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NaviPlan blog, downloadable resources, and videos

eBook | Creating a 2021 business plan

What do you want to achieve professionally in 2021? Creating a business plan can help advisors and firms identify actionable goals to drive growth in the business.

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January 06, 2021 by Kelton Corcoran

Top 4 things the financial services industry learned in 2020

While many may view 2020 as a year to forget, events of this year have spurred growth and innovation in the FinTech industry, accelerated the adoption of remote client engagement, and emphasized the value of both financial professionals and comprehensive plans.

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December 29, 2020 by Kelton Corcoran

The finances of parenting

We are excited to sponsor this today's episode of the Animal Spirits podcast in which Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss the finances of parenting.

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September 04, 2020 by Tom Burmeister

Anthony Stich joins Power Your Advice podcast with Doug Heikkinen

On the latest episode of the Power Your Advice podcast, Anthony Stich joins Doug Heikkinen to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the financial services industry, how client expectations are changing in the Third Wave of financial planning, and how Advicent fits into the picture.

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August 24, 2020 by Kelton Corcoran

Managing your household budget

We are excited to sponsor this week's episode of the Animal Spirits podcast in which Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss managing a household budget.

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August 21, 2020 by Alex Noonan

The economics of home ownership

We are excited to sponsor this week's episode of the Animal Spirits podcast in which Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss the economics of home ownership.

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August 07, 2020 by Alex Noonan

Financial planning demand in the wake of the pandemic

While the increase in demand from both current clients and prospects can be difficult to manage, advisors with the right technology at their hip can emerge with more satisfied clients and a stronger book of business.

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July 29, 2020 by Moriah Diedrich

eBook | Financial advisors' guide to impactful digital marketing

Investors today are seeking a whole new level of connection with their finances and advisors, and the demand for financial advice has reached a new peak. To take advantage, firms need to be sure their digital marketing strategies are in order and ready to enable growth.

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July 24, 2020 by Kelton Corcoran

Maintaining client connection with digital tools

COVID-19 will undoubtedly change firm best practices going forward and the planners who embrace those changes now will be ahead of the curve. Advisors can utilize digital tools to stay connected with their clients and keep their clients connected with their advice.

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April 09, 2020 by Shawn Bosman

How to stay connected to your clients right now

It goes without saying that we are living in extraordinary times. Fear, stress, and uncertainty are a dangerous mixture, leaving advisors to play a critical role in connecting with and calming their clients.

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March 24, 2020 by Angela Pecoraro

Creating financial luck with preparation

Financial planning can seem an overwhelming task, causing people to put off getting a financial advisor and hoping they will somehow save the right amount for retirement. How can advisors help clients overcome their financial anxiety and create a plan that will set them up for a successful retirement?

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March 13, 2020 by Moriah Diedrich

Advicent Insights | Healthcare costs on the rise in Canada

Today, advisors in Canada continue to neglect healthcare research because they believe healthcare expenses to be insignificant. However, advisors have recognized that long-term care and assisted living are important factors to consider when planning for retirement.

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March 11, 2020 by Josh Grant

Demonstrating value as a financial advisor

With competition heating up in the financial services industry and a generational wealth transfer on the horizon, ensuring an advisor’s value is clearly demonstrated will be key for firms.

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March 04, 2020 by Ryan Dvornik

Practice management challenges facing firms in a new decade

Problems, challenges, pain points, obstacles… you can use any number of words to describe the complications that advisors face in the financial planning process as we enter a new decade. For firms hoping for long-term growth, overcoming practice management challenges with FinTech will be key.

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February 28, 2020 by Charles Jacques

Essential tech stack for first-year financial advisors

While starting out on your own is always exciting as a financial advisor, it can be a daunting task that many planners do not know where to begin. From managing client relationships to delivering advice, here are some tips on building out an essential tech stack.

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February 21, 2020 by Shawn Bosman

Whitepaper | Lessons from the data revolution

In today’s digital age, advisors are competing with much more than just the firm down the block. By leveraging innovations in planning technology and embracing opportunities created by AI, advisors can do far more, with far less.

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February 11, 2020 by Kelton Corcoran

Introducing Advicent’s RAD Women group

While it is true that the financial services industry is largely served by male employees, the women here at Advicent have come together to form an “employee resource group” (ERG) that we proudly call “RAD Women.”

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January 13, 2020 by Karly Cortez

Reimagine problem-solving with design thinking

Design thinking is a process for creative problem-solving that has been used for decades to solve a wide range of problems and situations. Despite its very specific name, it can be applied to any field; it does not have to be design-specific.

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January 02, 2020 by Meagan Haan

Technology’s impact on the client-advisor relationship

Though technology is commonplace across the financial services industry, some advisors may feel that it is replacing the human aspect of the client-advisor experience. While our industry is becoming more dependent on tech, technology is here to enhance relationships, not replace them.

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December 06, 2019 by Tuesday Willingale

How storytelling bolsters financial plans & client relationships

When advisors take the time to understand a client’s motivations, outlook and goals, and what they want to achieve for themselves and their families, they can present their expertise, services and added value in a way that will resonate on a deeper, emotional level.

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November 21, 2019 by Angela Pecoraro

Product update | NaviPlan 19.2 release

Our most recent update to NaviPlan includes visual enhancements of various reports and areas within the application, the ability to split surplus savings, and more.

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September 30, 2019 by John Heinen

Announcing the new NaviPlan Learning Center

We are excited to announce the new NaviPlan Learning Centre is now available, making it easier than ever for our partners to take advantage of learning resources. The same useful Learning Center information is now presented in a cleaner and more visually appealing way.

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July 31, 2019 by Kyria Branaugh

Product update | NaviPlan 19.1 release

Our latest update to NaviPlan introduces improvements to the Report Editor to allow for smoother compliance workflows, enhancements to the client portal, HSA contribution improvements, and state tax updates.

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July 22, 2019 by John Heinen

How advisors can harness the power of storytelling

Once a plan is created to address financial goals and how to achieve them, presenting that plan within the framework of a client's personal story can launch the client-advisor relationship to the next level, and convert a higher percentage of clients and assets.

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April 26, 2019 by Tuesday Willingale

Product update | NaviPlan 19.0 release

We are excited to introduce our latest release of NaviPlan® which includes an entirely overhauled user interface, allowing advisors to leverage our industry-leading technology with greater ease of use than ever before.

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April 15, 2019 by John Heinen

Advising your clients on buying their first home

Buying their first home is one of the largest decisions a client will make and can be daunting especially for younger clients. Here are considerations to take when guiding clients through the first-time home buying journey.

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April 05, 2019 by Tyler Martyniak

4 areas to consider with the central planning model

There are plenty of reasons why a financial services firm wants to be both efficient and specialized, but the two can often work against each other. In response to these sacrifices that firms found themselves making, a common trend in the financial planning industry has been implementing central planning.

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April 02, 2019 by Patrick Meyer

Product update | A new NaviPlan experience launches April 15

On April 15, we will be delivering the first of several remarkable updates to NaviPlan® that will be arriving this year. This new NaviPlan experience begins with an entirely overhauled user interface, which will allow users to leverage our industry-leading planning technology with greater ease of use than ever before.

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March 21, 2019 by John Heinen

Four tips for learning new financial software

Learning new financial software can have some hurdles when getting started but can be quick and painless with the right resources. Here are four tips to start utilizing your new planning tool and quickly realize ROI.

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March 20, 2019 by Kyria Branaugh

2018 release highlights

2018 was a big year for NaviPlan® and featured four different releases that brought numerous new features and enhancements to our users. With the new year just around the corner, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights of our releases over the past 12 months.

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December 28, 2018 by Kelton Corcoran

5 HNW client conversations you should be having

With less than half of HNWIs having substantial conversations about aligning their wealth with important goals and values, there is a real need for advisors to broaden the wealth planning dialogue they are having with clients.

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December 11, 2018 by Moriah Diedrich

Product update | NaviPlan 18.3 release

We’re thrilled to announce our latest round of enhancements that have been added to NaviPlan. In our latest release, we have introduced client portal improvements, and expanded private corporation options.

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November 30, 2018 by John Heinen

Advising HNW clients on charitable giving

For the general population, charitable giving typically means donating time or small contributions and requires little planning, but for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), larger charitable donations can require the expertise of a financial advisor.

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November 14, 2018 by Moriah Diedrich

Product update | NaviPlan 18.2 release

We’re thrilled to announce our latest round of enhancements that have been added to NaviPlan. In our latest release, we have introduced additional account types, improvements to client reports, state tax updates, and various other improvements.

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September 24, 2018 by John Heinen

Our devotion to delivering the best possible product and user experience

At Advicent, we recently held our 2018 Rally Week to reflect on our progress from the first half of the year and look ahead towards the second half. We were joined by some of our existing partners for presentations on their business processes and feedback on how our products fit their needs.

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July 26, 2018 by Tony Velasquez

Common questions when implementing NaviPlan

Despite being an incredibly large and diverse industry, the financial services profession does encounter a number of common challenges. In today’s blog, I will look at three of the most commonly discussed roadblocks and how Advicent solves for them.

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June 29, 2018 by Matt Marcum

Taking our partner experience to the next level

Take a moment and think back to some of the best experiences of your life. Perhaps you are thinking about your wedding day or the birth of a child. Maybe you are thinking about your graduation or that really amazing vacation you took. Regardless of what comes to mind, I am confident that you are not thinking about that one time you bought new financial planning software. However, in the next few months, it is my goal to change that!

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June 23, 2018 by Kyria Branaugh

The importance of scalability in financial planning software

This may sound obvious, but a one-size-fits-all approach to financial planning is not the best way to serve your clients. Every client has different needs, goals, and time horizons, meaning scalability is important for providing each client with the best advice possible.

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June 05, 2018 by Jeffrey de Ropp

Getting to know NaviPlan client reports

​You client has been dazzled by your presentations and financial recommendations, and all they need now is a document that captures all the information in an easy-to-read, referable document. Using NaviPlan client reports, you can provide a scalable, customizable report that is as unique as their financial life.

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April 16, 2018 by Alex Noonan

Do not forget about Generation X

Generation X is now slated to have $22 trillion in investable assets by 2030, which is when the oldest within the cohort will hit retirement age. Here are some effective ways to appeal to Gen X to build relationships before this wealth transfer occurs.

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April 04, 2018 by Sean Marus

Should you charge for financial plans?

Within financial services, we should explore the diametrically opposed and seemingly mutually exclusive opinions advisors have on whether or not it makes sense to charge for financial plans.

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April 03, 2018 by Nathan Lukow

3 key figures for advisors in 2018

In financial services, examining empirical statistics is the crux of major decision-making. With the first quarter coming to a close, here are three key statistics that will be paramount to advisors as they fine-tune their strategy for the remainder of the year.

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March 07, 2018 by Tyler McNaughton

Service every client with scalable financial technology

The rise of robo-advice and increased competition has made the ability to serve any client who walks through your door invaluable. With NaviPlan, the most flexible and accurate financial planning tool in the market, you can service any client by utilizing scalable features of varying complexity.

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February 21, 2018 by Alex Noonan

4 reasons to attend an industry tradeshow

With 2018 in full swing, many firms are still working to finalize their budget for the remainder of the year. Attending an industry tradeshow, however, should be a priority when considering budget restrictions.

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February 09, 2018 by Jenna Diemer