solutions that work

Yep, it’s that time of year again. Starbucks has released its eagerly anticipated (at least by some) series of holiday themed cups, along with a lineup of holiday drinks, such as Peppermint Mocha and Caramel Brulée. Since 1997, Starbucks has released a series of holiday cups, with varying degrees of controversy attached to them. Some were too Christmas

As you drove into work today, Election Day, perhaps you paid special attention to all the lawn signs along the way. Or maybe you didn’t—which wouldn’t be surprising. When there are seas of signs (let’s call them marketing messages), all congregating in one spot, it’s hard for us to decide which are worthy of our

A recent survey conducted by EY revealed that about one-third of high-net-worth clients are considering switching advisors over the next three years. Many are looking for greater value and some are questioning whether fees based on assets under management are fair. High-net-worth clients often work with multiple providers to meet different needs, so they can

Last month, Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., announced the October launch of IBKR Lite, a new offering that would provide commission-free trades on U.S. exchange-listed stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Not to be outdone, three days later, Charles Schwab, the largest publicly traded online broker, followed suit similarly eliminating all commissions on online stock trades. Later the same day TD Ameritrade

Client experience. Relationship building. Client-centric service—all standard in wealth management. You work hard every day, and sometimes into the night, to give your clients what they want and need. No doubt you communicate through email and possibly texting. These are great methods for client communication, but when was the last time you sent a handwritten

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), an initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance. The effort includes extensive media coverage and industry collaboration, which means your clients may be hearing a lot about this in the next few weeks. This year’s theme, Own IT. Secure IT.

Another trend toward the digitalization of financial services can be found by what is known as “buy-now, pay-later” firms, the most well-known of which is Australian fintech company Afterpay. This model competing with traditional bank and credit card “lending” allows consumers to pay over time, without revolving debt, interest payments or other fees. Average outstanding balances on Afterpay

As expected, passive U.S. equity funds this past month officially surpassed active U.S. equity funds in assets under management. By the end of August, passive U.S. funds had total net assets of $4.27 trillion, compared with $4.25 trillion in active U.S. equity funds, according to data provided by Morningstar. At the end of the day, performance