Million Out of the Blue For eMoney"

Wall Street Journal - February 1, 2015 - "Mini-Bonds: More Fun, More Risk"

Morningstar - February 1, 2015 - "Should You Make Aftertax Contributions to Your 401(k)?"

Wall Street Journal - February 1, 2015 - "Cash or Credit? Paying for Big Purchases"

Wall Street Journal - January 26, 2015 - "A Way to Fix Long-Term Care Insurance?"

Investment News - January 21, 2015 - "No More Face-to-Face Meetings"

Wall Street Journal - January 11, 2015 - "A New Savings Plan For The Disabled"

Think Advisor - December 31, 2014 - "6 Top Tax Changes for 2015"

Think Advisor - December 29, 2014 - "XY Planning Makes RIA Compliance Package Free for Members"

Knoxnews - December 27, 2014 - "Paul Fain: Advice From Around The Country for 2015"

CNBC - December 22, 2014 - "How Harvesting Losses Reaps Tax Savings"

Retirement Revised - December 19, 2014 - "Charitable IRA makes a last-minute comeback for 2014"

Bloomberg - December 17, 2014 - "Doing the Charitable Calculus: How to Give - and Get, Too"

ETF.com - December 17, 2014 - "How Investors Win By Being Just Average"

CNBC - December 4, 2014 - "Build An Investment Portfolio, One Dime At A Time"

LifeHealthPro - December 2, 2014 - "DIAs & QLACs: What the New Treasury Regulations Mean For Advisors"

Wall Street Journal - November 30, 2014 - "How To Think About Risk In Retirement"

Wall Street Journal - November 23, 2014 - "How Stocks Test Young Investors"

Yahoo! Finance - November 17, 2014 - "Should You Invest In More Risk As You Age?"

Investors.com - October 31, 2014 - "6 Steps to Help Financial Advisers Win Clients' Trust"

Wall Street Journal - October 27, 2014 - "How To Pump Up a Roth IRA"

US News & World Report - October 27, 2014 - "Financial Advisors vs. Robo-Advisors: Which Is Right For You?"

CNBC - October 27, 2014 - "Weighing the Pros and Cons of Annual Tax-Loss Harvesting"

Financial Planning - October 20, 2014 - "New Job Board for Independent Firms Launched"

Time Money - October 16, 2014 - "The Conventional Money Wisdom That Millennials Should Ignore"

Yahoo! Finance - October 14, 2014 - "When Switching to ETFs from Mutual Funds Make Sense"

The Globe & Mail - October 5, 2014 - "Playing Defense: Two Ways to Plan for Retirement"

Washington Post - September 29, 2014 - "How to Stay on Point with Target-Date Funds"

Wall Street Journal - September 26, 2014 - "The Roth-IRA Math for 50-Somethings"

Forbes - September 26, 2014 - "7 Steps to Stock Investing Without Too Much Risk"

CNBC - September 23, 2014 - "Focusing on Niches Adds Value, Fuels Returns"

Living On The Cheap - September 18, 2014 - "When To Claim Social Security"

Bankrate - September 17, 2014 - "File And Suspend Is Your Friend"

The Globe & Mail - September 9, 2014 - "Can You Live Better In Retirement Than Conventional Wisdom Suggests?"

Wall Street Journal - September 7, 2014 - "Beware Leaving a Roth for Heirs"

Dallas News - September 5, 2014 - "Human vs Machine: Which Financial Adviser To Choose?"

Bankrate - September 3, 2014 - "New IRA Rules That Close Up Some Loopholes"

Wall Street Journal - September 2, 2014 - "Can Your Financial Advisor Solve Your Retirement Puzzle?"

CNBC - September 2, 2014 - "Niche Knack: Looking To Grow, Advisors Start To Specialize"

Think Advisor - August 25, 2014 - "The Freewheeling Life of the Virtual Advisor"

Think Advisor - August 25, 2014 - "TD Ameritrade Fee Rebates: A Win or a Loss for Investors, Advisors?"

Wall Street Journal - August 23, 2014 - "Insurance Against Outliving Your Retirement Savings"

Professional Planner - August 20, 2014 - "Introducing Financial Planning 'Finology' - Where Investing Meets Investors"

Financial Standard - August 19, 2014 - "Licensees Must Be More Open To Social Media: AFA"

Wall Street Journal - August 16, 2014 - "Hate Earning No Interest? Here's Why Cash Isn't Trash"

The Globe & Mail - August 8, 2014 - "Three Retirement Strategies For A Low-Yield World"

US News & World Report - August 8, 2014 - "To Claim Or Not To Claim: When Should You Take Social Security?"

Bankrate - August 1, 2014 - "Turning On The Retirement Income Spigot"

Bankrate - July 23, 2014 - "Longevity Annuities for Retirees"

Morningstar - July 20, 2014 - "Should You Add Longevity Protection to Your Retirement Plan?"

Money Magazine - July 10, 2014 - "3 Ways to Make Your Money Last As Long As You Do"

Wall Street Journal - July 6, 2014 - "Essential Financial Steps for Young Workers"

Financial Advisor IQ - July 2, 2014 - "A Business Model Designed for Young Advisors"

Think Advisor - July 1, 2014 - "Kitces' NPR Announces First CFP Exam Scholarship Winners"

Financial Advisor IQ - June 26, 2014 - "Is Monthly Billing the Key to Young Clients' Hearts?"

Financial Advisor - June 24, 2014 - "NAPFA, XY Planning Network Team Up To Help Gen X And Y Advisors"

Investment News - June 23, 2014 - "40 Under 40 Profile"

Wealth Management - June 19, 2014 - "Where's the Real Money? In Delaying Social Security"

Financial Advisor IQ - June 17, 2014 - "Online Referral Services Under Microscope"

MarketWatch - June 17, 2014 - "Retirement: Is the 4% Solution Right For You?"

RIABiz - June 15, 2014 - "Thoughts on Robo-Advisors Served Cold"

Morningstar - June 11, 2014 - "Don't Let Your Standard of Living Outrun Your Savings"

Yahoo Finance - June 6, 2014 - "11 Best Financial Calculators for Millennials"

CNBC - June 3, 2014 - "Buffeted By Winds Of Change, Firms Rethink Strategies, Cast Wider Nets"

Yahoo Finance - June 2, 2014 - "Is It Smart To Sell Mutual Funds and Buy ETFs?"

CNBC - May 27, 2014 - "Technology to Spark Big Changes in Financial Services"

Investment News - May 14, 2014 - "What's an Alternative Investment, Anyway?"

New York Times - May 14, 2014 - "Playing Catch-Up While Retirement Remains Far Off"

Investment News - May 11, 2014 - "Delaying Social Security Can Outperform Investment Returns"

The Wall Street Journal - May 4, 2014 - "At Age 50, 'Senior' Benefits Begin for IRAs and 401(k)s for Retirement"

The Wall Street Journal - May 4, 2014 - "'Hybrid' Long-Term Care Policies: How to Tell If They're Right for You"

Morningstar - May 4, 2014 - "Why Adding To Stocks In Retirement Is A Good Idea"

Yahoo! Finance - May 2, 2014 - "Your Practice: Why financial advisers should choose a niche"

USA Today - May 2, 2014 - "Investing: When to take Social Security payments"

Bankrate - May 1, 2014 - "Should I Try A Digital Financial Adviser?"

Bottom Line Publications - May 1, 2014 - "Daring Strategy to Protect Your Nest Egg"

CNBC - April 30, 2014 - "Exit strategy: Why retirees need a withdrawal policy statement"

Research Magazine - April 28, 2014 - "Honing the Advisor's Tech Edge"

Investor Advisor Magazine - April 28, 2014 - "The IA 25 for 2014"

The Wall Street Journal - April 25, 2014 - "Does Switching to a Roth 401(k) Make Sense?"

Reuters - April 24, 2014 - "Why the IRS wants you to watch your IRA rollovers"

Financial Advisor - April 24, 2014 - "Five Easy-To-Use Tech Tools For Advisors"

AdvisorWebsites - April 23, 2014 - "Integrating Technology Into Your Advisory Firm"

CNN Money - April 23, 2014 - "Ready to start saving? Here's how to do it right"

Wall Street Journal - April 13, 2014 - "Mistakes to Avoid When Shopping for Long-Term Care Insurance"

New York Times - April 11, 2014 - "Financial Advice for People Who Aren't Rich"

Morningstar - April 5, 2014 - "Traditional or Roth IRA? 4 Things to Look At"

Wealth Management - April 4, 2014 - "XY Planning Network Opens for Young Advisors"

jeffbullas.com - April 2, 2014 - "The Social Media Marketing Secrets of Smart Savvy Bloggers"

Kiplinger - April 1, 2014 - "Boost Your After-Tax Investment Returns"

Investment Executive - April 1, 2014 - "Convention Wisdom"

American Association of Individual Investors - April 1, 2014 - "Reduce Stock Exposure in Retirement, or Gradually Increase It?"

CNBC.com - March 30, 2014 - "Are you a stock or a bond in life?"

Financial Planning - March 27, 2014 - "New Kitces Network to Target Planners for Gen X & Y"

Financial Times - March 25, 2014 - "Advisers Cautious About Social Media"

MSN Money - March 19, 2014 - "Where to save after maxing out your 401k and Roth IRA"

MSN Money - March 17, 2014 - "Do target-date funds have it backward?"

Morningstar - March 12, 2014 - "Key Factors in the IRA Debate"

Yahoo! Finance - March 7, 2014 - "Your Practice - The Rise and Rise of the Virtual Financial Adviser"

Financial Planning - March 1, 2014 - "Persuade Clients to Do the Right Thing"

CNN Money - February 28, 2014 - "Plan for the critical first decade of retirement"

The Street - February 28, 2014 - "Are Target-Date Retirement Funds Doing Things Backward?"

Detroit Free Press - February 22, 2014 - "Do you have 'financial advisor anxiety'? Get over it"

Dave Terpening Insurance Agency, Inc. - February 12, 2014 - "Nickels and Dimes: Budgeting for Healthcare"

The New York Times - February 10, 2014 - "Sites to Manage Personal Wealth Gaining Ground"

LA Times - February 9, 2014 - "Financial Pointers for the 99%"

The New York Times - February 7, 2014 - "Minimizing the Tax Drag on Your Investments"

Reuters - February 6, 2014 - "How Obamacare is creating new pathways to retirement"

Investment News - February 6, 2014 - "New CFP Board chairman stands firm on fee-only definition, sets goals for group's growth"

Investment News - February 6, 2014 - "Kitces, Wealthfront trade punches over online tax-loss-harvesting feature"

The Reverse Review - February 1, 2014 - "Spotlight: Breaking Down the Barriers"

The Wall Street Journal - February 2, 2014 - "More Answers to IRA Questions"

Bloomberg Personal Finance - January 29, 2014 - "There's Something About MyRA"

New York Magazine - January 29, 2014 - "Did President Obama's "MyRA" Proposal Just Solve Two Huge Problems With Retirement Saving?"

Asklizweston.com - January 28, 2014 - "Reverse Mortgages: No Longer A Last Resort?"

Financial Planning - January 27, 2014 - "Judge Rules Against CFP Board in Camardas Lawsuit"

Star Tribune - January 25, 2014 - "A Wealth of Options For Money Advice"

ThinkAdvisor.com - January 17, 2014 - "Did CFP Board Shorten Exams to Lure Certificants?"

RIABiz.com - January 14, 2014 - "The RIABiz top 10 Industry Blogs -- and which bloggers they recommend"

Betterment - January 14, 2014 - "Where Will You Get Your Financial Advice in the Future?"

Investment News - January 14, 2014 - "Robo-advisor Wealthfront grows, but is it mainstream or just a niche?"

The Wall Street Journal - January 12, 2014 - "What You Know About Retirement Investing Is Wrong"

The Wall Street Journal - January 9, 2014 - "Fund Investors, Don't Forget Embedded Gains (and Losses)

AARP - January 1, 2014 - "Securing Income for Life"

CNN.com - January 1, 2014 - "How Much Should You Hold In Stocks?"

ThinkAdvisor.com - January 1, 2014 - "Is Cash Value Life Insurance Disappearing?"

Journal of Financial Planning - January 1, 2014 - "Reducing Retirement Risk with a Rising Equity Glide Path"

Mailbag: Home Office Vs Outside Office Space And Credibility As A Startup Financial Planner

January 2, 2014 07:01 am 8 Comments CATEGORY: MailBag

Many readers of this blog contact me directly with questions and comments. While often the responses are very specific to a particular circumstance, occasionally the subject matter is general enough that it might be of interest to others as well. Accordingly, I will occasionally post a new "MailBag" article, presenting the question or comment (on a strictly anonymous basis!) and my response, in the hopes that the discussion may be useful food for thought.

In this week's MailBag, we look at a question about whether it's important and necessary to have a physical office space when you're starting your financial planning practice, or if it's just a waste of money. Can any advisor really establish trust and credibility with clients with only a digital presence, or is that limited to just younger advisors serving younger clientele?