Bob Veres' E-Columns

In his e-columns, Bob Veres explores topics that help you serve your clients better, and create a more efficient, effective and profitable practice.

DISCLAIMER: This document has not been approved, disapproved, or otherwise acted upon by any senior technical committees of, and does not represent an official position of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. It is distributed with the understanding that the contributing authors and editors, and the publisher, are not rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

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More from Bob Veres:  Media Reviews  |  Inside Information

May 26, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: COVID Marketing
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares how the current environment and uncertainty is driving people to seek guidance, reassurance, and a professional assessment of their financial situation.

May 15, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Boomerang Clients
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares the impact of clients who want direct contact with the firm principle rather than their staff as a result of COVID-19.

April 30, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Mastering Video
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares how social distancing has accelerated a trend towards videoconferencing.

April 27, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: The Call
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares ways of helping your clients move from an emotional to a rational decision-making process during a panicked telephone call.

April 20, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Corona Changes
In this e-column, Bob Veres talks about the permanent changes that the pandemic could make in our lives, individually and to our social order itself.

April 13, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: The Challenges of Remote Productivity
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares the challenges of productivity while working remotely.

April 10, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Comfort in the Storm
In this article, Bob Veres share how to comfort your clients during this most difficult time of the unknown.

March 22, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Letters of Support
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares letters of support he received from other financial advisors.

March 20, 2020 – Bob Veres E-Column: Support in Crisis
In this article, Bob Veres shares how to support your clients in this time of crisis.

August 28, 2019 – Bob Veres E-Column: Financing for my Daughter: A dialogue of Basic Financial Information
In this article, Bob compiles a list of questions and answers that he used to help his daughter understand financial basics. 

April 19, 2019 – Bob Veres E-Column: The Next Asset Management
In this article, Bob Veres explores a new (and possibly better) way of managing client portfolios which involves an advisor managing portfolios of individual securities guided by the insight and research of a fund manager. 

December 5, 2018 – Bob Veres E-Column: Cybersecurity and Data Protection
In this e-column, Bob shares insight as to how to advise clients on how to protect themselves in an increasingly risky cyberworld.  Use this resource which links directly to agencies and other reporting companies that can help freeze and secure credit.

November 21, 2018 – Bob Veres E-Column: Coming Soon: The Summit Experience Insights
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares how the Summit Experience seeks out experts to explore, in depth, key issues and trends that you might want to incorporate in your business or practice.

October 22, 2018 – Generational Insights; Training Along the Career Ladder
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares how different generational tendencies are roiling today’s financial planning firms, and ultimately the futility of trying to peg education to any specific generational cohort.

January 23, 2017: Regulators Amok, and the Proper Custodial Role
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares additional stories of regulatory overreach at the state or SEC level. 

January 23, 2017: Regulators Amok, and the Proper Custodial Role 
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares additional stories of regulatory overreach at the state or SEC level. 

September 7, 2016: Magical Outcomes 
In this e-column, Bob Veres discusses the real magic that comes when a financial planner executes a terrific outcome with a client. 

July 11, 2016: Evaluating Partner Performance 
In this e-column, Bob Veres discusses the intricacies and importance of conducting formal performance evaluations on managers and partners.  He suggests some metrics and overarching themes that these individuals should be working to achieve, and then highlights a process of placing performance by percentiles.

March 8, 2016: The Cost of a Client 
In this e-column, Bob Veres explains the results of a survey about paying for client referrals. He invites you to take a quiz, created by MoneyGuidePro, seeking input into what makes a quality financial plan and some of the factors that make it hard to provide one to clients. 

June 23, 2015: Notes from the “Dark Cloud” 
In this e-column, Bob Veres shares cybersecurity insights learned from a presentation at a recent conference from CNN’s National Security commentator and former Congressman, Mike Rogers. He addresses recent cyber-attacks and what advisers can do to protect themselves and their clients.

June 3, 2014: Windows Into The Future 
In this e-column, Bob Veres outlines questions raised and addressed by his readers about the future of the advisory profession.  If you want to comment on any of them, please send Bob ( bob@bobveres.com) your thoughts to help gain deeper perspective as he models where the profession is going.

• First: why are we modeling the future now?  Is there any particular urgency?
• Is succession planning really a crisis?
• But isn't there still a talent shortage in the profession?
• Will the merger trend create short-term turmoil in the profession?
• Is the regulatory situation more threatening than is commonly realized?
• Will future returns support today's retirement planning projections?
• Is the asset management process likely to evolve in the future?
• Is financial planning changing in some fundamental way?
• Is the profession's revenue model changing?
• Will the structure of the typical advisory firm change in the near future?

June 14, 2013: Fiduciary Day
Bob Veres recaps the recent TD Ameritrade Fiduciary Leadership Summit. Veres writes that the SEC has been pressured by heavily-lobbied lawmakers to create a cost-benefit analysis before it issues any kind of fiduciary rulemaking, and that the SEC staff seems to be divided over whether to preserve the brokerage model and create rules around the fiduciary standard or to force wirehouses to change their business models to make recommendations only in the public’s best interest. Read the full report in this latest e-column from Veres, as well as the AICPA’s recent letter opposing a weakened fiduciary standard. 

June 4, 2013: Investment Issues to Ponder
In creating sessions and discussions and investment markets for the Insider’s Forum conference in September, Bob Veres requests your thoughts on the recent investment markets and interest rate environment. Bob invites you to read this e-column and share your perspective with him at bob@bobveres.com. 

May 10, 2013: The Fee Samples: A Report on Advisory Fee Structures in the Financial Planning/Advisor Profession
Responding to an Inside Information E-Column on advisory fees ("The Fee Conundrum") advisors from all over the U.S. marketplace provided information about their fee structures, including the amounts and how the fees were determined. 

May 4, 2013: The Fee Conundrum
The question of "how much should I charge?" looks extremely complicated when you consider the broad spectrum of services provided by financial planners and investment advisers. Bob Veres is requesting feedback from advisers, and invites you to share your perspective on a host of questions about fees you charge your clients to bob@bobveres.com.