2020 Behavioral Finance Webinar Series For Financial Advisors

The Fiduciary's Role As A Financial Choice Architect 
This video introduces financial consumers to "libertarian paternalism," a public policy issue in which fiduciaries play a central role. 

In the groundbreaking 2008 bestseller, “Nudge,” Richard Thaler, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize for Economics, and Cass Sunstein, founder of Harvard Law School’s Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy, revealed the hidden role choice architecture plays in consumer decisions about health, wealth, and happiness – how we can be “nudged” to make certain choices.

Roboadvisors and automated solutions designed around what consumers click on are not necessarily offering paternal advice. In contrast, fiduciaries, by law, must always give each client financial choices based on what's best for them.  In a world of too much information, this video explains the role of fiduciaries as financial choice architects pledged to pursue what our parents would want for us.    

Class Descrpition: Behavioral Finance for Financial Advisors

“I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.”

Sir Isaac Newton, after he lost a fortune trading the stock of South Sea Company in 1720.

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time, made seminal contributions in almost every field he ventured into including mathematics, physics, optics, astronomy, and even theology. Not investing. Even a man of his intellect was not spared by the stock markets; he lost millions trading the stock of South Sea Company in the 1720s. Why? His emotions came in the way. He was influenced by the irrationality of the crowds.

The recent market volatility has presented advisors with the challenge of assuring clients, managing high stress levels and providing sound direction in a changing environment. While challenging times are not unique, the last decade has suppressed the psychological (and physiological) impacts and memories of past downturns.

Which is why behavioral finance is extremely important. It studies the psychological, cognitive, and emotional factors that often negatively influence our decision-making process. Applying behavioral principles can help us overcome our irrationality, leading us and our clients to better financial outcomes.

This is why a firm understanding of Behavioral Finance can make all the difference!

Until now, brilliant research in behavioral finance has been confined to the theoretical world. The field’s complexity precluded many practitioners from putting these principles into practice. Prasad Ramani’s presentation brings behavioral finance into the real world by delving into the following topics:

• What is Behavioral Finance
• Behavioral Finance vs. Behavioral Economics, Bounded Rationality, System 1 vs. System 2
• Why is it important for Financial Advisors?
• BeFi in Wealth Management, Behavioral Alpha, Behavioral Portfolio Management
• How can it elevate your Advisory Practice?
• Prospecting, On-boarding, and On-going Client Management

Prasad Ramani, CFA, FRM, CAIA is the Founder and Chief Behavioral Officer of Syntoniq, a behavioral technology company that seeks to transform the financial services practice by productizing cutting-edge behavioral finance research into easily usable tech applications.

Prasad is also a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Behavioral Finance and is a regular guest speaker at the London Business School where he teaches Behavioral Finance and Decision Science. He has often been cited in or contributed to many of the world’s top investment and finance publications, including Barron’s, Financial Times Adviser, Morningstar, Financial Advisor Magazine, InvestmentNews, WealthManagement.com, and Advisor Perspectives.