How secure is your remote work environment? This question has always been important, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, constructing a proper home office with up-to-date security standards is more critical than ever. Even when shelter-in-place restrictions are lifted, many of us will err on the side of caution and continue to work remotely.

The coronavirus pandemic has had many effects on our day-to-day lives, including the need to practice social distancing (i.e., keeping at least six feet between you and those around you). But at a time when markets are volatile and investor fears are rising, it’s more important than ever to keep the lines of communication between you and your clients open. They need you, and you need to be there for them.

When this post was first published back in 2013, the idea of displaying your computer screen on your TV was relatively new. Since then, there's been a proliferation of digital and wireless technologies that allow you to easily take your office and conference room setup to the next level. So, I decided to revisit this topic to bring you the latest information on the technology available to you.  

As a kid, I played a lot of console games. As I positioned myself in front of the TV, I had Nintendo on my left, Sega Genesis on my right, and an original PlayStation in front of me. Four power cords, three AV cords, six controller cables, and numerous other wires turned my little play area into a death trap for my poor mother. Mom’s daily battle cry was, “Clean up this mess!”

Turns out, we all should have listened to my mom.

As a technology consultant at Commonwealth Financial Network^®, I frequently talk about technology with the firm’s affiliated financial advisors. Given the pace at which new products come to market, the questions I receive typically revolve around whether advisors should invest in top-of-the-line hardware and systems and how often they should upgrade. It can be tempting to chase the latest trends, but do you really need and i7 processor when an i5 will do? With that in mind, let’s look at what you really need to run an efficient practice, and how to determine when it’s time to invest in your office technology.