Prologue from Nick...

Its main theme is the utter disconnectedness between rational long-term investment policy and current events – and what a rare opportunity today’s chaos presents to the goal-focused, plan-driven advisor.

That’s because our clients, being only human, can never leave off pestering us for analysis and prognostication about what the crisis du jour is liable to do to “the stock market.” But at this golden moment – when the new administration’s blizzard of seemingly quixotic policy pronouncements coincides with the sudden violent implosion of the Mag 7 bubble – we can stand proudly on the one great fact: Nobody knows.   

Now of course, nobody ever knows how the dominating uncertainties of any moment will get resolved, or how the markets will behave until they do. Nor does it really matter, because when today’s crises abate, others will arise tomorrow. That’s never the issue, which is always: will the client continue to act on a plan that has always worked in the long run, or react to distressing current events.

But today, when it is so abundantly clear that nobody knows, the advisor gets to all but force the client to reaffirm that critical choice. I say again: that’s a very rare opportunity. And we must be aggressive in pursuing it. Because it won’t last.

• Docusign ($300/yr). We have a 20% discount for the first year, making it $240. This is the only service that every one of our AdvisorFirst reps uses, but it isn't mandatory.
• LaserApp. It's $35/month but as soon as you submit 10 apps via LaserApp IP will reimburse you what you've already paid and pay for it going forward, making it essentially free. Our team actually doesn't use this as we've found using DocuSign with templates works better (we have over 50 templates!).
• Redtail and Salesforce CRM Integrations. 
• Moneyguide Pro, EMoney and Fiancé Logix approved planning software platforms.
• Broadridge - Forefield. FINRA reviewed articles, illustrations and tables, interactive calculators, 50 topical movies, 200 FINRA-reviewed presentations, newsletters, professional websites and more.
• Yodlee and ByAllAccunts data aggregation software.
• Turnkey compliant marketing materials and lead generation systems.
• Presentations, calculators, spreadsheets, tools etc are all online.
• We use iPipeline for life insurance apps, which is all-digital and all carriers are in one place.
• And many, many more, and they are very open to other services you may be interested in.