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Client Acquisition

How Advisors Can Attract More High-Income Clients Through Niche Marketing

Niche marketing targets a specific segment of a broader audience with narrow, focused campaigns. This approach offers multiple advantages: less competition, increased engagement and a higher probability of converting prospects to clients. Financial advisors who want to grow their practices may benefit from implementing niche marketing strategies. Add new clients and AUM at your desired… read more…

Social Security's annual COLA protects retirees from inflation, but the trust fund's 2032 shortfall has put it under threat.
Social Security

The $45,000 Line: This New Plan Protects Lower Earners But Caps COLA for Everyone Above It

Every year, your Social Security check gets a small raise to keep pace with inflation. And right now, every retiree gets the same percentage, top to bottom. But a recent proposal could change that for some people. If your annual benefit sits above a certain line, your yearly increase could get cut. The question worth… read more…

Hand holding Social Security cards over American dollars.
Demographics & Migration

Where Social Security Cuts Could Have the Greatest Economic Impact

Social Security is a major source of retirement income for millions of Americans, but its economic importance varies sharply by locality. In some communities, benefits represent a relatively small share of total income. In others, they account for a substantial portion of money flowing into the local economy. That reliance may become more consequential as… read more…

Business Structure

Professional LLC: Definition, Uses and Examples

A professional LLC (PLLC) is a limited liability company specifically for licensed professionals, such as doctors, attorneys, accountants and engineers, who are prohibited by state law from forming a standard LLC. Like a regular LLC, a PLLC provides pass-through taxation and limited liability protection. There is one critical difference, however: members of a PLLC remain… read more…

Editor's Picks

A couple determining whether they need a CFA vs. CFP®.
Certifications & Licenses

CFA vs. CFP®: Which Do You Need?

Chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified financial planner (CFP) are common certifications for individuals working in finance, namely financial advisors. These are designed to tell a client (or employer) that the holder has received education in certain types of financial… read more…

Clients meeting with an advisor from a wealth management firm.
Brokerage

6 Tips for Choosing a Wealth Management Firm

Wealth management firms are all different, with their own specializations and services. As a result, the process for choosing a wealth manager is a very personal one. Wealth managers work closely together with their clients to identify financial goals and… read more…

A fee-only financial planner doesn't earn commissions for recommending certain products.
Advisor Fees & Costs

What Is a Fee-Only Financial Planner?

If a financial planner, financial advisor or another type of financial professional is fee-only, that means they receive compensation solely from the fees clients pay for their services. They do not earn commissions for recommending certain products. A fee-only structure… read more…

Investment Property
Real Estate Investing

Why First Homes Could Be Investment Properties

If you’re young and looking to purchase a new home to live in, you may want to consider turning it into an investment property. While most people wait until after they’ve bought their first or second home to begin investing in… read more…

Data Articles and Studies

Hand holding Social Security cards over American dollars.
Demographics & Migration

Where Social Security Cuts Could Have the Greatest Economic Impact

Social Security is a major source of retirement income for millions of Americans, but its economic importance varies sharply by locality. In some communities, benefits represent a relatively small share of total income. In others, they account for a substantial portion of money flowing into the local economy. That reliance may become more consequential as… read more…

A father reads a book with his son and daughter.
Travel, Education & More

Where Fathers Spend the Most Time on Child Care — 2026 Father’s Day Study

For fathers, work rarely stops at five o’clock. Beyond paid employment, fathers often balance household responsibilities and the daily logistics of family life. Where that balance is most demanding can vary widely based on local economic conditions, commute times and work schedules. SmartAsset analyzed the 50 states based on the number of minutes per day… read more…

Traffic on a multi-lane highway.
Travel, Education & More

Best and Worst States for Drivers — 2026 Study

Car ownership consumes a major share of many household budgets. Between loan payments, maintenance, fuel and auto insurance, the cost of owning and operating a vehicle now averages more than $11,000 per year. Even as U.S. cities and counties increase investment in public transportation, more than 90% of American households own or lease at least… read more…

Financial Advisors

Where Financial Advisor Income Grew Most – 2026 Study

Financial advisors’ earnings are shaped by a range of factors beyond individual skill or experience, including client volume, wealth, and income; target market; fee model and geography. Because economic conditions vary widely across the U.S., some areas may present stronger opportunities for advisors seeking to expand their practices. As remote work capabilities continue to improve,… read more…

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