Ethan Young here, director, insurance and annuities, at Commonwealth. In 2018, Commonwealth established a partnership with Ash Brokerage to enhance the insurance marketing and operations functions available to our advisors. Ash Brokerage doesn’t just specialize in insurance but approaches it with a passion that matches our own company culture. It provides our advisors with untapped growth opportunities in offering protection products for their clients. We see this partnership as a way to bring the best of both organizations to the advisors who affiliate with us. Below, Steven Bressler, risk management consultant at Ash Brokerage, discusses the power of insurance planning and how to talk about it with your clients.

Increased life expectancies and an aging population have presented unique challenges in planning for the sandwich generation, a group of people trying to balance raising young children, providing care to parents, and managing their own lives. As a trusted advisor, you may be the first resource these individuals ask for help with the legal, health care, and financial concerns surrounding their role as both caregivers and consumers. Here’s what you should know.

High-net-worth investors (HNWIs) typically have liquid financial assets (e.g., cash on hand or an asset that can be readily converted to cash) of between $1 million and $5 million. And ultra-HNWIs have more than $25 million in liquid assets. These groups are highly desirable clients, especially if your firm is in growth mode. Acquiring an HNWI or ultra-HNWI could put you well down the path to reaching your goals for the year. But how do you go about prospecting for high-net-worth clients?

One of the hardest tasks for advisors is identifying investment opportunities for your clients that check the right boxes. Sure, names like Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook seem like a safe bet. But it’s the diamonds in the rough that can elude even experienced investment professionals. So, where do you begin when it comes to sourcing fresh ideas?

As a financial advisor, the ability to identify potential risks to your firm is critical. Some risks, like client complaints and regulatory reviews, are inherent in the financial services industry. And when it comes to client relationship management, you’ll find risks you can control, as well as those you can’t.

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to be more successful in managing risk in your client relationships: