For Susan Hirshman, it was one of those unfortunate intersections where family dynamics and financial planning meet. About six years ago, a recently widowed client asked her son to step in and help handle her portfolio. But, when the son suggested...
Perhaps the hardest words an advisor has to speak are these: I don't know. Sure, they have the advantage of making an advisor look confident and ethical enough to speak the truth, but they also leave the speaker feeling inadequate. Experience is...
For most families, the arrival of children marks the happiest stage of life, but unfortunately, the feelings of unadulterated bliss tend to be very short-lived. If diapers, late-night feedings, babysitters and countless trips to the doctor are not...
When Brian, a successful young North Carolina businessman, notified the planned giving department at a mid-size Southern university that he had irrevocably named them as the remainder beneficiary on his $1 million charitable remainder unitrust...
According to a recent Securities Industry Association survey, only 10 percent of investors view the financial services industry in a favorable light, but that isn't necessarily bad news for financial advisors. In fact, for those who can convince...
Almost half of all married couples end up divorced, according to the U.S. Census. But 75 percent of those people jump right back into marriage again. And while your clients would like to believe they got it right the second time around, remind...
Yes, the rich are different from you and me, most notably in terms of the financial advice they seek. If you aspire to serving these folks and who doesn't these days? be prepared to bone up on the special issues and problems of the ultra-wealthy...
Your Magic 8 ball has a better chance of predicting the outcome of the current estate tax enigma then you do. Couple that with the uncertainty of the stock market, and you have the making of some panicky clients. While you can't predict the future...
