Displaying items by tag: advisors

Advisors can use direct indexing to optimize their clients’ portfolios, reduce tax bills, and offer more customized solutions. It also offers an opportunity for an advisor to differentiate themselves and increase their appeal to high net worth prospects with specific needs.

Direct indexing offers more flexibility and solutions than traditional passive investing while retaining the major benefits. One example is that it can be used to reduce concentrated stock positions in a manner that can offset capital gains taxes and help lead to a more diversified and balanced long-term portfolio.

With direct indexing, tax losses can be harvested and set aside. This effectively turns them into assets which isn’t possible with investing in index funds. It could be especially of value to clients expecting a future financial windfall who are interested in proactive steps to reduce the future tax burden. 

Indices can also be modified to offset a large allocation to a specific stock or sector in another part of the portfolio. For instance, someone who works in the tech industry with a large number of stock options may not want tech exposure in their personal portfolio. 

Advisors can start this conversation with prospects by discussing matters like future windfalls, concentrated positions, reducing capital gains taxes, and more personalized solutions.

Finsum: Direct indexing is a way to optimize clients’ portfolios especially those with large capital gains taxes, concentrated positions, and expectations of a future financial windfall. 

LPL Financial topped analysts’ estimates for Q3 earnings despite a slight 3% decline in earnings. It also reported a strong quarter in terms of recruiting and asset growth. It also laid out its growth plan for the future which involves expanding its capacity to serve all types of advisors. 

LPL added 462 advisors on a quarterly basis and 1,360 on an annual basis. It attributed this growth in part to its new affiliation models and to boosting its offerings to serve a wider variety of advisors. CEO Dan Arnold remarked that LPL’s goal is to eventually be able to compete for all 300,000 advisors on the marketplace.

Q3 was LPL’s best quarter for asset growth since Q2 of last year when it added $43.5 billion. In Q3, the firm added $31.2 billion in assets with $12 billion from Bank of the West and Commerce. However, the company believes that its current growth is higher quality and more durable.

Richard Steinmeier, managing director of business development, said “We are strengthening in the way that individual advisors and groups of advisors are choosing to come to [LPL] in a much more material way even than Q2 2022.” 

Finsum: LPL Financial reported strong Q3 results in terms of recruiting and asset growth. The firm has ambitious growth plans for the future. 

According to a report conducted by Hearts & Wallets, high net worth (HNW) investors are favoring separately managed accounts (SMA) over mutual funds. The report surveyed 6,000 people. About 22% of US households were invested in an SMA, which is a significant gain from 13% in 2020. In the same timeframe, mutual fund ownership increased from 38% to 39%. 

Among HNW investors with investable assets of $3 million or more, SMA ownership went from 22% in 2020 to 41% in 2022. In terms of portfolio allocation, SMAs climbed from 22% in 2020 to 29% last year. 

At one time, mutual funds were the only way for retail investors to get access to many markets and the expertise of portfolio managers. Now, there are a multitude of products that offer these features, often with more liquidity and lower costs. 

One reason for the growing popularity of SMAs is that they are becoming more affordable and now require lower account minimums. Another factor is the growing interest in personalized investing which is more easily facilitated with SMAs rather than mutual funds. For instance, an investor passionate about protecting the environment could avoid fossil fuel companies in their holdings. 

Finsum: Separately managed accounts are gaining traction among high-net-worth investors and are displacing mutual funds.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Salim Ramji, Blackrock’s global head of iShares and index investments, spoke about the growth of model portfolios, and why he believes that assets under management (AUM) are projected to more than double over the next 5 years from $4.2 trillion to over $10 trillion.

Ramji commented that “It’s going to be massive. It’s the way in which more and more fiduciary advisers are doing business, and, as a result, that’s the way in which we’re doing business with them. It’s really just changed from being a cottage industry to being something that’s a real force for every fiduciary wealth adviser in the United States.” 

Model portfolios are typically composed of ETFs and other funds that are bundled into pre-built strategies. An indication of the growth of model portfolios is that changes in allocations can be seen in trading volumes and fund flows data. For iShares, model portfolios comprise more than half of flows, while they accounted for a third of flows 2 years ago. The company expects similar traction for model portfolios in its international markets as well.

Blackrock’s bullishness on model portfolios is noteworthy as it is the largest asset manager in the world with $9 trillion in AUM and also the largest ETF issuer. 

Finsum: Blackrock is forecasting that assets under management for model portfolios will exceed $10 trillion over the next 5 years. 

There are many reasons why an advisor might decide to switch their broker-dealer or custodian: better culture, a more supportive environment, or innovative solutions for their clients, to name a few. While these are valid reasons to consider a change, advisors who prepare for their clients’ questions will be thankful they took the time to do so if or when the time comes to move.

A helpful guide is the FINRA post “What to Ask When Your Registered Financial Professional Changes Firms,” published less than a year ago. It recommends questions an investor should ask their financial advisor who is moving firms.

At the top of the list are “Could financial incentives create a conflict of interest for your registered professional?” and “Can you transfer all your holdings?” These are understandable questions your clients might seek answers to, and having transparent and well-thought-out answers will go a long way to easing their concerns, if they have any.

If you are considering a move, check out this article and use it as a guide to prepare your communication with your clients.

Finsum: Considering switching firms as an advisor? Be ready for client questions with insights from FINRA's guide. Clear communication is key!