Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” – this week’s edition kicks off with the news that, amidst the growing number of RIAs it supervises, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is moving ahead with a potential plan to raise the $100 million regulatory assets under management threshold for SEC registration, with the regulator having talks with some state securities regulators (which would bear an increasing regulatory burden if the threshold were lifted and more firms came under their watch) on the issue. While the SEC has not released a formal proposal (which would likely offer advisers and other interested parties a chance to air their views on the issue), such a move could prove frustrating for firms forced to switch to state registration (particularly those with clients spread across state lines) as it would potentially require affected RIAs to register with multiple state regulators and be subject to a varying set of rules depending on which state(s) they are registered in, compared to the more uniform supervision they experience under the SEC.
Also in industry news this week:
- A recent survey finds that (unsolicited) client referrals are the top source of new clients for advisors this year, while networking, client appreciation events, and educational events have also proven to be fruitful for some advisors
- A survey suggests that some advisors might be underestimating their clients’ interest in charitable giving, an area where advisors can potentially offer hard-dollar tax savings for clients
From there, we have several articles on financial planning implications of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA):
- Potential planning strategies in the wake of the increased State And Local Tax (SALT) cap, (including the potential value of managing income for clients near the phase-out limits)
- How the new $6,000 tax deduction for seniors works (and why clients who are delaying claiming Social Security benefits could be in for a pleasant surprise)
- Post-OBBBA estate planning strategies for clients across the wealth spectrum and how trusts could be an effective way for some clients to manage income amidst a growing number of phase-out ranges for certain tax benefits
We also have a number of articles on marketing:
- Why the value of creating content tailored to an ideal client profile has increased in a world where more individuals are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to find answers to their financial questions
- How ‘traditional’ Search Engine Optimization (SEO) still has value for advisors amidst growing use of AI tools for Internet searches
- How advisors can optimize their websites for ChatGPT search and reap the benefits of “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO)
We wrap up with three final articles, all about social life:
- Data show that the time Americans spend on in-person socializing has decreased dramatically over the past several decades, with increased time spent on watching television and using smartphones among the potential causes
- Four ways to socialize effectively in one’s 30s and beyond, from formalizing social events to ‘organizing’ friends to identify the most relevant event types for each group
- A step-by-step approach to hosting a memorable (and relatively low-stress?) dinner party
Enjoy the ‘light’ reading!
