I am frequently asked by financial advisors what trade publications I read and what organizations are worthwhile. Below is a list of my current subscriptions that I would consider most valuable:
- Financial Analysts Journal – free with membership in the CFA Institute
- Financial Planning – free for financial advisors
- Investment News – free for financial advisors
- Investments & Wealth Monitor – free with membership in IMCA
- Journal of Financial Planning – free with membership in the FPA
- Journal of Investment Consulting – free with membership in IMCA
- Wall Street Journal – subscription required
- Wealth Manager – free for financial advisors
If you are trying to narrow it down, I would recommend Financial Planning magazine for basic technical information and Investment News for industry information. I would also join the Financial Planning Association (FPA) which comes with a subscription to the Journal of Financial Planning. I also subscribe to a number of other publications (or pick them up on the newsstand), but I don’t find them all that valuable.
Joining the following organizations is highly recommended as well:
- Financial Planning Association (FPA) – for all financial professionals with private clients.
- CFA Institute – primarily for Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA).
- Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) – primarily for Certified Investment Management Analysts (CIMA), and Certified Private Wealth Advisors (CPWA).
- National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) – for all fee-only advisors.