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While the industry is ultra focused on Millennials inheriting Baby Boomer money and taking over the market in big way, many advisors are forgetting about the demographic that is at the peak of their earning years right now – Generation X.

This generation makes up 60 million people. This is a huge demographic for the financial industry which is why financial planners need to start paying more attention to this “forgotten generation” as Investment News calls it.  Gen Xers are skeptical to invest due to the 2008 financial crisis and even more suspicious of hiring a Financial Advisor, fearing they will be taken advantage of. According to a 2014 Allianz Life Survey, 75% of Gen Xers believe financial advisors are just out to sell them something and make money for themselves. It's possible to turn this stat around if you understand their financial pain points and speak their language.

A new study found that almost all Financial Advisors use social media to market themselves, but with compliance constraints weighing in, many advisors find themselves unable to post meaningful content.

We know it can be scary to move to an Independent Broker Dealer and The Protocol for Broker Recruiting can sometimes be confusing- but it doesn't have to be!  Here's a crash course to help you sharpen your Protocol knowledge about making a move.

Anyone who was a Registered Representative in the 90's or earlier will remember the legal headache that came along with the thought of changing Broker Dealers. The decision to move was fraught with the risks of being sued by your old firm and losing your book of business. In 2001, FINRA created Rule 2140 which allowed clients to transfer accounts from firm to firm in order to follow their advisor when they move. The Protocol for Broker Recruiting of 2004 states that firms who joined Protocol must let RRs retain their client list when they move to another Protocol firm, free from the fear of being sued.

Very rarely do we find ourselves in these types of situations- a large mutual fund company decides to close its smallest accounts in order to reduce expenses and increase cost savings. What does that mean for Financial Advisors with clients who's accounts fall into this unfortunate territory? It’s your time to shine! 

A large mutual fund company announced in early September of 2015 that they will be closing accounts that contain less that $500 come November. While this may seem like an unwanted hurdle, it’s actually a great opportunity to flex your advising muscles and remind your clients why they’re happy to have you in three simple steps.

 For many Financial Advisors, working for a huge investment company or wire-house can mean long hours, arduous processes, and required products in which the advisor has no interest.  If you ever find yourself frustrated with the slow procedures of the back office, a sales manager sitting on top of you, or a lack of flexibility in choosing what’s best for your clients, it’s about time you consider a move to an Independent Broker Dealer!