BCG Blog - Advisors

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s tempting to say that the key themes of 2024 for the investment profession were the same as for years past. You might even ask yourself, is it worth it to do a year in review? We think so.

Trendspotting in alternative investing include generational preferences as well as a close look at the traditional alternative asset classes. And oh, don’t overlook bonds.

Bernie Madoff may have faded from memory but that doesn't mean prospective clients aren't worried about what they hear on the news. Advisors may want to consider how to respond to these hits to the industry's reputation when planning marketing strategies.

Some analysts are making predictions for how the Trump Administration may impact retirement planning based on changes in personnel, others are focused on the changed regulatory structure. But one thing is for certain: the market may be volatile once again.

The SEC may be making news lately for its crackdown on cryptocurrency, but the real story may be how its agenda has been changing concerning enforcement actions. Here are a few things financial advisors should consider.

Income variability, market volatility, and continuing international conflict have led clients to increasingly think of including several generations in one financial plan. Here’s what to know about creating family financial plans.

Market costs have been putting many small financial firm owners in a bind. They may find themselves between the rock of needing to increase warm leads and the hard place of reducing costs. There is an answer, and it may be to borrow a popular trick from household management: meal prepping.

This summer FINRA released its industry snapshot for 2024. This report provides a solid overview of changes in the industry over the last year. Financial advisors may want to keep an eye on any trends such as an industry consolidation towards firms with more experience and growth of registered agents in the South and Southeast.

As Quarter Four draws near for many investors, clients may be thinking of preparing for their year-end discussions on tax preparations. But advisors may want to take time to talk with them about the potential for tax changes that 2025 could bring.

The Supreme Court’s summer term in 2024 may be one of the most memorable in decades. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to look away. Three cases set for argument in October of 2024 could have impacts for financial advisors and investment professionals. Here’s what you need to know.

Inflation may be slowing, but for many clients the cost of a tuition for their children remains a serious concern. Advisors may want to offer proactive information for clients on these accounts. And what better way to educate clients than to rely on the 5Ws learned early on in the class room: who, what, where, why, when and how much

Clients may need their advisor to bring up the topic of family wealth management so that they have a fully informed retirement plan. Here are some of the basics clients may need to discuss with their advisors but may need help initiating a discussion.

Given the dynamic pace of change in the financial industry and to financial advisors finding new marketing products, advisors may want to stop and listen before firing up a new marketing plan involving cross-selling and collaboration. Here is a background on the topic so that advisors can spot issues to discuss with their compliance and legal counsel.

The merits of alternative investments for many investors as appropriate vehicles for diversification can be reduced when decisions are motivated by emotional investing. While advisors are familiar with this dangerous dynamic duo, new approaches suggest that the risky mix of emotional investing and alternative investments may be harmonized by something as simple as education.

The gap between new, more lenient regulations on who can qualify as an employer under ERISA and providing those plans might be filled by financial advisors if advisors can understand how to market their services to those groups. To understand how to cross this gap, advisors may want to understand the history of the rule change, how associations make decisions, and how to market to them.

Recent Supreme Court cases restricting the powers of regulatory agencies like the DOL and SEC cases may have injected an enormous punch of uncertainty into most financial advisor’s plans. It could be the ultimate unknown unknown. But fear not, advisors may have a friend in flexibility.

In the race to keep up with AI advancements, it seems like financial advisors just got a power boost. In early June of 2024, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation reported new research suggesting consumer trust favored financial professionals more than AI in terms of financial information.

Over the years, we’ve weighed the pros and cons of various social media platforms on financial literacy. Sometimes, preference for social media runs along generational lines. Lately, two trends may have combined to create an important issue for financial advisors: a reduction in attention span and the rise in so called “Finfluencer” may mean clients are relying on TikTok for financial education.

Recent research released in June of 2024 by MFS Investment Management may reflect that the scope of risk is shifting. These concerns include administrative and regulatory changes as well as continuing concerns about retirement readiness of plan participants. These concerns about managing volatility and adjusting for potential litigation risks may have financial advisors considering their current offerings of investment monitoring.

A new report shows that a large percentage of employees are using AI at work, without their employer’s knowledge or approval. Unauthorized AI can create serious cybersecurity risks for those handling private financial information. Such use may also run afoul of the EBSA’s recommendations for retirement plan service providers.

A recent article highlighted on NASDAQ’s news page noted that demographic changes among retirees may create opportunities for more diversity among advisors. Yet, that report seems to not align with other, more recent studies. That may beg the question, what is the state of gender diversity in asset management and financial advising?

A recent opinion from the Supreme Court on a regulatory agency’s funding could resolve some questions over the future of regulation of the retirement planning industry. Yet, there may also be changes on the horizon through related legislation.

A new report from the Center for Retirement Research may be important for advisors who plan to pitch their fiduciary services to small firms. Released in March of 2024, the 2023 Small Business Retirement Survey assesses the beliefs of small business owners regarding retirement benefits and how those beliefs move their decisions to offer, or not, such benefits.

In recent years ESG investing has emerged as a popular choice for investors looking to align their portfolios with their values. One of the key questions advisors may hear from their clients is whether ESG funds perform as well as traditional investments and if they can be a valuable addition to a diversified investment portfolio. Here is a review of where the industry stands on this area.

The average professional worker is swamped by more than 120 emails per day. In this deluge of emails, a problem bobs along like a tiny rowboat: your marketing leads. If you feel like you need to level up your follow ups, here are a few new strategies we’ve seen from a variety of industries.