Financial Advisor Technician

Kitces.com
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Business News
  • Updated Weekly

On the Financial Advisor Technician podcast, some of the sharpest minds in financial advice dig into the technical side of financial planning, discussing topics ranging from retirement and tax planning to estate planning and behavioral finance, all at the level of nerdiness you've come to expect from the Kitces.com platform. Each weekly, 30-minute episode will provide actionable insights to help you become a better, and more successful, advisor.

  1. 1d ago

    Putting Economic And Q3 Market Headlines Into Context For Clients, With James Liu

    With financial news headlines flagging everything from higher bond yields and oil prices to AI and elections, clients can easily lose sight of the bigger picture. For financial advisors, these headlines create an opportunity to provide context, address concerns, and help clients stay focused on their long-term financial goals.  James Liu, founder and CEO of Clearnomics, joins us today to break down the major forces shaping the current market environment and what advisors should be prepared to discuss with clients. Listen in to learn what rising bond yields mean for portfolios, why today's rate environment differs from 2022, and the return patterns of commodities. James also explores the earnings supporting current equity returns, how advisors can put the AI boom into perspective, why bonds can still provide an important defensive role, and how to discuss the upcoming midterm elections and national debt without letting politics drive investment decisions.   For show notes and a full episode transcript, visit: www.kitces.com/FAT12      Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  2. Sep 30

    Maximizing Charitable Deductions Under OBBBA's New Rules, With Ben Henry-Moreland

    The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a range of changes relevant to financial advisors and their clients, including regarding the deductibility of charitable donations. In this episode, Kitces.com Senior Financial Planning Nerd Ben Henry-Moreland breaks down the new 0.5% of AGI floor on itemized charitable contributions and the 2/37ths reduction for taxpayers in the 37% tax bracket, including how these rules work, who is most affected, and what their actual dollar impact could look like across different income levels.  The conversation also explores practical planning considerations in response to the rule changes related to charitable bunching, donor-advised funds, the new charitable deduction available to non-itemizers, and qualified charitable distributions. Listen in to hear how these strategies interact with the new rules, when income management may or may not be worthwhile, and how advisors can help clients maximize the tax benefits of their charitable giving without unnecessarily changing their broader giving plans.  For show notes and a full episode transcript visit: www.kitces.com/FAT11     Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  3. Sep 23

    A Step-By-Step Process To Handle Retirement Plan Rollover Conversations, With Leo Rydzewski

    While 401(k) rollover conversations are common for financial advisors, they also represent a major decision point for clients and come with investment, tax, and fee considerations. Rolling over assets into an IRA may offer valuable benefits for the client, but it can also create conflicts of interest for the advisor. Which means that a thorough evaluation of all options and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest and may not always be the best option for the client can both help an advisor fulfill fiduciary responsibilities while also buildng client trust. In this episode, Leo Rydzewski, General Counsel and Managing Director of Professional Ethics at the CFP Board, explores the fiduciary responsibilities advisors need to consider and how they can incorporate them when navigating rollover conversations.  Listen in as Leo explains the CFP Board's fiduciary standard and its new guide to applying fiduciary duty to rollovers, including how advisors can identify, disclose, and manage conflicts of interest. You'll learn about the seven-step duty of care process for analyzing rollover recommendations, what information advisors should gather about the client and their retirement plan, how to compare an existing employer plan with alternatives, and why cost alone shouldn't determine the recommendation. Leo also explains why it's important not to treat a rollover as the 'default' option, why some rollover-related decisions may be difficult to reverse, and how monitoring and updating advice can turn the rollover conversation into an ongoing part of a strong client relationship.  For show notes and a full episode transcript, visit: www.kitces.com/FAT10     Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  4. Sep 16

    Working With Legacy Investment Positions, With Rich Chen

    Clients sometimes come to the table with legacy investment positions, from inherited stock passed down from a loved one to large amounts of employer stock, that the client does not want to sell. Which can create a challenge for advisors in managing the client's total portfolio and raises questions about how (and whether) to charge fees on the legacy position. In this episode, we are joined by Rich Chen, founder of Brightstar Law Group, to explore the fiduciary and compliance challenges advisors can face when working with legacy stock positions. You'll learn why simply accepting a client's decision not to sell may not be sufficient, how mismatched expectations between the advisor and their client can create legal and regulatory risk, and what duty of care and loyalty mean when an advisor is working around client-imposed investment restrictions.  Listen in to hear best practices for documenting these discussions with clients, why concentrated positions need to be reassessed over time, and what advisors should be prepared to explain during an SEC examination. Rich also breaks down the different options advisors have for charging on legacy positions and how there isn't necessarily one 'right' answer.  For show notes and a full episode transcript visit: www.kitces.com/FAT9   Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  5. Sep 9

    Handling Client Requests That Go Against An Advisor's Recommendations, With Shelitha Smodic

    What should an advisor do when a client insists on taking an investment action that goes against their advice? In this episode, we are joined by Shelitha Smodic to explore the compliance, fiduciary, and practical considerations advisors need to navigate when a client wants to make a trade or take another action the advisor would not recommend. You'll learn about the duty to follow client instructions, what makes a request lawful and reasonable, and how questions around authority, capacity, and undue influence can affect how an advisor responds.  Listen in to hear about compliance requirements and practical steps advisors can take in the moment, such as explaining potential consequences, offering alternatives, and thoroughly documenting the decision. We also discuss how to think about the client relationship after the immediate issue has been resolved, including when to revisit the investment policy statement, adjust the service model, change from discretionary to non-discretionary management, or consider ending the relationship.   For show notes and a full episode transcript, visit: www.kitces.com/FAT8    Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  6. Sep 2

    Ranking Account Types For Meeting Intergenerational Giving Goals, With Ben Henry-Moreland

    What if the "best" account for an intergenerational gift isn't actually the one that produces the biggest (potential) tax benefit? In this episode, Kitces.com Senior Financial Planning Nerd Ben Henry-Moreland returns to explore how advisors can help clients consider their goals for the gift alongside tax efficiency considerations before selecting a specific account type when deciding how to give money to their children.  Listen in to learn how to identify the different goals behind lifetime gifting—from childhood expenses and education to home purchases, lifestyle support, retirement, and dynasty planning—and how they can influence the account type chosen. The conversation also takes a closer look at the new Trump Accounts (including where they fit within the broader landscape of intergenerational giving), and why the "return" on a gift shouldn't only be measured by how many dollars remain decades later, but also by how effectively the gift supports the life the parent wants their child to live.  For show notes and a full episode transcript visit: www.kitces.com/FAT7   Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  7. Aug 26

    Medicaid Planning For Long-Term Care And Its Ethical Implications For Advisors, With David Haughton

    While some individuals are able to pay for long-term care expenses through savings and/or through insurance benefits, others end up relying on Medicaid benefits to fund these costs. While doing so allows them to access needed services, it can require that they first sharply draw down their assets. Which leads to a variety of planning strategies that allow an individual to preserve assets for a spouse or future generations while still qualifying for Medicaid benefits. However, such strategies come wtih tradeoffs and might not actually represent an individual's interests. In this episode, we are joined by David Haughton, Vice President of Estate Planning at Carson Group, to explore how Medicaid planning works in the long-term care context, why the "best" planning strategy might not be straightforward, and the ethical challenges advisors can face when adult children, powers of attorney, and aging parents have competing priorities. David also talks about proactive versus crisis planning and practical ways advisors can start these conversations well before a care need arises.  For show notes and a full episode transcript visit: www.kitces.com/FAT6    Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

  8. Aug 19

    Supporting Client Couples With Misaligned Engagement Levels, With Sydney Squires

    What happens when one partner takes the lead on finances and the relationship with their financial advisor while the other stays quiet, disengaged, or simply operates on a different wavelength? In this episode, we welcome Sydney Squires, a Senior Financial Planning Nerd here at Kitces.com, to explore the challenge of working with "misengaged couples"—client couples who have different levels of involvement, communication styles, or priorities when it comes to financial planning.  Listen in to learn how advisors can identify different types of misengagement using an assertiveness and cooperativeness framework, understand the risks of only engaging with the more active partner, and apply practical strategies to ensure both clients feel heard. Sydney also shares actionable approaches for improving client meetings, setting expectations early, and helping couples build a stronger relationship with their financial goals.  For show notes and a full episode transcript visit: www.kitces.com/FAT5  Click here to learn more about becoming a Kitces.com premier member.

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On the Financial Advisor Technician podcast, some of the sharpest minds in financial advice dig into the technical side of financial planning, discussing topics ranging from retirement and tax planning to estate planning and behavioral finance, all at the level of nerdiness you've come to expect from the Kitces.com platform. Each weekly, 30-minute episode will provide actionable insights to help you become a better, and more successful, advisor.

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