Client Communication

On Jan. 26th our firm hosted our annual Market Update webinar. If you couldn't make it, Michael Trudel, Managing Director at BlackRock, discussed what lies ahead for inflation, economic growth and investment markets in 2022. Attached below is a follow up email you can send your clients which includes for their reference Black Rock's 2022 Macro Market Outlook, which outlines in-depth the central themes covered in the session.

The Federal Reserve met in mid-January, and clarified its position on monetary policy, providing the clearest hint yet about short-term interest rates. The fed hinted that the first interest rate hit could come as soon as March. The markets were on edge anticipating the Fed update. But by the end of the meeting, the market relinquished its gains as traders across the globe worked to assess what the upcoming rate hikes will mean for the year ahead. Use the email below to connect with your contacts who may be concerned about the direction of interest rates.

Stocks extended their January retreat as worries over inflation and rising bond yields continued to exert downward pressure on prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 4.58%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 sank 5.68%. The Nasdaq Composite index dropped 7.55% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slipped 0.61%. Use the Weekly Report below to update your clients on the latest market trends.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day commemorates Dr. King’s life, his dream, and the values he urged our nation to uphold: racial and social justice, peace, and community. Use the email below to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The 4% rule has long been synonymous with retirement spending. The so-called rule of thumb states that retirees can safely withdraw 4% of their retirement savings during their first year of retirement and then adjust that amount for inflation each year for the next 30 years. This article outlines the options for retirees if they are planning to spend more than 3.3%, and use the email below to help design a resourceful retirement plan with your clients to support their income needs.

Stocks closed out the year on a mostly positive note, adding to the year’s gains as concerns about the economic issues of Omicron infections receded. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.08%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 picked up 0.85%. The Nasdaq Composite index was flat (-0.05%) for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, posted an increase of 0.80%. Use the Weekly Report below to update your clients on the latest market trends.

As the end of the year approaches, it's time for your clients to consider strategies that can help them reduce their tax bill. Download the 2022 Tax Planning Whitepaper to help your contacts navigate key provisions and changes in tax law. 

News of a new, highly virulent COVID variant triggered a market sell-off on Friday, sending stocks into negative territory for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slumped 2.20%. The Nasdaq Composite index lost 3.52% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 1.68%. Use the weekly report below to update your clients on the latest market trends.

Financial markets can be challenging to understand. But when markets enter a “bad news is good news” cycle, it becomes even more difficult to follow along. If you're clients have been investing for any period of time, it should come as no surprise to hear that the financial markets frequently change their minds. Use the email below to remind your contacts that you’re here to help them keep focused on your investing goals while the financial markets sort out what’s good news and what’s bad.

Last week our firm hosted our annual Year-End Tax Update webinar. On the call, Nate Carr, CPA and Manager from KatzAbosch, outlined tax planning strategies to consider that will help mitigate your tax liability for 2021. He also gave us a look forward into proposed tax bill changes that may have an effect on you in 2022. Even if you or your contacts couldn't make it, send the email below to remind your contacts that tax planning, not simply tax preparation, is the way to optimize your financial picture.

Stocks rallied last week on a stream of positive corporate earnings surprises. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.08%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.64%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 1.29% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, was up 0.23%. Use this weekly report to update your clients on the latest market trends.

Does your LinkedIn profile stand out? Have you got all the key elements you should have? Are you using the platform in the best way? This article highlights 20 simple ideas for upgrading your LinkedIn profile and presence. How many of the tips and hacks have you already setup? Which ones do you need to work on? Reach out to me if you'd like to Brainstorm on how to maximize your Social Media presence. 

How long has it been since your clients have reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment fast approaching, there are a few questions they may want to ask you before they renew, add, drop, or switch coverage. Reviewing your Medicare coverage is an important part of your financial and insurance strategy. Use this email to help start that conversation help them start navigating this process.

Remember when a college education was reasonably priced? In the past 20 years, the cost of college tuition for public universities has risen 165%. College students and their families have been taking on more and more debt, and they are taking longer to pay it off. Recent data bears this out. In 2021, 34% of adults aged 18 to 29 years have student loan debt, making them more than twice as likely as adults in any other age group to have student debt. The simple fact is the sooner you plan, the better. If your client have not begun preparing Use this email to help start that conversation.

Most likely, your clients have heard what’s brewing in Washington, D.C., called by one of these names. The Build Back Better Act. Or the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill. Or the Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan for Working Families. Regardless of what name they’ve heard, one fact is clear: It is likely to be months before any action is taken. Use this short email to help start a tax dialogue in advance of next month's deadline.

Click here to watch Lloyd's insightful breakdown and use this article to help with conversations you may be having with your clients. 

Are your financial goals well-defined? While "I want to have lots of money" may sound like a great goal, it's just too vague. Use this simple email to remind your clients that when developing their financial goals, they need to make sure they’re S.M.A.R.T....

Specific- Measurable- Attainable- Relevant- Timely

Using money from a 401(k) for a down payment on a house is a big deal, so it's important for your clients to take the time to really think it through, weigh the pros and cons, and choose the option that’s best for their unique situation. This email links to an informative article and gives a call-to-action for your clients to schedule a financial consultation.

This is a great time for your clients to start picking up the pieces and learn how to rebuild with confidence. After all, a little careful preparation could go a long way. Use this simple email as a call to action opportunity to schedule a consultation with your clients.

Spend today, save tomorrow? April is Financial Literacy Month. This email is a great opportunity to teach your clients how small changes in your day-to-day spending habits can make a difference in their overall financial picture.

People who receive financial advice are more likely to enjoy a cushy retirement than people who don’t — and they’ll also make a greater contribution to GDP, according to a new report. This article evaluates the impact financial advice has on individual savings by comparing two hypothetical savers with the same income: one who uses an advisor, and one who doesn’t.

The start of the holiday shopping season can provide important clues about the economy's state and, more importantly, overall consumer confidence. This email does a great job of explaining to your clients how holiday shopping can provide some key insights, and how it’s important to know what forecast was expected and what comes as a surprise.

Your investment strategy is a lot like a marriage. One day you may feel like everything’s going swimmingly. The next day, there might be an argument over who forgot to load the dishwasher. This email explains how trying to make sense of the market and the economy during a pandemic is like trying to determine the health of a long-term relationship based on one day, and gives your clients a call to action to discuss their goals and plan.

This insightful article from Business Insider, will help your clients better understand why the ins and outs of capital gains is important for any investor and their investment strategy.

With the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates at or near zero, your clients may wonder about your mortgage. Is it a good time to refinance or even pay off the debt entirely? This email helps explain why there are many reasons why keeping your mortgage could be a better choice than paying it off.

Most people who are millionaires didn't get that way by chance — they saved, invested, and worked their way to millionaire status. Personal finance author Thomas J. Stanley interviewed over 1,000 millionaires  found they do 6 things to build wealth that anyone can try. This article and corresponding client facing email below do a great job of outlining those productive habits.

Ed Slott, editor of the newsletter Ed Slott’s IRA Advisor, recently talked to ThinkAdvisor with some advice about how tax law changes. Click below to read the most insightful excerpts from the interview.