Gaining Perspective

With several rate hikes on the horizon, inflation weighs heavy on the minds of most investors. Yet, over two-thirds of individuals with debt are not planning to refinance or consolidate their debt in the next year. That presents a valuable financial planning opportunity for advisors. Half of Gen Zers and Millennials, those carrying the most student loan debt burden, are considering working with financial advisor this year according to a recent D.A. Davidson survey.  My guest today, Andrew Crowell, will outline how advisors can help investors capitalize on consolidation and refinancing opportunities ahead of rising rates, better understand the impact of inflation and rising rates, and set achievable financial goals.

manager, launched its first ETF, the Grayscale Future of Finance ETF (symbol: GFOF). It is built upon the thesis that the digital economy will boost global commerce, drive market efficiencies, and provide access to new pools of capital, while reducing the need for costly and cumbersome intermediaries. GFOF is the first equity ETF to track the investment performance of the Bloomberg Grayscale Future of Finance Index, which comprises companies representing three “future of finance” pillars: financial foundations, technology solutions, and digital asset infrastructure.

The fixed income markets have changed dramatically since the global financial crisis, providing the opportunity for disciplined investment managers to add alpha. My guest will discuss ways to navigate the changing fixed income markets, including the difficulty in consistently calling interest rate moves, how conditions in the credit markets have dramatically changed, and how his firm manages fixed income.

As we head into 2022, the two major fears clients face are inflation and rising interest rates. Multiple rate hikes are already priced in, which will be a challenge for once high-flying growth stocks. This is the time to consider value stocks – which have been outperforming growth stocks over the past six months. But how can advisors make sure they are making the right move to value stocks? My guest today will explain why investing in companies with high-free-cash flow is particularly attractive.

Diversity among financial planners improved in 2021, but the profession still has work to do to ensure all investors have the tools and resources they need to achieve successful financial outcomes for their clients. In this episode, James Seth Thompson will discuss his role in promoting financial literacy and expanding opportunities for diverse investors through his recruitment efforts at Bernstein.

Podcasting is the most intimate medium for communicating and building a relationship with clients and prospects on their time – through opt-in marketing. My guest today, Matt Halloran, has founded the only podcasting company that has compliance completely figured out. It specializes in helping advisors and professionals in highly regulated industries to start a podcast that turns skeptics into pre-sold fans

A recent study by Hartford Funds revealed that more than half of respondents believe that men and women have different financial needs. But only 24% said they want to work with a financial professional who caters to the needs of their gender. It is clear that investors simply want to be treated as individuals. To provide sound financial advice, it’s imperative that advisors avoid making generalizations based on age or gender. Instead, they must help clients plan for life’s circumstances by asking thoughtful questions. My guest today will explain why this enhanced focus on lifestyle goals and personalization will be the key to attracting the next generation of clients.

Financial advisors are increasingly abandoning the 60/40 portfolio for higher allocations to alternative investing strategies. They have found that alternatives enhance returns, diversify risk, and supplement income. In this episode, we will discuss the trends shaping the future of wealth management and driving growth of alternative product usage, including regulatory easing, product innovation, and the changes in advisor behavior brought on by the pandemic.

Inflation, as measured by the CPI, is at muti-decades highs. The last time the U.S. experience inflation at current levels was in the early 1980s. That was coming off the energy crisis of the 1970s, when CPI climbed over 14% and interest rates on the 10-year U.S. Treasury were pushing 16%. My guest is here to examine U.S. inflationary periods from 1965 through the current episode, the relationship between inflation and interest rates, and what to expect from this inflationary period.

The William Blair Large Cap Growth fund (LCGFX) has been one of the top performing funds in its class, returning 20.72% over the last decade, which puts it in the top 8th percentile of its Morningstar large-growth peer group. The fund focuses on growing companies in growing industries—what they call structurally advantaged companies—whose long-term growth is underappreciated by the market.