Webinars for Financial Professionals

Direct Index Investing Demystified

Direct index investing has been growing in popularity, particularly among high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. This investment strategy has not yet reached mainstream retail investors, but it is expected to grow faster than ETFs, mutual funds, and separately managed accounts over the next five years. Recent fin-tech advancements have made it easier to manage the complexities of direct index investing, but what is direct index investing precisely?  

The ABCs of BDCs

*Hidalgo, K. (2023, October 27). How private credit gives banks a run for their money. Bloomberg. Retrieved July 10, 2024, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-27/what-is-private-credit-and-how-doe s-it-work#xj4y7vzkg

2024 Tax Policy and Economic Update

SECURE Act 2.0 was signed into law in December of 2022, but there are provisions of SECURE 2.0 that will start to go into effect this year, including:

• New IRA and 401(k) contribution limits
• The Starter 401(k) plan
• Student loan payments eligible for 401(k) match treatment

View this webinar for a succinct look at the above provisions as well as an update on economic indicators and the fiscal legislation and how they will affect you, your practice and your clients in 2024.

Artificial Intelligence – Financial Advisors’ New Top Competitor & What To Do About It 

No longer a dream relegated to science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) is now a reality. AI differs from previous technologies because it has the unique ability to contribute to its own growth and development. The scientific community describes this new, breathtaking growth curve as stacked exponential acceleration.  We may be on the verge of a technological revolution as significant as the creation of the internet.

Robo-advisors already manage in excess of $1 trillion of investments.  Robo-advisors can also measure client risk tolerance, construct complex, efficient portfolios in seconds and trade without emotion.  In addition to all this, AI “bots” are capable of interacting with humans.  In the era of remote, digital meetings, bots look and sound astonishingly human, never sleep and may quickly become a financial advisor’s top competitor.

Recession: Which Indicators Should Cause Financial Planners to Be Concerned?

Reading economic conditions to help guide investing advice is core to financial planners' jobs. With the myriad of economic indicators available, which are important to pay attention to? And, when there is a prolonged downturn in economic activity, which indicators should cause financial planners to be concerned?

Navigating Lifelong Learning in Finance Careers

A changing world - in technology, new products and services and the workforce - necessitates continuous learning in finance careers. At various stages of one’s career, deep specialty knowledge is needed and at other stages broad business knowledge is likely needed. Careers in financial planning, investment analysis and management inevitably may move between these levels. This webinar will take a look at graduate degrees (MBA and specialty masters) and industry designation programs (CFA charter, CFP^® certification and CAIA charter) through this lens.

Deciphering the Retirement Planning Impact of the SECURE Act 2.0

Dubbed the “SECURE Act 2.0”, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 was signed into law on December 29, 2022. As one of the most sweeping pieces of legislation financial planners have seen in years, SECURE 2.0 contains numerous changes that impact retirement planning and taxation. Astonishingly, some of these changes take effect immediately. Others will go into effect as early as 2024. In this webinar, gain answers to common questions.

Through the Lens of Behavioral Finance—Investor Biases

Interest rates on debt are climbing, inflation is roaring, and the stock market remains volatile, yet consumer spending keeps rising. External factors—such as current economic conditions—are causing stress for individual investors and their advisors. Internal factors related to the psychology of money are also associated with stress. Investors respond to these internal and external cues by employing faulty heuristics and displaying harmful biases, affecting financial outcomes. This webinar will help you learn to identify and manage stress-induced behaviors in clients and professionals alike.

Retirement Advisor Insights: Unique Issues of Government and Military Employees

Over 25 million Americans are government (federal, state, or local governments) and military employees. They represent approximately 15% of the United States workforce. This growing employee segment and their families face unique retirement planning dynamics that financial advisors should be aware of to help clients make sound decisions. We will introduce you to some of the basic financial issues they face when it comes to aspects like retirement contributions, tax implications, and benefit options.

Through the Lens of Behavioral Finance—Stock Market Bubbles

It happens all the time: a client has just read about a stock that is going through the roof, and they want in on the deal. You are witnessing a bubble in the stock market, which can result in financial ruin for investors and perpetuate market volatility. Behavioral finance research has uncovered root causes of these bubbles in investor biases. Learn to recognize and mitigate clients’ irrational behavior, and preserve portfolios and financial plans.

A Brief Primer: College Athletes As Financial Planning Clients

Sustainable Investing in Times of Military Conflict 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has rocked financial markets across the world, leaving many investors to believe that riding the surge of oil, gas, and armament companies is the only way to preserve capital for the future. Although many investing experts have touted the importance of sustainable investments in recent years, there has been a slight exodus in interest for sustainable investing, namely because most mutual funds and ETFs exclude the aforementioned industries. Ethics aside, there are numerous reasons why military conflict and market instability should not be reasons to discount the long-term power of sustainable investment options. We will discuss why times of conflict are actually the best times to consider making the switch to a sustainable portfolio.

Diversity and Inclusion in Financial Planning Education: Creating a Diverse Workforce

This web seminar introduces the theoretical foundations of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and considers the advantages and challenges associated with a diverse workforce. It presents a conceptual framework of diversity in financial planning, examining factors that affect diversity in the financial planning education and profession. Finally, it discusses a roadmap to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the financial planning workplace.

Meeting the Investor Education Demand for Sustainable Investing

Sustainable investing in the United States continues to expand at a robust pace: as of 2020, one in three investment dollars in the United States uses environmental, social, and governance criteria for analysis.* As the demand for investing in ESG products, impact strategies, and sustainable investment funds grow, it is critical for financial advisors to learn and understand sustainable investing in order to effectively meet this new wave of client demand.