Financial services is an ever-changing industry and as an advisor, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest news, trends and developments. After all, your clients rely on you to have the most current information in order to make informed decisions when managing their portfolios. Reading through financial advisor magazines, either online or in print, is something you might prioritize as part of your daily round.
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Financial Advisor Magazines To Consider
There are a number of publications that target financial advisors but if you don’t have a lot of time to spare, it’s helpful to know which ones are worth a read. We’ve rounded up 10 good options to read for financial professionals who want to stay current on what’s happening in the industry.
1. Financial Advisor Magazine
- Format: Digital and print
- Subscription cost: Free
Financial Advisor Magazine consistently ranks as one of the best publications for advisors and other financial professionals. The magazine’s readership, which extends to 80,000 qualified readers monthly, includes financial planners, registered investment advisors and independent broker-dealers. In addition to a large body of articles, readers also have access to on-demand webcast presentations and white papers that take a deep dive into topics ranging from retirement planning to real estate investing.
2. Financial Planning
- Format: Digital and print
- Subscription cost: $319/year for Premium
Financial Planning features news articles, opinion pieces and educational content for financial advisors and wealth managers. Key topics covered include taxes, investing, practice management, regulation and compliance, tech and industry news. Premium subscribers have access to quizzes that can allow them to earn up to 12 hours of continuing education credit from the CFP Board. Other features include access to webinars and white papers, podcasts, an up-to-date calendar of conferences and events, as well as a job board.
3. ThinkAdvisor
ThinkAdvisor is designed for financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers who are interested in growing their businesses. Readers can browse articles on the ThinkAdvisor website or read digital versions of Investment Advisor magazine. Some of the topics covered here include retirement planning, financial planning, practice management, regulation and compliance, technology, health insurance and life insurance. ThinkAdvisor readers also have access to webcasts, podcasts and more than two dozen topic-focused newsletters.
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: Free
4. Advisor Today
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: Free
Advisor Today is the digital magazine of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). Stories cover three main topic areas: practice specialties, sales and marketing and practice management. In addition to the online magazine, financial professionals can also read through the Advisor Today blog, which covers everything from life insurance to annuities to business planning. If you’re interested in webcasts or podcasts, you can browse through the magazine’s archives online.
5. AdvisorHub
- Format: Digital and print
- Subscription cost: Free
AdvisorHub is primarily a news-focused website covering market trends, enforcement stories involving advisory firms, fintech and the latest mergers and acquisitions. Financial professionals can access digital versions of two different magazines online: AdvisorHub and AdvisorHubRIA, which is targeted toward registered investment advisors. If you prefer to consume content in video format, there’s also a video library as well as a roundup of the best financial advisor podcasts delivering the latest industry news.
6. Advisor Perspectives
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: $350/year for Premium membership
Advisor Perspectives offers articles, commentary, charts and market outlooks all in one place. The magazine covers an extensive range of topics, including college planning, specialty investments, tax planning and financial planning. Advisors can access articles and other resources online for free, with upgraded benefits available for premium subscribers. At the premium level, you can get access to exclusive webinars that can help you earn continuing education credit, including CE Ethics credit, as well as the opportunity to curate your own personal library of topics, articles and authors.
7. Proactive Advisor Magazine
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: Free
Proactive Advisor Magazine features content that’s focused on practice management, industry insights and market commentary. Articles are available for free online along with resources that offer a more in-depth look at practice management, active management strategies and social media marketing for advisors. You can also view weekly charts or share your own insights as a featured advisor on the site. When you subscribe, new content is delivered to your inbox each week.
8. Advisors Magazine
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: Free
Advisors Magazine takes an in-depth look at topics spanning finance, business and technology. Within the realm of finance, advisors can read about retirement planning, financial literacy, fiduciary standards, wealth protection, investing and the economy at large. There’s also a library of video content to explore as well. Advisors have an opportunity to get featured in the magazine, which might be something you find helpful if you’re looking for ways to market your business and drive traffic to your website.
9. InvestmentNews
- Format: Digital and print
- Subscription cost: $199/year for digital; $269/year for digital and print
InvestmentNews is designed to be a leading source of news, analysis and insight for financial advisors and wealth management professionals. Topics include investing, regulation, technology, practice management, RIAs, tax planning, retirement and fintech. There’s also an online community that’s designed for women in the advisory space and InvestmentNews sponsors the annual Women Advisors Summit. In addition to articles, there are videos, webcasts and podcasts along with the Advisor Toolkit, which features expertise and outlooks from industry thought leaders.
10. Journal of Financial Planning
- Format: Digital
- Subscription cost: Free with Financial Planning Association membership
The Journal of Financial Planning is published by the Financial Planning Association and it’s considered to be a gold standard for financial planners who are seeking thought leadership. You can access the latest issues digitally online or through the FPA mobile app, and archived issues are also available. Membership in the Financial Planning Association is required in order to read the journal. There are five membership levels to choose from, each of which has its own dues you’ll need to pay annually.
Bottom Line
Reading financial advisor magazines can help you gain insights into what’s happening with the industry and which trends you might bear watching. The magazines included here are just some of the publications you might include as part of your regular reading routine. The right one for you to follow will depend on what you’re looking for and what subjects you like to read regularly.
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- Getting featured in a financial advisor magazine can help to raise your exposure and brand visibility online. You can also leverage social media as a marketing tool for growing your business. Creating social media content, whether written or video, is an opportunity to fine-tune your messaging so that you’re connecting with your niche or target audience.
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