The regular meeting of the Fed starts today.

May was another good month, albeit one with some ups and downs.

Leaving your wirehouse for the independent channel means you have an exciting opportunity to redefine yourself, what you do, and who you serve. Let our checklist help you create a strong brand identity that resonates with your ideal clients and sets you apart from the competition.

Today marks, in many ways, the birthday of my profession.

Thinking about leaving the wirehouse? Starting your own firm isn't for everyone, but it can be a rewarding journey for you and your clients. Read this case study to learn about two former wirehouse advisors who made the leap to independence, the challenges they faced, and the success they found.

Infrastructure is the backbone of any healthy economy, and America’s is in desperate need of refurbishment and investment.

The first quarter looks to be the turning point, both for the pandemic here in the U.S. and for the economic damage it has caused.

One of your best chances for growth comes from client interactions and networking activities. That’s where additional assets, opportunities, and referrals come from. Simply put, the more time you spend with clients and professionals already in your circle, the greater your productivity potential.

Is inflation coming? At some point, yes. We know what generates inflation, and we will be watching for it. Until then, we do not expect a wildfire in inflation land.

Examining your marketing strategies and committing them to paper can transform your ideas into a powerful platform for success. 5 Steps to an Effective Marketing Plan will help you create an organized, thoughtful written plan to raise your competitive profile and enhance your ability to attract and retain valuable clients.

There has been a lot of talk about whether the stock market is in a bubble. As usual, there are distinguished professionals on both sides of the debate, armed with convincing statistics and arguments. So, what is the average investor to do?

The economic news has continued to soften in recent days. December saw layoffs go up and the number of jobs decline, and, this morning, the retail sales numbers dropped. Consumer confidence has gone down. Clearly, the economic headwinds from the pandemic are getting worse.

What’s the story for the economy and markets in 2021? According to Commonwealth CIO Brad McMillan, the recovery has been steady and much faster than expected. Even with ongoing uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus and some anticipated setbacks, McMillan outlines why we may still be on track to something approaching pre-pandemic normal by the end of 2021. Download his 2021 outlook.

The third wave of the pandemic may be showing signs of a peak. While new cases remain very high, the seven-day daily average was down for two days in the past week, suggesting we may be close to a peak.

As we consider what may happen in 2021, it’s useful to reflect on how we ended 2020—both the good and the bad. For the good, the election is behind us. Vaccines look to be more effective than anyone expected. Jobs and confidence are holding up surprisingly well as the economy adapts. In many ways, things are much better than we thought.

Total new jobs came in at 245,000. This result was well below the 460,000 expected and even further below the 638,000 we saw last month. Looking under the hood, the details were not great either.

As expected, the medical news continues to get worse. New infections hit all-time highs last week as the third wave of the pandemic has accelerated around the country. Case growth in many states remains at levels that threaten health care systems.

A lot has changed in the past week. I normally try and get this post up earlier in the month, but with everything that has happened—and which has demanded comment—this is the earliest I could fit it in. But that is a good thing...

“It will take as long as it takes,” a reported quote from the Pennsylvania attorney general about the vote count, can also apply to the election itself. Indeed, from where we stand right now, the Pennsylvania vote count will determine the election. We don’t know what the final answer is, and we don’t know when we will know. So, are we any further along than yesterday?

Want to make the most of year-end planning conversations with clients? This checklist outlines 10 key points to get you started, including new tax and retirement changes in 2020 due to the pandemic. Use this easy reference guide to help your clients get a jump on planning.

Implementing a comprehensive estate plan requires meticulous coordination of the financial, legal, and tax aspects of your client’s life. By asking the right questions and being prepared for issues that may arise, you can take a central role in the planning process and cement yourself as a trusted advisor. Our guide provides the steps you can take to help ensure that all your client’s needs and wishes are being met.

Hiring a next-gen advisor can benefit every aspect of your business and set you up for long-term success and growth. Download our free white paper to learn insights and actionable steps you can take to help you find the perfect candidate and retain top talent to position your firm for the future.

Although many millennial women’s needs will overlap with their more established counterparts, younger female clients face unique challenges and opportunities. Our complimentary checklist shows how you can guide these clients to become more knowledgeable, empowered, and confident about their financial outlook. Learn more about why millennial women are an emerging clientele, ways advisors can serve them better, and the right questions to ask to encourage independence.

Markets continued to rise in June, as efforts to reopen state economies across the country continued throughout the month. Investors reacted to the continued reopening with optimism, driving the S&P 500 up 1.99 percent in June following a 4.76 percent increase in May.

June was a mixed month. The national reopening in May and June led to new viral outbreaks and a spike in new infections in multiple states. Surprisingly, though, both the economic recovery and financial markets did very well. As we enter July, the question of many minds is whether the medical situation will improve—and whether the good economic and market news will continue.

May was a good month, in terms of the virus, the economy, and the markets. But what does this positive news mean for the month ahead?

April saw markets rebound from the recent lows set in March, as progress combating the spread of the coronavirus gave hope to investors. The S&P 500 gained 12.82 percent during the month, marking the best single month for the index since 1987.

In unsteady times, steady talk with your clients can make all the difference in enabling you to strengthen bonds and solidify trust with them. You don’t have to have all the answers—but an effective communications approach can help them feel anchored and ensure that your practice keeps thriving. Our complimentary guide outlines five clear-cut strategies for helping you talk through the uncertainty and position yourself as your clients’ solid ground.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. April was a Dickens of a month. But what lies ahead? Let’s take a closer look.

As we did last week, I’d like to provide an update on where we are in the coronavirus crisis. This week, the news has generally been good. The virus continues to come under control, with the growth rate slowing (although the case count has not declined as much).

Things have quieted a bit (but only a bit) in terms of the coronavirus crisis. As such, I thought it would be a good time to provide an update on this evolving situation. Let’s start with the trends in the spread of the virus to understand what they mean in the present for the markets, as well as in the future for the pandemic itself and the economy.

March was a really tough month. After a terrible February, all major stock indices were down by double digits, leading to significant declines for the quarter as a whole. All of the major indices ended the month and quarter below their 200-day moving averages, often a sign of more trouble ahead.

Numerous surveys show that women often defer to their male partner regarding financial decisions. By doing so, they may be tragically unprepared to deal with their financial affairs in the event of divorce or death of a spouse. But there’s a solution: get women involved in financial planning by sharing your knowledge. Our free checklist details key steps toward helping female clients understand and gain control of their finances.

As expected, the initial jobless claims report—the one that shows how many people have been laid off and are newly applying for unemployment assistance—was a shocker this morning. Three million people lost their jobs and applied for unemployment last week. This is by far the highest number ever, with the previous record at just under 700,000 in 1982.