Increasing investment returns does relatively little to increase the level of adviser satisfaction among high-net-worth clients, according to Capgemini's World Wealth Report. Nothing an adviser can offer a wealthy client is as important as a close personal relationship built on trust, writes Angela Pecoraro of Advicent.

Gain insights, effective strategies and real-world tools to help distinguish yourself among advisors serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. Don't miss the latest from the nation's top wealth-management leaders at this year's Wealth Advisor Forum, Oct. 21—22, at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale, Ariz. Learn more and register.

The Investments & Wealth Institute and Charles Schwab Investment Management have partnered for the inaugural Behavioral Finance Week, Sept. 23—29, to coincide with the Behavioral Advisor Forum on Sept. 23—24 in San Francisco. Learn more about the effect behavioral biases have on investor decision-making and the financial markets. Take part in our week-long event or visit our resource center.

The Institute invites you to participate in a new, confidential research study sponsored by Cerulli Associates. In return for your participation, you will have the chance to win a free one-hour, on-demand program, pre-approved for one hour of continuing education (CE) credit. In addition, you will receive a complimentary key finding report from Cerulli's latest research update. Start the survey.

The Institute offers private classes for businesses looking to channel their employees' expertise, cross train and round out their teams. Advanced certification classes are available in investment management, private wealth or retirement. In partnership with the Yale School of Management, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton and The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, the Institute offers customized programs to suit your needs. Contact sales@i-w.org to learn more.

When discussing charitable giving, advisors should ask clients a series of questions to develop a plan, writes Ken Nopar of the American Endowment Foundation. These include when the client prefers to give, how he or she decides which organizations to support and who is involved in the giving decisions.

There are good reasons to leave some retirement funds in a traditional IRA when doing a Roth conversion, writes IRA expert Ed Slott. He highlights five of them, including paying for medical expenses, maximizing lower tax brackets and making qualified charitable distributions.

The perfect time for philanthropists to start giving is now, and they should take risks that can inspire major change, writes philanthropic strategist Bruce DeBoskey. It's also important to make philanthropy a family discussion and to home in on a specific cause when giving, rather than spreading funds too thin, he writes.

At 12.1 million, fewer taxpayers claimed the charitable donation deduction for 2018 compared with the 33.6 million taxpayers who claimed the deduction for 2017. The drop was attributed to changes in the tax laws and it is expected that the downward trend in charitable donation deductions will continue.

Nearly three-fourths of institutional investors say equity markets peaked at the end of June, according to a Preqin survey. Around 6% of respondents believed equity markets are still growing.

Lawyers and accountants are often thought of as "centers of influence," but there are many others, writes Bryce Sanders of Perceptive Business Solutions. They include people who select speakers for groups, real-estate agents, nonprofit development staff members and officers of special interest clubs, he writes.

The IRS recently determined that uncashed distribution checks from retirement plans are taxable, which may result in some people needing to take required minimum distributions early, according to IRA expert Ed Slott. The ruling establishes that participants who receive but fail to cash or roll over distribution checks are still responsible for taxes based on the year the check was received and not when it was cashed, attorneys say.

Advisors should "get going" on compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation Best Interest even though the rules will not be enforced until July 30, 2020, warns attorney Fred Reish. "[F]rom my perspective, the SEC is taking a much broader view of conflicts of interest," Reish says.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is undertaking a review of its rules focused on protecting at-risk investors such as senior citizens. Among the areas of focus will be temporary account holds and preventing misconduct by agents and advisors.