AP Thought Leader Summit 2020

Nearly every client or someone they love is dealing with frustration, aggravation and expense because of America’s convoluted health care system. As an advisor, there are a handful of key ways in which you can help clients navigate the system and be aware of what could lie ahead. Join AP editor Dorothy Hinchcliff for a Q&A with Dr. Carolyn McClanahan, a well-known advisor who is always on top of the latest health care developments affecting your clients.

The pandemic has driven home the importance of having the latest technology to communicate and thrive in today’s world. Advisors large and small have incredible tech choices that can help them quickly and effectively gain insight on clients and prospects as well as provide them with a host of valuable services. Hear from leading advisor tech providers on the latest tools that every advisor should consider if they want a competitive advantage while building a business for the future.

As devastating and disruptive as the pandemic has been for so many, it has also shined light on the industries and sectors that are best poised to innovate and keep our markets moving. From biotech to cybersecurity to AI and Robotics to Semiconductors and more, thematic tech ETFs are some of the best performing funds of the year. These groupings of industry-related securities are an effective way to gain exposure to companies in particular industries with growth potential. Learn how thematic tech ETFs may fit into your clients' portfolios from some of the biggest names in the business.

Variable annuities were created to give retirees access to lifetime income with the potential for growth. Today’s products offer a range of features such as liquidity, investment risk hedging, access to a risk premium, tax deferral, and longevity protection. This panel address the tradeoff of these product features and when they provide the greatest value to retirees. The best variable annuities offer reasonable-cost options that provide income, investment flexibility and downside protection when clients need them most. CFP and IWI CE credits pending.

While structured notes have been available for decades, recent developments in the defined outcome space have brought these types of payoff profiles to newer investment vehicles. Join us as we look at how product innovation, advances in indexing and portfolio implementation have changed the defined outcome landscape.

As we all navigate a crisis that’s dramatically changed our lives, one of the best-known commentators on the advisory profession takes a longer view on what it will take for your business to not just survive — but thrive. In an informative Q&A with Bob Huebscher, Veres will explore the many transitions facing advisors and offer advice on building deeper connections in a world where every other advisor can be your competitor.

In such an unprecedented year, what challenges and opportunities does the fixed-income market present and how can advisors position portfolios for income and risk-adjusted returns going forward? This session discusses:
• Why a V-Shaped recovery is unrealistic.

• A look at how markets have recovered, but spreads are still wider than pre-crisis levels.

• Why credit performance is likely to deteriorate, but Fed support may signal opportunity.

• How to invest in this environment.

The Department of Labor has proposed yet another fiduciary rule on retirement investment advice that is strongly opposed by many financial advisors. Two key provisions would dramatically affect who is deemed a fiduciary and what standards they must meet. Hear from a panel of experts who will explain what these latest developments mean for you.

Rates are likely to continue being low for a long period of time. Where can bond investors turn for income? Diversifying with credit in fixed income can improve a strategy’s potential to deliver income, provide capital appreciation and help defend against risk. Different from simply cap-weighting, applying certain factors in a rules-based approach can improve outcomes. Given recent market volatility, investors are encouraged by these alternative fixed-income strategies. Join our experts as they provide an in-depth discuss that will cover:

· Uncovering the most attractive risk-adjusted returns for your clients
· Multi-sector / multi-factor solutions
· Positioning portfolios to exploit pockets of yield, quality and liquidity

JAY MCANDREW

Investments Expert

GENE TANNUZZO

CFA

MARC ZEITOUN

CFA

Uncertainty. There is plenty. Climate change, human rights and social justice, and (of course) the coronavirus pandemic, are just a few of the sources of uncertainty today. COVID-19 has disrupted the way we work. Advances in healthcare are improving both outcomes and access. Social justice issues are evolving behavioral norms. Broader access to the internet has changed the way we connect and will continue to do so.

From the environment to social justice reform to healthcare improvements, small-cap companies lead the charge through innovation that can truly change the world. Please join expert small-cap growth portfolio manager Granahan Investment Management as they discuss how companies in their portfolios have an eye on transforming our tomorrows.

Our panelists will discuss how a simple healthcare conversation with your clients can help retain current clients and attract new clients to your practice.
Some important questions they will answer:
-What is the impact of your clients’ poor Medicare decisions on your practice?
- How can you be a true quarterback for your clients and increase your competitive edge?
- Do you have the tools and resources you need to model the impacts of healthcare expenses and events for your clients?
- Learn how and when to have these important conversations with your clients … before your competition does.

With the U.S. election nearing and economies around the world still grappling with the effects of the pandemic, investors need to weigh the latest developments carefully. Join David Rosenberg, one of the world’s best-known economists and investment strategists, for a Q&A with AP CEO Robert Huebscher in a far-reaching discussion on the markets, economics and politics. CFP and IWI CE credits pending.