Schwab Advisor Services debuted a nationwide television advertising campaign on Monday that supports and advocates for independent financial advisors. The campaign, titled Independent Difference is airing regularly on CNBC and Fox Business Network, in addition to features in traditional print and various online media. The commercials include independent advisors who custody with Charles Schwab and promote fiduciary advice and the advantage of the independent model, particularly for high-net-worth investors. “We are proud to be out in front on behalf of the industry using national television as a channel for raising awareness of independent financial advisors," said Susan Forman, senior vice president and head of marketing for Schwab Advisor Services. "More and more investors are hearing about the fiduciary standard and have questions about what that means. As the largest custodian, we believe it is our responsibility to educate investors about the fiduciary model and the benefits independent advisors provide.” The ads can be viewed here.
Edward Jones Top Workplace for Women
Edward Jones is the top financial services workplace for women, according to this year's “100 Best Companies to Work For” rankings by Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine. Edward Jones took third place in the Best Workplace for Women category overall and was the top-ranked financial services firm. Among the initiatives Edward Jones was singled out for was its “CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion” pledge, a CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace, and its recently launched female-only network of financial advisors, called Women’s Initiative for New Growth Strategies or WINGS. “As the dynamics of our workforce and the clients we serve continue to evolve, we must embrace diversity of thought, background and experience across our firm,” said Monica Giuseffi, principal of Financial Advisor Inclusion and Diversity at Edward Jones. “We are actively working to increase client impact by attracting, retaining and developing talented individuals from various backgrounds, with different life skills to most effectively address their needs.”
Is The Bull Market Making Investors Complacent?
A slight majority of Americans (54 percent) are worried about a market correction coming this year that will take back “significant gains,” according to a new study by Wells Fargo and Gallup. However, most investors aren’t doing anything to shield their portfolio. Less than half of those surveyed are working with an advisor, and even fewer say they rebalance their portfolios. Only 18 percent are selling stocks to protect from losses, and 20 percent are buying bonds to reduce exposure to market risk. Heather Hunt-Ruddy, head of client experience and growth at Wells Fargo Advisors, chalked this complacency up to a protracted bull market. “With a market correction inevitable at some point, it’s important for investors to check their confidence with a comprehensive risk assessment to determine how a market correction could affect their overall investment strategies,” Hunt-Ruddy said.
