Opinion News from Financial Planning

Internal succession planning is messier but aligns with a true fiduciary firm's core values, argues Neela Hummel of Abacus Wealth.

Red flags may abound, but so do arguments for an extended equities streak. Keeping clients on an even keel is crucial.

Agentic AI will continue to automate financial planner workflows — and that's a good thing.

As adoption of the dual-wrapper products accelerates, so will questions about timing, pricing and residual balances.

Tax-loss harvesting's overlooked cousin can pay off for clients with low-earning years, concentrated positions or UTMA accounts.

A tiered service model should make clients feel valued while helping the firm scale.

The "in-kind" method allows investors to diversify highly appreciated stock without handing over a chunk of the profit to the IRS.

A detailed to-do list for SEC-registered firms to build a foundation for compliant and effective anti-money laundering protocols.

The epic OBBBA tax law brings glad tidings to most families, but complacency can lead to costs for financial advisors and their clients.

The GENIUS and Clarity Acts and SEC guidance on custody clear a path for advisors recommending digital asset strategies, albeit with expanded diligence protocols.

The broker-dealer veteran saw her firm's revenue model as a fair trade — even a badge of honor — before going independent.

Rethink bonds and hedged funds while prepping clients for a market correction — or worse — in the coming year, counsels the CEO of Toews Asset Management.

Discipline, esprit de corps and a detailed playbook for advisors provided the growth engine for the enterprise.

Artificial intelligence isn't an algorithmic takeover but an essential wealth management tool.

Advisors who reframed strategic decisions shifted investor perceptions of identical financial results, research shows; here's what that means for retirement planning.

Every independent RIA has unique access to one niche: the prospects in their own ZIP code. Smart advisors can turn that information into a community-based customer pool.

Scary good voice cloning technology means advisors can no longer believe what — or more accurately, who — they're hearing on the phone. Rigorous verification protocols are the new key to gaining client trust.

Bad things can happen when advisory firm employees experiment with shiny new AI applications. An innocent "test drive" could trigger data breaches and compliance snafus.

Big aggregators could feel the heat if private equity continues to fund $500M to $1B-AUM firms.

Bankruptcies at First Brands and Tricolor should be a wake-up call for banks exposed to the private credit market. Banks should treat indirect lending to shadow banks as a high-risk activity that demands active oversight.