Gaining Perspective

This is a bittersweet moment.  We are recording this on April 26, and April 30 will be my final day at VettaFi, after which I will no longer be associated with the Advisor Perspectives publication. This will be the final episode of the nearly 500 that I have hosted for the Gaining Perspective podcast. There is no better topic to discuss in this podcast than the state of journalism in the advisory...

Tax-management strategies are crucial for clients, and they need today’s most sophisticated tools to relieve the tax burden for their clients. In this episode, my guest will dive into those strategies, such as tax-loss harvesting, and will explain how tax technology plays a significant role in driving value through smart, automated processes that find the right investment strategies for every clie...

My guest today believes that the underperformance of the Magnificent 7 is creating opportunities in small-cap equities as investors look to loosen their portfolio concentration in large-cap names. In addition, increased small-cap M&A activity, better credit market conditions, and a lower cost of capital, are creating fertile ground for small-cap companies. Here are some links to learn more abo...

Most platforms for alternative investments are just concerned with getting advisors access to those investments. But advisors need education on the role alternatives can play in asset allocation and how creating portfolios that complement traditional assets drive business growth. My guest today will discuss: How alternative investments benefit an RIA’s client’s portfolio and grow their business. W...

The advisory profession is sitting on the precipice of major cyber-related regulation set to impact advisors of all sizes. But RIAs are not cybersecurity experts; many are not prepared for the requirements expected to be released by the SEC, and it could negatively impact their businesses. The cost of a cyber incident and reputational damage is further amplified given the deeply personal nature of...

Private equity and venture capital funds have consistently outperformed public markets. But beyond those funds, there is a more specialized approach for investors to capitalize on the private markets: secondary transactions, often known as “secondaries.” My guest today, Andrew Krei, will navigate through the complexities of this dynamic sector, highlighting its potential rewards for investors seek...

How can financial advisors navigate the changing custody landscape and keep up with the ongoing demands of their clients? My guest will discuss the keys to advisor success, including how technology is impacting the profession, advisors' biggest pain points, unique offerings that firms should consider for their clients, and how to find the right custodian who will help during times of transition an...

Most clients have no idea what retirement failure means to them and how a given failure rate should influence their planning. My guests today will present a planning framework that improves existing models by dynamically adjusting for market performance and longevity. When saving for retirement it’s common for advisors to evaluate progress toward a savings goal and recommend course corrections to...

Amid higher interest rates and consequently higher yields, investors have piled into cash. My guest today will explain why it’s time to make a move. His position is that cash should be an asset to provide for short-term (less than 12 months) liquidity needs. Beyond that, investors should consider an appropriately diversified portfolio to achieve their financial goals. While short-term performance...

Change is happening all around us at an accelerating rate.  To exploit that change, rather than be exploited by it, professional advisors need power and capability that is protected by true independence.  My guest today is a pioneer of the business model that was created to deliver that combination, what is now called outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO).  Jon Hirtle will explain why he is j...

Diversification is a core principle of sound investing, but building a diversified portfolio is much easier in theory than in practice. In the recently published “2024 Diversification Landscape,” portfolio strategist Amy Arnott of Morningstar took a deep dive into the diversification potential of several major asset classes. As advisors build their clients’ portfolios, there are a few lessons from...

The multi-trillion-dollar ESG fund industry faces a regulatory problem. By the end of 2025, funds with net assets of $1 billion or more must comply with the amendments to SEC Rule 35d-1, better known as the “names rule.” It requires funds with names that include ESG terms have at least 80% of the fund invested in assets that aligned with those terms. The amendments strengthen prospectus disclosure...

Today’s technology-driven landscape makes it easier than ever for RIAs to embrace automation across their tech stack and supercharge their businesses. Advisors can save time and minimize errors by using trading and rebalancing tools, portfolio management and CRM systems to manage accounts. Automation in data analysis also frees up time to provide more personalized advice or pursue new business. Du...

With nearly 4.5 million Americans turning 65 in 2024, advisors are navigating four core risks that will impact their portfolios in retirement: longevity, inflation, volatility, and emotions. We will discuss new research by Dr. Wade Pfau, professor at The American College of Financial Services. He did this research on behalf of Equitable to look at how to improve the efficient frontier, enhance ris...

Large international index funds do not account for geopolitical risk. Corruption has costs, and in this age of conflict with rising tensions in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere, investors are faced with a daunting landscape while US markets are near highs. Should investors ride the momentum or transition and rotate to sectors that represent greater value and higher forward expected r...

Let’s explore the world of cash. One year after the collapse of SVB, fiduciaries need to understand the cash management platforms on the market, including the fine print that can make or break a client relationship. The right platform will help the advisor provide more holistic advice and grow their AUM organically. My guest will discuss what advisors need to know about cash sweep accounts and how...

On March 8 of this year, BlackRock announced its agreement to acquire the remaining equity interest in SpiderRock Advisors, LLC, a leading provider of customized option overlay strategies in U.S. wealth markets – a move that builds on BlackRock’s minority investment in SpiderRock, made in 2021, and reinforces BlackRock’s commitment to personalized separately managed accounts. Led by President and...

Investors are choosing bonds in record numbers – in 2023, global bond ETFs gathered an annual record of over $300 billion in flows with iShares leading with $113 billion. My guest today will explain why this will continue, as many investors are still significantly underweight to fixed income, with a 22% average allocation. You will hear why investors need to step out of cash and move faster into f...

The easiest new client to get is the one that you don’t lose. Focusing on client retention is the key to the success of any business – whether you are an RIA or FA with 300 clients, or a mutual fund manager with 300,000 or three million shareholders. What are the lessons learned from past periods of stock and bond market stress applicable to client retention? How can regulators, watching the mutua...

The economy, inflation, interest rates and market valuations drive the key questions facing advisors. Does the tech stock landscape mirror the boom of 1996 or the bust of 2000? What will be the impact of Meta's inaugural dividend payment? Is now the time to increase allocations to international Markets? What are the challenges faced by retail banks by not providing competitive rates and the result...

The impending retirement wave poses a critical challenge to the advisory profession. Nearly 40% of advisors plan to retire in the next decade. My guest today will explain why the profession is at an inflection point and proactive planning is essential for continued success. We will delve into best practices to transition to the next generation of advisors and investors, strategies for recruiting j...

Guessing the direction of interest rates is no easier than any other tactical or market timing decision. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note is just under 3.9%. That is about 100 basis points less than it was a few months ago. Fed policy is uncertain, inflation has not been fully controlled, and fiscal deficits loom as a long-term risk for yields to go higher. Those factors argue in f...

Commodities have played a pivotal role in financial markets since 2020. Pipelines have been blown up, shipping routes have been disrupted, droughts lowered electricity output, Panama Canal traffic increased, and agricultural prices rose to name just a few recent incidents. Yet commodities also remain an asset class that is not well understood. Today, we will dive into the state of the commodity ma...

More advisors and firms are moving to fee-centric affiliation models, dropping their FINRA registrations and focusing on providing investment advice for a fee. What is the driver behind this trend? Today, we’ll explore the models under which an advisor could move to a fee-based practice, the benefits, the changes from a product and compensation perspective, and the key considerations for those con...

In a chaotic and uncertain world, investors crave a measure of predictability. Despite the best efforts of strategists and analysts to predict how markets will perform, no one knows what the future will hold. Defined-outcome ETFs offer investors a new way to reduce uncertainty while still maintaining exposure to the market’s upside. This has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the ETF mark...