Practice Management
Finance professionals with their own practices have more than just their clients’ finances to look after. Learn more about how to excel as an advisor and business owner.
Introduction to Practice Management
Frequently Asked Questions
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The cost of seeing a financial advisor will vary depending on what your goals and needs are. If you just want to create a budget and select a target date fund to invest retirement savings, you can do that relatively quickly with an advisor charging around $100/hr. If you have funds to invest and you’d like an advisor to manage it for you, they may charge over 1% of your assets under management annually.Learn More: What Fees Do Financial Advisors Charge?
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Yes, clients can sue their financial advisor for negligence or malpractice, including breaches of fiduciary duty and regulatory noncompliance. Advisors can protect themselves from unexpected and costly claims by getting professional liability insurance.
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Yes, financial advisors are allowed to sell their clients life insurance policies. Life insurance policies make financial sense for a lot of people, which is one reason financial advisors will recommend these policies. Though it is also true that advisors who sell life insurance can receive large upfront commissions and annual commissions of 3% to 5% for the remainder of the policy’s term.Learn More: Why Financial Advisor Sell Life Insurance
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The average salary for a financial advisor in the United States was about $120,000 in 2021.Learn More: Financial Advisor Career: Pros and Cons
Key Terms
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Investment Adviser Registration Depository (IARD)The Investment Adviser Registration Depository (IARD) is an electronic system through which investment advisors register themselves and file required reports and disclosures with the U.S. federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with state-level regulators.
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Brochure RuleThe brochure rule, otherwise known as rule 204-3, requires all financial advisors and brokers to provide their clients with a written disclosure statement outlining the services they offer and their terms and conditions, before working with them.
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Best-Interest Contract Exemption (BICE)A Department of Labor rule, vacated by federal courts in 2018, that allowed financial institutions that both trade securities and give investment advice the ability to earn variable compensation, such as commissions and some kinds of revenue sharing.
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Blanket RecommendationA recommendation to buy or sell an asset that a broker or other financial institution sends to all its clients, regardless of their investment objectives.
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When Clients Ask About Crypto
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The Benefits of Fee-Based and Fee-Only Advisory Models
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How Radical Transparency Can Help Independent Advisors Boost Success
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Skip Schweiss on the FPA's Goals for 2021
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What Financial Advisors Were Grateful for in 2020
Explore Practice Management
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What the 2020 RIA Benchmarking Study Means for Advisors
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The Changing RIA Landscape and What Advisors Need to Know
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Financial Marketing in Turbulent Times
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How to Help Retired Clients Weather a Market Downturn
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Advisors Weigh in: How to Address Volatility and Recession Concerns During COVID-19
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How to Advise Gen X Clients During Turbulent Markets
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What the Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE Merger Means for Advisors
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Two Investopedia Top 100 Advisors Launch New Firm
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Should You Focus on Crypto in Your Advisory Practice?
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Key Trends Reshaping the Financial Services Industry
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How to Take a Mindful Approach to Your Advisory Practice
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How Technology Is Changing Financial Advice
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Trust: A Financial Advisor's Most Important Asset
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10 Must Watch Documentaries for Finance Professionals
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How Financial Advisers Can Protect Themselves Against Lawsuits
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Reforming the Fiduciary Standard
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How RIAs Can Avoid Discrimination in Hiring
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Advisors: What Does Your Future Hold?
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The Financial Advisor Industry Still Lacks Diversity
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Transition Planning: Include the Whole Family
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More Advisors Are Going Independent, With No Regrets
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Blanket Recommendation
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Ethical Standards You Should Expect From a Financial Advisor
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Do Financial Advisors Prepare Tax Returns for Clients?
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How Financial Advisors Can Help Small Business
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Should You Manage Your Friends Money?
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What Advisors Need to Know About Rule 3210
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Should You Add a Securities License to Your Qualifications?
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Top Places to Work for Financial Advisors
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10 Best Tools for Financial Advisors
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Famous Women Financial Advisors
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Where to Find the Ideal Client for Your Practice
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Investment Adviser Registration Depository (IARD)
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Tips for Assessing a Client's Risk Tolerance
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Top Tips for Young Financial Advisors
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Talk About Financial Constraints to Your Clients
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How Financial Advice Can Boost Your Returns
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Top Reasons Why Advisors Should Go RIA
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Tax Tips for Financial Advisors
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Why Clients Fire Financial Advisors
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Best-Interest Contract Exemption (BICE)
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What Fees Do Financial Advisors Charge?
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Advisors Falling Short on Succession Planning
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Practice Management Guide for Financial Advisors
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What Should an Aspiring Financial Advisor Major In?
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Brochure Rule
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What the 'De Minimis' Exemption Means
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Top Compliance Headaches for Financial Advisors
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How New Financial Products are Created
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Why Financial Advisors Sell Life Insurance
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4 Ways to Connect with Clients on LinkedIn
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5 Ways Advisors Can Increase Sales on Life Insurance
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How to Measure the Success of Your Financial Advisory Practice
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Preparing for an Initial Client Meeting
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What Advisors Must Know About Professional Liability Insurance
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Maintaining Work/Life Balance for Finance Professionals
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Manage Your Clients' Expectations
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4 Ways To Build Your Client Book
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Tips on Selling Your Financial Services Business
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Career Advice: Financial Planner or Wealth Manager