Investments & Wealth Institute

Ready to catch up on what you missed at Strategy Forum 2024? Our Best of Strategy Forum 2024 — featuring the 10 most popular sessions and a chance to earn CE credits—is available for a limited time! Don’t miss this chance to gain advanced-level insights and discover strategies to empower your clients and drive business growth – all while earning CE* credits from the comfort of your home or office. Elite members save 40% and Signature members save 25% off the price! 👉 Access now: https://lnkd.in/gpa3XWdp *10 Institute CE credits (including 1 Tax & Regulations CE) approved for CIMA ®, CPWA ®, RMA® certificants as well as 8 CFP® CE. #IWIStrategyForum2024 #BusinessStrategy #FinancialPlanning #ContinuingEducation #InvestmentManagement #OnDemandLearning #WealthManagement #FinanceProfessionals

Veterans Month Spotlight: From Marine Corps to President of ILS Financial, LLC As we continue our Veterans Month celebration, we would like to highlight Matt Samson, MBA, CPWA®, a Marine Corps veteran and President of ILS Financial, LLC, who now dedicates his career to serving the financial needs of military members and veterans. After leaving active duty in 2014 where he flew the F/A-18 Hornet, Matt was drawn to financial advising, realizing the need for expertise in military finances. “While working at my former firm, I was often asked about the unique aspects of military and veteran finances and after five years, I decided to open my own firm focused on helping people like me.” Today, he leads ILS Financial, LLC, specializing in guiding clients through the complex military retirement system, VA benefits, and other financial challenges familiar to those who’ve served. “The military retirement system, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the challenges of military life are extremely difficult to understand unless you've walked the same path. In my opinion, to best serve this community you need to have a solid foundation as an advisor as well as a specialized knowledge of military life and benefits.” He attributes his military experience to shaping his approach to financial advising. “Understanding strategic planning and the ability to turn a plan and vision into actions is critical to running a successful practice. As an aviator, standard operating procedure and checklists were pivotal to mission success and I've adopted this same mindset in working with clients.” Matt earned his CPWA designation after receiving a scholarship from the Investments & Wealth Institute (“the Institute”), enhancing his expertise to serve clients even better. “The CPWA designation was something that I identified early on in my career as an advisor as a goal. The quality of the institutions that the Institute partners with for the educational side of the designation is exemplary and the core knowledge, I felt was perfectly aligned with better serving my clients.” For fellow veterans considering wealth management, his advice: “Go for it! Make a conscious decision on who you want to serve as clients, it will shape everything else you do. It can be a long road to get to where you want to be, don't lose track of your vision or take shortcuts. Find the knowledge you need to best serve your clients and jump in.” We are proud to have Matt as part of the Institute family. Thank you Matt for your service. The Investments & Wealth Foundation provides scholarships for financial certifications, supporting the advancement of individuals who are underrepresented in our industry. To learn more about how you can make an impact by making a donation or if you would like to apply for a scholarship, please visit https://lnkd.in/dEXnwzZ9 #VeteransMonth #VeteransScholarships #FinancialEducation #GiveBack #VeteranSupport #HonoringHeroes

🔍 How Do Emotions Impact Financial Decisions? High performing advisors recognize that managing portfolios involves monitoring and understanding markets — but also gaining deep insights into the psychology driving client choices. In the July/August 2024 issue of the Investments & Wealth Monitor, Dr. Massi De Santis, PhD, CFP® takes a comprehensive look at the challenges of understanding each client’s true risk preferences, which are ultimately grounded in behavioral biases, emotional landscapes, and personality traits. In his article, “Risk, Mind, and Feelings: Combining Risk Analysis and Behavioral Economics to Make Better Decisions Under Uncertainty,” he proposes adding cognitive and personality dimensions to standards risk assessments. Don't miss this very insightful read! Learn practical takeaways for advisors committed to delivering comprehensive and emotionally intelligent advice. #BehavioralFinance #RiskManagement #FinancialPlanning #InvestmentsandWealthInstitute

🌟 Giving Tuesday is Coming – Give the Gift of Education This Giving Tuesday, join us in making a difference by supporting the Investments & Wealth Foundation’s scholarship fund. Through our scholarship program, we offer opportunities for diverse professionals to build careers, develop expertise, and secure their financial futures through earning their Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) certifications. Your tax-deductible gift to the Investments & Wealth Foundation isn’t just a donation—it’s a powerful way to support a more inclusive profession. This December 3, help us make an impact and donate today at: https://lnkd.in/gbs6gj_R #GivingTuesday #Scholarships #FinancialEducation #GiveBack

In a Rapidly Digitizing World, What Makes Clients Choose — and Stay With — a Human Advisor? In their recent Investments & Wealth Monitor article, “Human-Centric Advising: What Clients Value in Their Advisors,” authors Samantha Lamas and Danielle Labotka review evolving client preferences around hiring, retaining, or switching advisors. Delivering outstanding financial advice still means delivering specific financial services to clients, but also includes providing emotional reassurance and guidance. Clients want more than just numbers. They crave connection, understanding, and behavioral coaching. Specifically, the authors look at the advisor-client lifecycle — including situations where the advisor is let go — and document how trust and support are crucial in each stage. For example, emotional factors are often key to hiring decisions, while financial performance most strongly influences retention. When clients leave their advisor, there are often both emotional and performance issues at play. 👇 Please read more below! #FinancialAdvice #BehavioralFinance #InvestmentsandWealthInstitute #FinancialPlanning

📅 Mark your calendars! Plan to attend our Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) intro webinar on December 11 at 11:00 AM EST!    Learn how you can differentiate yourself from the competition and stand out as a high-net-worth expert in our brief 30-minute intro webinar hosted by Tyler Cook, Enrollment Counselor.    During this session you will:  ➡ Learn about the CPWA curriculum and its unique focus on high-net-worth clients  ➡ Understand the certification process and requirements  ➡ Gain insights on flexible course options and prestigious business school partnerships  ➡ Hear how you can earn the CPWA designation in 6 months  ➡ Get answers to your questions in a Q&A session with our experts    Why Attend?  The CPWA certification is tailored for professionals managing the complex needs of affluent clients. It offers a comprehensive education on topics such as planning strategies, tax strategies, and legacy planning to name a few, giving you the tools you need to deliver exceptional value to your clients. Register today! #CPWA #WealthManagement #Investments #ProfessionalDevelopment 

📊 High-Yield Bonds: A Balancing Act of Opportunity and Risk In a rapidly evolving market, high-yield bonds have gained traction with advisors who seek to diversify fixed-income strategies and boost client income. But navigating these opportunities requires more than surface-level insights. Advisors today need a multi-layered approach to high-yield analysis to identify true value and mitigate risks. Explore “A Spectrum of Risk: Navigating High-Yield Bonds for Your Clients,” a recent blog from Investment Sense. Learn why: ➡️ Credit ratings alone aren't enough to assess these bonds ➡️ Fundamental and relative value analyses are essential tools ➡️ Actively managed funds and ETFs each play unique roles It is likely that high-yield bonds will continue to capture attention as investors search for greater amount of income per dollar invested — especially in an environment where traditional fixed-income assets may struggle to deliver competitive returns. #HighYieldBonds #InvestmentSense #FinancialAdvisors #WealthManagement

🎖️ Support Veterans. Invest in Their Future. This Veterans Month, the Investments & Wealth Institute’s Foundation is proud to support the brave men and women who have served our country by providing scholarships to help them advance their careers in finance. Many veterans face unique challenges transitioning into civilian life, and with your help, we can offer them the opportunity to build meaningful careers in the financial industry. Every donation, whether big or small, empowers a veteran to gain the knowledge and certifications needed to advance their careers. How You Can Help: ✔ Donate to our scholarship fund ✔ Share this post and raise awareness ✔ Honor a veteran by investing in their future 👉 Donate today at: https://lnkd.in/g3rnDxUP #VeteransMonth #VeteransScholarships #FinancialEducation #GiveBack #VeteranSupport #HonoringHeroes

Missed Strategy Forum 2024? We’ve Got You Covered! Our Best of Strategy Forum 2024 is now available on-demand! Our Best of bundle brings you the top 10 sessions from this year's event—packed with insights from industry leaders. Explore topics like estate tax strategies, retirement income planning, generational wealth transfers, digital assets, and more! Access the the Best of Strategy Forum 2024 and earn 10 Institute CE credits (including 1 Tax & Regulations CE) approved for CIMA ®, CPWA ®, RMA® certificants as well as 8 CFP® CE. Elite members save 40% and Signature members save 25% off the price! 👉 Purchase Now! https://lnkd.in/gRJHBqhv #IWIStrategyForum2024 #BusinessStrategy #FinancialPlanning #ContinuingEducation #InvestmentManagement #OnDemandLearning #WealthManagement #FinanceProfessionals

Webinar tomorrow! Plan to attend the “Not All High Yield is Junk” webinar featuring John Sheehan, CFA and Carl Kaufman of Osterweis. Gain a better understanding of high-yield portfolios and why not all are considered risky. Webinar sponsored by Osterweis. 📅 November 13, 2024 - 12:30PM - 1:30PM EST 🎓 Continuing Education Credit Opportunity 👉 Register Today! https://lnkd.in/gbsEKtWh Registrants who hold their CIMA®, CPWA®, and RMA® certifications are eligible to receive one CE credit hour. CFP® attendees may receive one CE credit hour, pending approval. Can’t attend? Register anyway! You will receive instructions for accessing the recording within two weeks of the event which will be available for viewing for one year. The recording will be eligible for CE credit for Institute certified professionals who are unable to attend in person.