Year: 2018
Six Financial Best Practices for 2019
December 17, 2018
Six financial best practices encouraging investors to ignore market volatility and take practical steps toward enhancing their financial well-being. Use this piece as is to share with prospective clients, or modify it slightly for client use. This piece represents the second in an annual series, potentially pairing well with "Ten Financial Best Practices to Jump-Start Your New Year," published in December 2017.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Client experience, Estate planning, Financial best practice lists, Financial planning, Listicle, Prospect-focused, Scary market insights, Security, Wealth management
2018 Year-End Market Volatility Client Reach-Out
December 6, 2018
Use this 2018 year-end client reach-out to help clients ride out current market volatility. The document contains two versions: (1) a 580-word extended reach-out that includes references to Hans Rosling's new book "Factfulness," and (2) an abbreviated, 330-word reach-out that omits the reference to Rosling's book.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Behavioral finance, Breaking news, Client experience, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, General letter/email, Scary market insights
Five Financial Adages for Thriving in Volatile Markets
November 19, 2018
This big, meaty, 2,000-word report takes a close look at why so many investors fail to adhere to five widely accepted financial adages (e.g., "buy low, sell high"), ESPECIALLY DURING VOLATILE/DOWN MARKETS. Use this report with clients or prospects -- either as-is, or as a drip communication or video series, sharing one adage at a time, over time.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Behavioral finance, Client experience, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Report, Scary market insights
A Meaningful Message for Thanksgiving/Holiday Season (2018)
November 11, 2018
Use this 280-word message to be in touch with your clients for the U.S. Thanksgiving or the general 2018 holiday season, thanking them for their business and wishing them all the best with a warm and thoughtful reach-out.
Categories: Client experience, Client-focused, General letter/email, Holiday greetings
Global Diversification: The Antacid for Market Turbulence
October 10, 2018
A timely 600-word client reach-out to reflect on the October 10, 2018 U.S. stock market tumble. Emphasizing the continued importance of remaining globally diversified according to one's goals and risk tolerances, the message also reminds them of your role as their fiduciary advisor. Ideal for a client email, the piece can also be modified for more general purposes.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Breaking news, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, General letter/email, Scary market insights
Quarterly Client Letter — 2018 Q3
October 1, 2018
This 530-word quarterly client letter offers three reasons investors should avoid the temptation to engage in market-timing by abandoning their existing plans and investments out of concern that the market may be "overpriced" and headed for a fall.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Behavioral finance, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Quarterly client letter
Protecting Your Child from Identity Theft (US Version) Free Sample (Click on title to download)
September 24, 2018
Use this 600-word piece to alert clients and prospects to the growing threat of child identity theft: what it is, why it's happening, how parents can spot and prevent it, and what to do if it happens.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Free samples, General audience, Security, Technology
Protecting Your Child from Identity Theft (Canadian Version) Free Sample (Click on title to download)
September 24, 2018
Use this 600-word piece to alert clients and prospects to the growing threat of child identity theft: what it is, why it's happening, how parents can spot and prevent it, and what to do if it happens.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Free samples, General audience, Security, Technology
What Is the Yield Curve? (Article)
August 24, 2018
This 900-word "What Is?" article translates a tricky investment concept -- the yield curve -- to help clients and prospects alike appreciate the role it plays in their fixed income investing. (Look for the separate, Excel spreadsheet also available in the Content-Sharing Library if you need to directly access the Yield Curve diagrams displayed in this piece.)
Categories: Article, Economics, Evidence-based investing, Fixed income, General audience, Report, The "What Is ...?" series
What Is the Yield Curve? (Diagrams)
August 24, 2018
An Excel file containing two diagrams -- Figures 1 and 2 -- found within the separate "What Is the Yield Curve?" article, also in the Content-Sharing Library. Download this Excel file if you need to directly access the Yield Curve diagrams displayed in this piece.
Categories: Economics, Evidence-based investing, Excel file, Fixed income, General audience, The "What Is ...?" series
Food for Thought: “Reducing the Risk of Black Swans” Book Review
August 6, 2018
This 1,250-word book review of Larry Swedroe's and Kevin Grogan's book, "Reducing the Risk of Black Swans," will be useful for advisors who are introducing some of the newer factors and alternative investment strategies into their evidence-based investment portfolios. Share it with clients or prospects, along with the book itself, or use it as a summary for in-house reference.
Categories: Alternative investments, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Report
Quarterly Client Letter — 2018 Q2
July 3, 2018
This 400-word quarterly client letter reflects on the mixed bag of scary and enticing market news from the quarter, encouraging clients to stay on course with their well-built portfolio to maintain the highest odds of achieving their personal goals.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Behavioral finance, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Quarterly client letter
What Is Correlation (and Why Would You Care)?
May 30, 2018
This 1,000-word "What Is?" article translates a tricky investment term -- correlation -- to help clients and prospects alike appreciate the role it plays in portfolio construction.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Evidence-based investing, General audience, The "What Is ...?" series
New client welcome letter/email and fact sheet
May 8, 2018
Customize these templates—a brief letter/email and fact sheet—to welcome new clients to your firm, remind them of their next scheduled meeting with you, and provide key contact information.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client experience, Client-focused, General letter/email, Wealth management
A Focus on Fixed Income (UPDATED)
April 27, 2018
UPDATED FROM SEPTEMBER 2015: This 1,275-word article covers the essential roles fixed income should play in an investor's portfolio, along with some of the basics on how fixed income differs from equity investing. It also reinforces the important role an objective advisor can play in building and managing fixed income investments. Use the piece for e-newsletters, e-mails, handouts and mailings, or to create video script for prospective or existing clients.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Evidence-based investing, Fixed income, General audience, Report, Updated content
Charitable Giving Under the TCJA: An Overview of Sensible Strategies
April 25, 2018
Use this 975-word overview to share four practical ways charitably inclined investors can still receive tax breaks on their charitable giving under the new U.S. Tax Cuts and Job Acts rules. This material can also be paired with the separate, February 2018 Content-Sharing Library piece focusing on Donor Advised Funds (DAFs).
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, General audience, Philanthropy/giving, Tax planning
Quarterly Client Letter — 2018 Q1
April 2, 2018
This 500-word quarterly client letter reflects on the recent uptick in market volatility, encouraging clients to be in touch with you if they need a "pep talk," a shift in their investment plans, or both.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Behavioral finance, Breaking news, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Politics, Quarterly client letter
10 Things To Do Right Now While Markets Are (Not Really) Tanking
March 21, 2018
Use this 1,250-word handout with clients or prospects, to serve as a "safety drill" during calm markets, to help them prepare for staying the course during market downturns. The piece offers 10 judicious actions to take during bear markets, along with 10 insightful quotes from respected subject matter experts. You also can encourage readers to revisit the piece (or use it with a brief intro) the next time markets actually are tanking.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Behavioral finance, Breaking news, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Scary market insights, Tax planning
Understanding the Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
February 25, 2018
Use this 1,300-word white paper to describe to prospects and clients why they may want to consider a DAF for charitable giving under the new 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The paper describes how tax-wise charitable giving has changed, where a DAF might fit in, how they work, and how to differentiate among them. The paper also emphasizes the value of working with a wealth advisor to assist in selection and set-up. This piece also pairs well with the April 2018 piece offering an overview of tax-wise giving under the TCJA.
Categories: Advisor role/value, General audience, Philanthropy/giving, Tax planning, Wealth management, White paper
The Current Market Decline in Context
February 5, 2018
This 430-word message is optimized for reaching out to your clients about the current market decline. It encourages them to stay the course according to their personal plans (unless their own goals have changed). It also reflects on how market drops are normal, and how popular headlines are often designed to grab attention rather than inform readers. The message can be modified to share with prospective clients or for other purposes.
Categories: Breaking news, Client-focused, Economics, General letter/email, Scary market insights
The Vital Role of Rebalancing (UPDATED)
January 26, 2018
UPDATED FROM JUNE 2013: Use this 960-word document with clients or prospects to explain how your firm adds value by employing rebalancing as part of an evidence-based strategy. Properly implemented, rebalancing offers a disciplined, cost-effective approach to buying low and selling high and staying on track toward one's personal financial goals.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Article, Client experience, Evidence-based investing, General audience, Updated content
Cover Intro for Dimensional 2017 Market Review
January 9, 2018
This 500-word summary provides an introduction you can use to share Dimensional's 2017 Advisor Byline Market Review. You can use it to be in touch with your clients or as a prospecting piece for those interested in evidence-based investing.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client-focused, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Evidence-based investing, General audience, General letter/email, Intro to expert commentary
Quarterly Client Letter — 2017 Q4
January 1, 2018
This 425-word, fourth quarter client letter reminds clients of the importance of adhering to their Investment Policy Statement using disciplined rebalancing in the context of strong 2017 market returns.
Categories: Advisor role/value, Client-focused, Evidence-based investing, Quarterly client letter