Here are a few reminders regarding upcoming advisory fee payments from Illuminations and our Direct Money Managers:

• Quarterly Advisory fees are typically billed to the client’s account the first week after each quarter ends/begins
• The ESI Compensation team starts receiving these fees from the vendors about two weeks into the new quarter
• Depending on the day of the week advisory fees are received and processed in good order, they are paid out the following week
• ESI’s commission pay-cycles close each Wednesday and pay the following Tuesday (bank holidays may affect cycle close/pay dates)
• Be sure to check your ACE Commissions portal for incoming advisory fees on your MyView Daily Sales Blotter report
• If you need assistance, you can email the compensation team at esicommissions@nationallife.com or call (800)-344-7437, option 2, option 7
  
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Are you looking for new sales ideas? Need training on technology? Looking for help taking your practice to the next level? The ESI Business Development Conference is returning in 2024 to help you achieve your goals and build your business! Listen to what attendees at last year’s conference had to say. 

Dates and Location
The Business Development Conference will be held March 17-19, 2024 at the Westin Alexandria Old Town, Virginia. The conference timeline is currently structured as follows:
Sunday, March 17 – Evening welcome reception
Monday, March 18 – Full day of sessions
Tuesday, March 19 – Sessions until 3:00pm
 
Costs and Attendees
There are no qualifications to attend this conference, but attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel costs. Hotel costs to Attendees are $199 + taxes per night. Note that Equity Services is supplementing the room rate in order to reduce your costs. 

The event is open to all Reps, Office Managers, and Administrative Staff.

Strategic Partners and Technology Partners will be offered the opportunity to participate in order to provide you with the opportunity to meet with Partners in person.
 
Content and Format
While we are still firming up the structure and agenda, at this time we’re planning on offering both mainstage general sessions as well as breakout sessions.

Mainstage sessions include world class speakers and interactive peer sessions while the breakout sessions are based on 3 different “tracks” focused on topics such as operations, technology and marketing and experience. (Note that attendees do not have to adhere to just one track.) For an example of topics, click here to see the 2023 agenda.
 
Next Steps
The registration link for the conference will be sent out within the next few weeks, but in the meantime, feel free to send any questions to ESIBusinessDevelopment@nationallife.com. 

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Thank you for making 2023 a great year! We’re looking forward to bringing you new ideas and resources in 2024!

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Thank you for making 2023 a great year! We’re looking forward to bringing you new ideas and resources in 2024!

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Illuminations Overview of Strategic Portfolios (catalog#106942)
This guide provides an overview of the strategic approach portfolios on Illuminations.

Illuminations Overview of Dynamic Portfolios (catalog#107028)
This guide provides an overview of the dynamic approach portfolios on Illuminations.

Illuminations Overview of Tactical Portfolios (catalog#107030)
This guide provides an overview of the tactical approach portfolios on Illuminations.

Essential Concepts for Financial Advisors: Demystifying Portfolio Analysis (catalog#106973)
Designed to enhance your portfolio analysis capabilities, this guide provides clear definitions, practical examples, and insights into key portfolio analysis terms used on the ESI Illuminations Platform.

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From Fidelity:
Enhancing and updating our core technology stack with a focus on the future and keeping stability, scale, and security top of mind.

To help protect your greatest asset, your clients, beginning in 2024, Fidelity Investments will auto-enroll all Wealthscape Investor^SM users in multi-factor authentication.

Users will be prompted to verify their identity by entering a 6-digit security code sent directly to their phone via text or voice call. This adds a layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to accounts.

This change will be rolled out in waves. If you prefer to have your investors enrolled in multi-factor authentication before the roll out, please reach out to your relationship manager.

Note: This change only impacts logins through browsers and does not impact SSO logins.

What is the benefit of multi-factor authentication?
The safety of our customers’ personal information is a top priority at Fidelity. That’s why we continuously enhance the tools we use to safeguard customer information. With an increase in the risk of password and identity thefts through tactics such as phishing, multi-factor authentication is critical as we continue to protect client data. This next-level security layer reduces identity and fraud risks by making it harder for cyber criminals to get access to accounts and personal information. We continuously look to improve the customer experience while also ensuring the security of client data.

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA) and how is it different from two-factor authentication (2FA)?
Multi-factor authentication is an authentication method that requires two or more verification factors to gain access to a platform. Multi-factor authentication enhances security and reduces sensitive customer data exposure. Two-factor authentication is a type of multi-factor authentication that requires only two verification factors.

Wealthscape InvestorSM Toolkit: https://clearingcustody.fidelity.com/app/item/RD_9883360.html

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Brokerage Operations Deadlines

Dec. 29, 2023          
Fidelity Clearing & Custody Fee Processing and Balance Reminders – In order for a client to avoid the $35 non-qualified account custody fee, they must have one commissionable transaction settle in 2023 or have a $10,000 balance in the core money market fund on December 29, 2023.

Last trade date for 2023 regular way settlement is December 27, 2023.

Dec. 29, 2023          
IRA Distributions
December 29th, 2023 is the last day an EFT can be sent out of an IRA account as a 2023 distribution, if same day settlement is available. 

Distributions processed on December 29th as a check, will be reported in the 2024 tax year.

Dec. 29, 2023 & Jan. 1, 2024      
Fidelity Clearing & Custody – “Inactivity” Fee Assessed & Charged – Client accounts are assessed for eligibility/waiver of Custody Fee on December 29, 2023 and, if eligible, are charged the fee on January 1st, 2024.

Jan. 5-31, 2024       
Securities Liquidations to cover Unpaid Fee Postings – ESI home office will begin the process of liquidating securities to cover unpaid fee postings related to the NFS IRA Custody Fee and non-qualified “Inactivity Fee”. Accounts with eligible securities will have trades placed to cover “debit” balances related to fee postings, as well as applicable transaction charges. Customer confirmations will be marked “To Cover Debit”. Representative’s will be charged the $25.00 service fee if ESI home office has to place trades.

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Compliance Deadlines
December 31, 2023 – Deadline for Annual Compliance Meeting completion
February 28, 2024 – Deadline for Firm Element CE completion

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Important Dates: 2023 Premiere Select Retirement Account Annual Maintenance Fee Cycle
January 5^th, 2023, through January 27^th, 2023 – Liquidation/Write Offs – Accounts with eligible securities will be liquidated to cover uncollected fees or written off and charged to the advisor on record (if less than $25).

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Holiday Hours
Monday, January 1, 2024 -Markets Closed. ESI Closed.

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“Investors were rewarded for their patience in November as both equity and fixed income markets enjoyed very strong results. The equity rally was broad-based and only one sector — Energy — declined (oil prices fell by about $5/barrel during the month). Fixed income markets rallied on favorable inflation news  and strong hints from FOMC officials that no additional rate hikes are needed.”

Click here for the full market commentary.

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A well-crafted content strategy can help you attract and retain customers, drive engagement, and establish yourself as a thought leader in the industry.

Give your business the perfect present this season, and join us for The Gift of Content Strategizing webinar. Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or just starting out, this webinar will give you the valuable insights and techniques you need to achieve a winning content marketing strategy.

You will learn:

• The importance of quality content for your business
• How to develop and maximize your content strategy
• Strategies to effectively create and distribute content across various channels
• Actionable tips and best practices that you can implement right away

Click the links below to register.

Webinar Option 1:
The Gift of Content Strategizing
December 20, 2023
11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
REGISTER for 12/20 Session

Webinar Option 2:
The Gift of Content Strategizing
December 21, 2023
2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
REGISTER for 12/21 Session

Need more social media resources?
For more information, visit our Affiliated version of the Social Media Playbook.

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Click here for insights on whether too much cash could be bad for your clients’ wealth, according to by Nils Bierkamp, PhD; Jonathan Cain, CFA, CAIA; Brian Donnelly, CFA; and David Hays, CFA; Fidelity Fixed Income Strategists.

Key takeaways include:

• Cash has provided liquidity, but since 1950, it hasn’t offered the same protection vs. equity drawdowns¹ as bonds.
• Since 1980, bonds have outperformed a proxy for cash² in the 12 months after the last Fed interest rate hike.
• One theoretical guidepost for forward bond returns suggests the potential for a healthy return in the coming years.
• An increased yield cushion has added protection against an absolute decline for the bond market in the past.

¹ Drawdown refers to a reduction in equity prices.
² A cash proxy is an asset class with return and liquidity characteristics that are similar to cash.

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