WealthTech on Deck

In this episode, Jack talks with Kaitlin Hendrix, Senior Researcher and Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors, and Shawn Jaberzadeh, Vice President on the Global Client Group at Dimensional Fund Advisors. In her role, Kaitlin conducts research and analyses to evaluate and enhance Dimensional's investment strategies. She focuses on asset allocation research to develop value-added investment solutions that meet clients' needs, goals, and preferences in a systematic, reliable, and cost-efficient manner.Shawn has been with Dimensional Fund Advisors for 16 years. He has worked closely with RIAs in the Enterprise Group, which partners with the largest U.S.-based national RIA and intermediary clients. He works with firms to address their most significant issues, from developing investment solutions to thinking through strategic business initiatives.Kaitlin and Shawn talk with Jack about how the team at Dimensional Fund Advisors transforms research into practical investment strategies, their unique approach to asset management and distribution, and how technology has made financial services more accessible. Key Takeaways [01:07] - Kaitlin and Shawn's roles at Dimensional Fund Advisors. [04:28] - How investments and distributions have changed over time. [10:22] - How Dimensional Fund Advisors can serve a growing client base. [13:20] - The impact of technology on portfolio management, research, and after-tax returns. [19:01] - What led Kaitlin and Shawn into wealth management. [22:10] - What the future holds for the wealth management industry. [23:10] -  Kaitlin's perspective on how tax impacts wealth management. [26:21] - Three key takeaways from Kaitlin and Shawn. [28:02] - Kaitlin and Shawn's interests outside of work. Quotes[05:06] - "What we've seen a lot of change recently is having much more demand for investors' specific investments, customization around their portfolios, and especially around their tax management." ~ Kaitlin Hendrix[10:01] - "Financial professionals all have unique businesses. We need to take everything we have at our disposal and tailor a client support mechanism that helps them have the most success." ~ Shawn Jaberzadeh[17:16] - "When you talk about technology, having a platform that can take thousands of data points across thousands of organizations and then tease out information has been something we have invested heavily in. Technology's been a big part of how Dimensional can continue pushing the boundaries of being a better partner to firms than ever before." ~ Shawn JaberzadehLinks  Kaitlin Hendrix on LinkedIn Shawn Jaberzadeh on LinkedIn Dimensional Fund Advisors Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Over the years, businesses have focused on providing the best products and services. While this is still important, it's no longer enough. Client experience is the new battleground in today's business environment and will only become more important in the years to come.In this episode, Jack talks with Greg Menefee, Senior Vice President of Consulting & Implementation at Orion Advisor Tech. As a leader, Greg has built and led new, diverse teams by strategically establishing and cultivating a positive, productive, and inclusive cultural foundation. In his role, Greg leads a team that supports independent financial advisors in incorporating tech into their business, enhancing the practice management of their business and their client's experience.As a leader of teams that excel at elevating the client experience, Greg talks with Jack about the importance of client experience in financial services and how he helps every client maximize their Orion experience. Key Takeaways [01:10] - What it's like to work at TD Ameritrade. [06:34] - How Orion creates the best client experience. [10:54] - How Greg and his team use technology to elevate client experiences. [13:53] - Why client experience is important in financial services. [17:40] - How Greg got into the fintech industry. [21:18] - What client experience truly is. [29:04] - What the future holds for the advisory industry. [31:55] - Greg's key takeaways. [35:59] - Greg's favorite things to do outside of work. Quotes[13:06] - "Client experience is the right competitive strategy for this industry, and more and more advisory firms are catching onto that. Client experience is going to be the big differentiator in the future." ~ Greg Menefee[15:16] - "A world-class client experience starts with a world-class associate experience. An organization has to focus and invest time thinking about what their associate experience will look like to support their clients' experience and feel about their organization. If the advisor doesn't believe the client's experience is important, they will not make the connection." ~ Greg Menefee[22:21] - "Client experience isn't an event. It's not a department, and it's not a person in your organization. It's a strategy. So, you will either compete based on your product, price, or experience. That's it."~ Greg MenefeeLinks  Greg Menefee on LinkedIn Greg Menefee on Twitter TD Ameritrade Orion Advisor Technology Charles Schwab Janelle Ward Tim Hockey George Tamer Erick Clarke Randy Lambert Fidelity Investments Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Since its inception, the Social Security program has been a cornerstone of retirement planning. Though most people think of social security as a retirement program, it is much more than that. There are many ways to maximize Social Security benefits people don't realize.In this episode, Jack talks with Alyson Dorosky, Marketing Manager and Head of Social Security Support at LifeYield. Also joining them is Jeff Quigley, Vice President of Enterprise Sales and Relationships at LifeYield. In her role, Alyson is a key member of the Marketing and Advisor Success Teams at LifeYield. She's been supporting advisors using Social Security Advantage, which makes her an important Social Security author to watch. She writes monthly about Social Security secrets, niche cases, and lessons learned supporting clients in the digital era. Jeff is responsible for working with existing clients to increase advisor adoption and effectiveness and identifying opportunities to expand relationships that bring added value to customers. In addition, Jeff engages with prospective clients to drive new revenue to the firm.Alyson and Jeff talk with Jack about how they help advisors navigate social security, how LifeYield and Franklin Templeton work together to bridge the gap between planning and implementation, and how LifeYield Social Security+ improves retirement income outcomes for advisors and clients.Key Takeaways [01:13] - A partnership between LifeYield and Franklin Templeton. [04:21] - How the Goals Optimization Engine bridges the gap between planning and implementation. [06:37] - How LifeYield Social Security+ enhances retirement income outcomes for advisors and clients. [08:49] - An update on the Cost of Living Adjustment (CoLA). [11:43] - How Alyson helps advisors with Social Security. [14:43] - What financial services providers think of LifeYield's Social Security tool. [18:41] - Alyson's approach to helping advisors navigate social security. [21:39] - A look at where social security is heading. [23:58] - Alyson and Jeff's key takeaways. [26:51] - The things Alyson and Jeff enjoy outside of work. Quotes[02:40]- "It's great to have a plan. And it's great to have that dialogue with clients, but it's difficult to implement that advice in many cases." ~ Jeff Quigley[13:00] - "Many people find a lot of misconceptions and a great deal of confusion around survivor benefits and divorced benefits. Using a tool like LifeYield is always super impactful." ~ Alyson Dorosky[26:27] - "Leverage Social security as a springboard to whatever kind of conversation or path you want with prospects or clients. Whether that's leveraging a high-level conversation about retirement income, using income layers, or whether you're diving into a full financial plan."~ Jeff QuigleyLinks  Jeff Quigley on LinkedIn Alyson Dorosky on LinkedIn Alyson Dorosky Goals Optimization Engine (GOE®) | Franklin Templeton New York Life Insurance Merrill Lynch Personal Capital Allianz Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Many individuals and families face financial challenges that require professional assistance to navigate. These challenges can range from investment planning and portfolio management to retirement planning and tax optimization. With the best financial planning tools and investment strategies, financial advisors can provide investors with the best-in-class financial advice.In today's episode, Jack talks with Jed Finn at the Next Chapter Rockin' Retirement Conference. Jed is the COO and Managing Director for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. In his role, Jed often has to make tough decisions about budgets and strategies and work with the leadership team to optimize resource allocation in pursuit of the overall strategy.Jed talks with Jack about how Morgan Stanley achieved strong asset growth, how the company integrated and coordinated wealth management and retirement platforms, and Morgan Stanley's comprehensive approach to serving clients.Key Takeaways [01:37] - The key role Jed plays at Morgan Stanley. [03:06] - How Morgan Stanley achieved strong asset growth. [08:15] - How Morgan Stanley integrated and coordinated wealth management and retirement platforms and strategies. [18:27] - What Morgan Stanley does regarding tax issues. [22:02] - Morgan Stanley's comprehensive approach to serving clients. [27:55] - What the category of one means in wealth management. Quotes[03:20] - "We always thought that the future of wealth management would be the combination of best-in-class advice and best-in-class technology. We are proud of how our advisors perform on the various rankings and, most importantly, how they serve their clients." ~ Jed Finn[14:01] - "What we've put together is differentiated because we're the only firm that can deliver cradle-to-grave corporate services where we can grow with a company at every step in its life cycle." ~ Jed Finn[24:24] - "People have different preferences for advice consumption with different risk budgets, and we need to be able to deliver all of it, or somebody else is going to. From a service perspective, we make sure we can meet clients where they are across that entire spectrum." ~ Jed FinnLinks  Jed Finn on LinkedIn Morgan Stanley Barron's James Gorman BlackRock Aladdin E*trade Parametric | Eaton Vance Vestwell Shareworks Equity Edge Online Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Digital transformation is inevitable, and financial services companies have to be nimble and adapt to the changing landscape. They need to find ways to capitalize on opportunities to remain relevant. As the world ages and demographics change, client and advisor relationships continuously evolve.In this episode, Jack talks with Kabir Sethi, Managing Director and Chief Product Officer at LPL Financial. In his role, Kabir oversees advisor and end client experience and investment solutions and platforms. He is responsible for investment, banking and lending products, research, core advisor operating platform, end investor experience, third-party and fintech partnerships, and enterprise data and analytics.With a track record of building and growing award-winning businesses and platforms, Kabir talks with Jack about how he got his start in wealth management, his strategies for creating a better wealth management system, and what he sees as the future of wealth management.Key Takeaways [01:04] - An overview of Kabir's role at LPL Financial. [02:53] - What it's like to move from a major wirehouse to a leading independent firm. [05:57] - How Kabir got his start in wealth management. [11:48] - Kabir's strategy for creating a better wealth management system. [16:56] - How Kabir develops a comprehensive and personalized advice platform. [21:08] - What Kabir sees as the future of wealth management. [24:42] - The challenge of creating a comprehensive wealth management strategy. [28:37] - Kabir's three key takeaways. [30:22] - Interesting things Kabir does outside of work. Quotes[12:39] - "This idea of making the experience easier will always be fundamental to our industry. There is no end to the opportunities to take the friction out and find new ways to do things. There are always new ways to try and make the experiences more efficient." ~ Kabir Sethi[21:56] - "As this country ages and demographics change, you have generations of investors who have grown up digitally. Wealth management will always be a combination of a human and digital relationship. The nature of that relationship and how that relationship gets executed is going to keep changing." ~ Kabir Sethi[28:45] - "I believe that true success and the people who will succeed will have advisors at the center of their strategy. If you can figure out and keep working at making financial advisors successful, their clients will benefit." ~ Kabir Sethi Links  Kabir Sethi on LinkedIn LPL Financial Columbia University Booz Allen Merrill Lynch Bank of America National Brain Tumor Society Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Most people would agree that financial planning is an important part of life. After all, who doesn't want to be able to retire comfortably and have enough money to live the life they want? However, financial planning needs to be much more than just a plan. It needs a clear understanding of the current financial situation and a roadmap to achieve future goals. How can investors create a financial plan that helps them live an intelligent financial life?In this episode, Jack talks with Rose Palazzo, Group Head of Envestnet Money Guide. Before joining MoneyGuide, Rose was the Head of Financial Planning for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, responsible for managing the development, implementation, and support of the firm's financial planning offering. Having hands-on experience designing financial planning software, Rose was also an architect of Morgan Stanley's proprietary goals-based wealth management platform, Goals Planning System (GPS).Having extensive experience in the financial industry, Rose speaks with Jack about some of the exciting things she is working on at MoneyGuide, what she sees as the future of financial planning, and how she helps clients achieve their financial goals.Key Takeaways [02:34] - How Rose launched Intelligent Withdrawals while setting up for MoneyGuide. [04:47] - What inspired Rose to join MoneyGuide. [07:55] - Some of the exciting things Rose is working on at MoneyGuide. [14:06] - An inside look at Rose's financial services journey. [15:21] - What Rose sees as the future of financial planning. [20:52] - How Rose helps clients achieve their financial goals. [23:41] - Where Envestnet MoneyGuide is heading in the future. [25:01] - Rose's three most important takeaways. [26:36] - The things that Rose enjoys doing outside of work. Quotes[05:35] - "This idea of intelligent financial life is that all components of a client's financial life are connected. And that requires technology to help execute and to enhance clients' lives by providing better advice and helping them to attain what they want." ~ Rose Palazzo[17:14] - "Clients have complex financial lives, which means they use different advisory products. But all the things that come together help them achieve what they want. There's been so much work done to have platforms inform each other to enhance the advice." ~ Rose Palazzo[21:36] - "Planning is getting an understanding of why you were investing in the first place.  If we invest for you and provide solutions to you, we should know what the objective is." ~ Rose PalazzoLinks  Rose Palazzo on LinkedIn Morgan Stanley Envestnet MoneyGuidePro Bill Crager Envestnet | MoneyGuide's Wealth Studios Envestnet | Tamarac Dani Fava eMoney Advisor Edmond Walters Merrill Lynch Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Many investors are looking for more integrated solutions to help them manage their portfolios more efficiently. The goal is to minimize the overall tax burden while maximizing after-tax returns. With tax playing a significant role in investment portfolio performance, what can investors do to minimize taxes and transaction costs to achieve their desired investment results?In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Amanda Lott, Head of Wealth Planning Strategy at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In this high-impact role, Amanda drives the firm's training, content, and strategic approach to help clients articulate their most meaningful intentions and align their resources to these priorities. She believes that helping individuals with sound decision-making gives them financial peace of mind and the freedom to live their best lives.Amanda talks with Jack about how she works on the key areas of financial planning, why smart asset location is important, and how she helps advisors embrace complex planning techniques.Key Takeaways [00:58] - Why Amanda chose to study financial planning. [02:17] - How Amanda got into J.P. Morgan Private Bank. [05:40] - How Amanda works on the key areas of financial planning. [07:05] - Amanda's high-impact role at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. [10:18] - What goes into developing a J.P. Morgan Private Bank training program. [12:11] - Why tax efficiency is more achievable than tax alpha. [16:48] - How Amanda gets advisors to embrace complex planning techniques. [21:37] - Some of the big projects J.P. Morgan is working on. [27:31] - Three key takeaways from Amanda. [29:22] - Amanda's interests outside of work. Quotes[13:55] - "With the evolution of the annuity space, being able to offer a low-cost option, and get more of your taxable dollars into a tax-deferred environment, presents a tremendous opportunity for advisors to deliver smart asset location advice to ultra clients." ~ Amanda Lott[27:54] - "We need to make sure there’s a baseline planning knowledge for all advisors, so they can deliver consistently and ultimately add value because that's where the industry is headed." ~ Amanda Lott[28:29] - "Technology is never going to replace the advisor. But it's got to complement them, making them more efficient and effective." ~ Amanda LottLinks  Amanda Lott on LinkedIn J.P. Morgan Private Bank  Texas Tech University Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

The investment advisory industry focuses on asset accumulation and allocation as primary drivers of investor outcomes, leaving out opportunities to enhance returns. Taxes are the biggest expense that investors incur throughout their lives, more than everything else combined.In this episode, Jack talks with Mark Hoffman, CEO, Chairman, and Founder at LifeYield. Mark and his longtime business partner, Paul Samuelson, founded LifeYield to facilitate tax-smart, risk-smart household portfolio management solutions. Mark has over 25 years of experience as an executive at public organizations, including State Street, Fiserv, and Colonial Management. He is also the founder of three financial technology firms: LifeYield, Upstream Technologies, and Lattice Trading. Mark talks with Jack about the lessons learned over the past 14 years of building comprehensive advice platforms, the importance of tax-smart implementation in financial planning, and how LifeYield simplifies portfolio management while maximizing returns.Key Takeaways [01:38] - How LifeYield was founded. [06:33] - The key lessons Mark learned over the course of his career. [10:12] - Mark's research on the importance of tax-smart implementation. [14:39] - How retirement income sourcing fits into portfolio management. [17:42] - Mark's thoughts on the future of financial planning. [20:42] - How LifeYield simplifies portfolio management while maximizing returns. [27:33] - Why wealth management firms should be the primary advisors for their clients. [31:35] - Why LifeYield's partnership with Franklin Templeton could be groundbreaking. [36:11] - Interesting things Mark does outside of work. Quotes[18:03] - "At LifeYield, we see financial planning as finally becoming the central pillar supporting how advisors engage with their clients. But financial planning has not been tax aware. Without tax awareness, financial planning cannot provide implementable advice." ~ Mark Hoffman[28:30] - "Tax alpha is often the largest benefit we've talked about in these bad markets. And for any firm in the wealth management industry to be successful, they certainly need a tax alpha strategy." ~ Mark Hoffman [28:58] - "Wealth management firms need to become the primary advisor for their clients, particularly when somebody's transitioning into retirement. It's a natural asset consolidation point because the client wants uniform advice." ~ Mark HoffmanLinks  Mark Hoffman on Linkedin LifeYield Paul Samuelson Michael Benedek Warren Buffet Vanguard MoneyGuidePro Orion Advisor Solutions Morgan Stanley E*Trade Franklin Templeton Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Wealth management has long been focused on investment products – stocks, bonds, and mutual funds – but there is a shift taking place in the industry. A growing number of wealth management firms are seeing the value in shifting their focus from investment products to investment processes. In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Bullard, Global Head of Wealth at Charles River Development. Before joining Charles River Development, Randy served as General Manager of Wealth Management at SigFig. At Charles River, Randy leads the Charles River Wealth Management business globally. He is responsible for the firm's wealth product strategy and growth of the business with a heavy focus on client satisfaction. Randy talks with Jack about the secular shift from investment products to the investment process in wealth management. He also speaks about the current state of wealth management in the digital age, the future of comprehensive advice platforms, and coordinating wealthtech capabilities.Key Takeaways [01:06] - What Charles River Development has to offer its clients. [03:10] - How Randy got into wealth management. [05:10] - A look back at Placemark Investments. [09:23] - What Randy brings to Charles River Development. [12:12] - The current state of wealth management in the digital age. [14:59] - The future of comprehensive advice platforms. [18:09] - Coordinating wealthtech capabilities. [23:03] - What's next for portfolio personalization? [25:51] - Randy's top three takeaways. Quotes[13:32] - "Direct indexing, hyper-personalization, increased focus on tax optimization, and ESG application at an individual investor level are all manifestations of this transition from product to process, which we're undergoing in the industry right now." ~ Randy Bullard[16:08] - "UMH is a process. It's a way of collecting disconnected things and making decisions at a client level that span all the stuff the client has. And so it's a process, not a product." ~ Randy Bullard[26:08] - "Most asset managers are not doing well in this transition from an investment product to an investment process. We have to find ways to turn their value add and value proposition into data and information they can sell." ~ Randy BullardLinks  Randy Bullard on LinkedIn Charles River Development State Street Envestnet Parametric Portfolio Associates RBC Wealth Management UBS Wealthfront Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Attracted by the city's educated workforce and growing reputation as a hub for tech and entrepreneurship, many innovative companies have made Hartford their home. With the city's rich insurance history and a center for many resources, how can a new generation of insurtech talent find the best resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities to thrive in the city?In this episode, Jack talks with Laura Dinan Haber, Innovation Program Manager at Nassau Financial Group, and Paul Tyler, Chief Marketing Officer at Nassau Financial Group. In their roles, Laura and Paul work with startups and scale-ups worldwide. They help foster connections, make introductions, and open doors for the new generation of insurtech talent to the city and state.Dedicated to accelerating insurtech innovation, Laura and Paul talk with Jack about Hartford as a hub for innovation, the exciting projects they are working on, and where the world is going regarding technology and solutions.Key Takeaways [01:08] - Laura and Paul's roles at Nassau Financial Group. [03:24] - How Hartford is a hub for innovation. [05:50] - What inspired Paul to create an ecosystem of businesses. [11:04] - Exciting projects Laura and Paul are working on. [14:06] - How accelerator programs have helped Laura and Paul's company. [16:17] - Laura's current clients' successes. [18:38] - What's next for Nassau Financial Group. [20:26] - Where the world is going in terms of technology and solutions. [22:53] - Paul and Laura's key takeaways. [25:50] - A few things Paul and Laura like to do outside of work. Quotes[13:12] - "We want to be a place for people to come up with their ideas and stories, and we want to help tell those things. I like to think of us as day 91, where we can help you figure out what's next and be there for you." ~ Laura Dinan Haber[17:58] - "Watching people progress, not only as founders but as leaders themselves, and then watching their work become more fundamental to our bottom line and helping our team out, has been exciting. And it's fun to see what we can find next." ~ Laura Dinan Haber[24:01] - "Whatever place you're at in business or life, surround yourself with a community, whether online or in person, where you can be authentic, engage, and share messages." ~ Laura Dinan HaberLinks  Laura Dinan Haber Paul Tyler Nassau Financial Group Nassau Re/Imagine Virtus Investment Partners Techstars Stanley Black & Decker reSET Aetna Cigna University of Connecticut University of Hartford Connecticut Innovations Douglas Roth UHart Barney School of Business TEDx Hartford Authentic and Ethical Persuasion Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook