Equita Financial Network (EquitaFN), the only wealth management platform for women owned, fee-only independent financial advisors, announced the launch of its new succession planning solution, EquitaFN Succession Advantage, designed to help member firms secure their futures, preserve business value, and ensure clients are cared for during leadership transitions. Developed in collaboration with Ellevate Advisors and FP Transitions, the offering provides EquitaFN members with access to a comprehensive suite of services that combine personalized planning, tailored implementation, and expert transaction support. Through the new solution, EquitaFN member firms will benefit from: Ellevate Advisors’ Succession Roadmap, which includes readiness assessments, personalized action plans, quarterly implementation milestones, and transition coaching to guide advisors through every stage. FP Transitions’ Valuation and Transaction Expertise, including certified valuations, deal structuring, and full legal documentation support to ensure smooth and compliant ownership transitions. EquitaFN’s Matching Platform (in development for early 2026), giving members access to a curated pool of like-minded successors.
Bill Harris launches Evergreen Wealth, an AI-powered RIA offering hyper-personalized, tax-optimized dynamic portfolios designed to maximize after-tax returns for affluent investors
Serial fintech entrepreneur Bill Harris announced the launch of Evergreen Wealth, a digital Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that provides tax-aware investment management and AI-powered financial advice to affluent and high-net-worth clients seeking to build long-term wealth. While many financial advisors and investment firms still focus on pre-tax returns, Evergreen Wealth seeks to maximize its clients’ net returns after paying the tax bill. Unlike ETFs and mutual funds, where every fundholder receives the same cookie-cutter product, Dynamic Portfolios contain hundreds of individual securities, which can then be hyper-personalized to match the goals of each client and tax-optimized across their entire portfolio. Evergreen Wealth employs multiple tax strategies, including direct indexing, to offset, reduce, defer, or, in some cases, even eliminate the taxes on their investments. For high-income taxpayers, particularly those in high-tax states, this “tax alpha” can be more consequential than the expected gains, if any, from trying to beat the market. Evergreen Wealth clients receive: Dedicated Advisor: Each client is assigned a licensed advisor, who is available via email, chat, phone or video conference. Evergreen Intelligence: A proprietary AI advice engine that draws upon a vetted investment, tax and financial knowledge base, as well as the secure, personal data of each client. Risk Management: Evergreen Wealth adheres to investment principles developed by Nobel laureates to achieve diversification designed to enhance each client’s risk-adjusted return. Dynamic Portfolio: A household portfolio that is hyper-personalized for the needs and preferences of each client and tax-optimized, which can deliver long-term tax savings. 24/7 Access: Evergreen Wealth’s desktop and mobile apps provide a comprehensive view of each client’s Evergreen Wealth portfolio and external assets, offering proactive insights and delivering immediate answers to their financial questions. Privacy and Security: Evergreen Wealth utilizes biometric security on all client accounts, complemented by state-of-the-art security procedures that are continuously monitored and regularly audited to safeguard the personal data of its clients.
In-car payments are still on track to grow from 87 million in 2021 to over 4.7 billion by 2026
The push to embed payments in vehicles is gaining traction, with projections by Juniper Research showing in-car transactions will grow from 87 million in 2021 to over 4.7 billion by 2026. Automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and BMW have rolled out systems enabling payments for fuel, parking, and charging via in-car interfaces, biometrics, and stored card info. Mercedes uses fingerprint sensors in Germany, Hyundai Pay has expanded across models via software updates, and BMW has launched features in Germany with plans to scale. Despite the progress, challenges remain, such as lack of a unified infrastructure, the presence of non-connected vehicles, and complications in shared vehicle models. Apps like PACE Drive, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa are emerging alternatives, enabling voice and app-based payments. Companies like Metropolis are also enabling AI-powered, checkout-free experiences at thousands of locations. For banks, this shift poses a threat to interchange revenue if consumers bypass card networks. To stay relevant, banks need to understand evolving customer preferences, mitigate fraud risks, and consider partnerships with automakers. “At the end of the day, this has to work with all banks and all cards,” said Glenbrook’s Chris Uriarte.
Robinhood launches Digests, an AI-powered tool providing UK investors with automated, plain-English explanations of stock movements using news, analytics, and proprietary data.
Robinhood expanded its AI-powered investment tool to UK customers, giving retail investors access to automated summaries that explain why stocks are moving. The feature, called Digests by Robinhood Cortex, uses artificial intelligence to scan breaking news, analyst reports, technical data and the company’s internal trading information. It then produces plain-English explanations for stock price movements that appear directly on individual stock pages within the app. UK customers can access Digests at no additional cost when the rollout completes. Robinhood positions Digests as an educational tool rather than investment advice. The summaries aim to help users understand market dynamics and form their own investment opinions before making trades. “We believe our UK customers, from first-time investors to seasoned traders, will appreciate the timely, accessible summaries that highlight what may be moving a stock,” said Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK. The AI assistant analyzes multiple data streams simultaneously, including news reports, analyst coverage, technical indicators and proprietary trading data from Robinhood’s platform. Users can find these summaries by navigating to any supported stock’s detail page within the mobile app. At launch, Digests covers many of the most actively traded stocks on Robinhood’s UK platform. The company plans to expand coverage and introduce additional AI-powered features over time.
Bloomberg launches Screened Choice indices; a customizable equity benchmark suite letting investors apply values-based exclusions
Bloomberg has introduced the Screened Choice Indices, a suite of equity benchmarks designed to give investors greater control over how they apply values-based exclusions to their portfolios. These market cap-weighted benchmarks allow users to either adopt existing benchmarks or customise them to reflect their specific investment criteria. The indices are built on a rules-based, modular methodology that groups exclusions into six themes, which can be applied individually or in combination to suit investor mandates. The six modules include Core, Fossil Fuels and Non-Renewable Energy, Fossil Fuels Enhanced, Vice Products, Weapons, and Controversial Conduct. At launch, 66 off-the-shelf indices are available, including Bloomberg Select Indices, Bloomberg Select FossilEX Indices, and the Bloomberg Screened Choice Indices. The indices are available in both USD and EUR and cover 11 global regions, including developed and emerging markets. Investors and clients can access the indices directly via the Bloomberg Terminal at {IN EQ }, with research and methodologies provided on the Bloomberg Indices Documentation page.
LinePoint Partners platform enables ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) breakaway financial advisors and single family office (SFO) executives to independently operate and grow their practices without designing from scratch in-house
One new entrant to the family office industry, LinePoint Partners, aims to help advisors leaving wirehouses and private banks build up an array of services needed to work with wealthy clients. Andrew Sternlight, LinePoint’s president and chief investment officer, said what sets family offices apart from other wealth managers is the priority family offices place on preserving wealth for future generations, charitable causes or other recipients. “That’s where we think, by extending that sort of family office infrastructure to advisors or to one or two executives of a family office without building out their teams entirely,” Sternlight said. “That’s where we can provide a bit of a solution that has the benefits with that multigenerational lens, but not the cost of designing from scratch in-house.” Andrew Lom, U.S. head of financial services and global head of private wealth at the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, agreed that the true differentiator for family offices is the emphasis they place on making sure clients can bequeath their wealth exactly how they want. Ron LaVelle, a principal in the private wealth practice of the accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly, said clients have the ultimate say on what their family office does. With the list of possible service offerings always growing, and the number of multifamily offices serving several wealthy families also rising, it’s becoming ever more rare for firms to be able to do it all. In fact, LaVelle said, he tends to be wary of firms that claim to be everything for everyone.
FNZ launches AI-powered Advisor platform delivering real-time client insights, automating meeting lifecycles, and boosting productivity through personalized wealth management at scale
Wealth management platform FNZ has launched FNZ Advisor AI, a generative AI solution embedded directly into FNZ’s market leading wealth management platform. The solution will help financial advisors enhance productivity, deliver more personalized advice and serve more clients at scale. FNZ Advisor AI integrates intelligent automation and AI-driven efficiencies directly into FNZ’s market leading platform, placing powerful capabilities right at an advisor’s fingertips. With more than 650 financial institution partners, over 26 million end investors and close to $2 trillion in assets on platform, FNZ provides access to one of the largest wealth management data sets in the world. This enables FNZ Advisor AI to support smarter, faster decision-making by generating real-time insights based on client and portfolio data. Advisors can proactively identify opportunities, flag risks and tailor their recommendations across their full book of business, ultimately driving better client outcomes. Advisor AI also automates the entire client meeting lifecycle. Advisors can now prepare for meetings using personalized insights, access relevant content during client meetings, and use Advisor AI to transcribe and analyze the discussions afterwards. The advanced solution will also highlight key points that require follow-up and guide advisors on the most relevant next conversations to have with each client. The time spent on repetitive administrative tasks is significantly reduced, freeing up advisors to spend more time with clients and focus on delivering high-quality, personalized advice.
Gen X doubt their retirement readiness: 54% feel unprepared, target $1.57M (average is $1.26M), 56% fear they’ll outlive savings and 48% plan to keep working post retirement
Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study found that 54% of Gen don’t believe they’ll be financially ready when retirement arrives. The study also found that Gen Xers expect they’ll need $1.57 million to retire comfortably, which is a hefty $310,000 above the national “magic number” average. And their financial worries weigh heavily as 35% of Gen Xers say these concerns keep them up at night at least once a month, versus only 14% of baby boomers. Among those who have set aside money for retirement, the most common response (17%) was that they’ve saved about twice their current annual income. “Many Gen X’ers are juggling responsibilities on both ends, supporting aging parents while still helping their children,” said Jeff Sippel, chief strategy officer at Northwestern Mutual. “They’re also the first generation to truly feel the impact of the move from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans. “All of this puts more of the burden of financial planning on their shoulders. That’s where a comprehensive financial plan custom-built by a trusted advisor can make a real impact. It can help Gen X’ers get clarity on what they need as they head toward their retirement years and put a realistic game plan in place to get there.” 56% of Gen Xers believe they will outlive their savings, compared with 40% of boomers, according to the research. The study also noted that Gen Xers are the least likely of any generation to expect to leave an inheritance. The study shows Gen X has less clarity than boomers on key financial issues, from the impacts of inflation and taxes on retirement to planning for health and long-term care. Half of Gen Xers say they’ve had a financial blind spot, focusing too much on building wealth without adequately protecting their assets, compared with 35% of boomers. 48% of Gen Xers expect to work during retirement, often out of necessity. One-third plan to work part time in a different job, while one-quarter expect to work full-time elsewhere. By comparison, less than one-third (30%) of boomers say they’ll work in retirement.
Digital marketing platform for financial advisors Wealthtender can automatically structure FAQ content to be more easily surfaced in Google AI Overviews and as direct answers in AI tools by embedding FAQ schema on advisor websites and profiles
Wealthtender, a digital marketing platform for financial advisors and wealth management firms, announced the launch of AI-Optimized FAQs, extending its range of features that play a valuable role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). By embedding FAQ schema, a specialized code recognized by search engines and answer engines, Wealthtender automatically structures FAQ content to be more easily surfaced in Google AI Overviews and as direct answers in AI tools. Brian Thorp, Wealthtender founder and CEO. “With traditional search engines evolving to include AI Overviews and the rapid adoption of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, FAQs published on advisor websites and Wealthtender profiles, especially when enhanced with FAQ schema, are more powerful than ever for building trust, visibility, credibility, and increasing the likelihood of an advisor landing on a prospect’s shortlist.” Upon activation of the AI-Optimized FAQs feature, advisors can publish up to 10 questions and answers on their Wealthtender profiles that showcase their expertise and areas of specialization, address common questions, and appear more prominently when prospective clients use Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI search tools to find and evaluate financial advisors.
Local small-scale investors revive vacant homes, adding over 30,000 affordable units in 2025, with renovated properties priced 35% to 80% below new builds across key markets.
Local investors have officially surpassed builders in adding new housing supply in many markets, according to a new report from New Western. In 2025, investors have brought 30,852 renovated single-family homes back to market in New Western coverage areas — far exceeding the 18,973 new builds sold this year. Kurt Carlton, co-founder and president of New Western, told the imbalance is striking. “There’s a huge need for affordable housing, and the builders can’t supply it, but we have 15 million vacant homes,” he said. “They’re highly educated, corporate refugees that have left high incomes, looking for something more autonomous, and they’re taking those management skills, rehabbing these houses and bringing them back to the market. Some are making income beyond what they were seeing in the corporate sector. Institutional investors accounted for only 1.93% of all home purchases in Q1 2025 and just 6.6% of investor purchases, down 62% from their 2021 peak. Most operate close to home — with 68% investing within 30 miles of where they live. About 78% plan to purchase just one to five properties in the next year. Carlton argued that policymakers don’t yet grasp the role these small investors play. The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act would create a federal tax credit to build and rehabilitate affordable homes for urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities. More than 70% of revitalized homes are purchased off-market — never showing up in MLS data, according to the report. Carlton said the omission distorts the picture. There’s a million that are off-market. These are generally not habitable. It’s the type of house that a local real estate investor really needs to buy and revive.” Revitalized homes typically re-enter the market at significantly lower price points than both existing homes and new construction. The report found the average existing home sale price was 54% higher than the average revitalized home — and the median existing home price was 17% higher. Compared to new builds, revitalized homes are often 35% to 80% less expensive. “It’s really challenging for builders to supply affordable inventory in the areas that need it,” Carlton said.