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4 Ways Technology is Changing Fiduciary Services

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Advances in technology have significantly impacted the fiduciary services industry. Technological advances have allowed for new and innovative ways of providing financial advice. As a result, financial advisors can now offer more personalized service to their clients with the help of technology.

As a result of technology, it has become easier for investors to access information and make investment decisions. Several online platforms are designed to help investors make informed investment decisions. Also, online tools enable advisors to track client portfolios more easily.

In order to stay relevant, you must keep up with these technological trends. Financial advisers who fail to embrace these technological changes will lose clients.

Below are examples of how technology is changing the financial industry:

The Rise of Hybrid Advisor Option

Technology is changing the financial industry in a big way. One example is the growth of automated financial advice, or “hybrid” services that use software to provide recommendations and involve speaking to an adviser.

This new type of service, known as ‘hybrid’ advice, blends the best of both worlds by using software to provide customers with a preliminary assessment of their financial situation and then speaking to an adviser who can provide more personalized guidance. This article emphasizes more about how financial institutions can improve customized services.

Deloitte predicts that while many customers will move to automated financial advice, there will also be many customers who prefer a ‘hybrid’ service.

Fiduciary Institutions Can Expand Their Offerings

Through data and innovative software, financial advisers will be able to automate previously time-consuming processes, allowing them to devote more time to their face-to-face interactions. By supplementing rather than replacing human advice, sound technology will enable advisers to provide more services.

Enhances Trust with Clients

Another example of how technology is changing fiduciary services is that technology is helping to build trust with clients.

Engaged clients are more likely to remain loyal to their advisers. For example, advisory firms that can offer more transparency and provide 24/7 services will build trust with their clients. In addition, transparency will help to increase client engagement, which will ultimately help improve client relationships.

Artificial Intelligence is Engaging a New Demographic

Financial institutions are looking for ways to engage the new generation of consumers, who are more tech-savvy and mobile-focused.

One way to do this is by using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a more engaging and informative customer experience. AI can help financial institutions understand the needs of millennials and provide them with advice that is relevant to their lifestyle.

Additionally, AI can make managing finances more effortless and efficient for customers.

By using technology, financial institutions can stay ahead of the curve and meet the needs of their customers in a changing world.

The Bottom Line

Technology is changing the landscape of fiduciary services. This change is mainly beneficial for consumers, who can now access more information and receive more tailored advice.

However, financial advisors must adapt to these changes to remain competitive and provide the best possible service to their clients.

Advisors who embrace technology will have a better opportunity to serve the needs of their clients in an increasingly digital world.

Sports Concussions Versus Benefits of Youth Sports Participation

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Organised sports activities for middle school and high school students often play a major role in the life of adolescents. Whether they play only at school or in after-school organised sports, participation in active physical sports generally enhances the young person’s life.

There are also risks encountered by youth who participate in sports activities. Perhaps the most serious risk that comes with playing contact sports is that of a sports concussion.

Benefits to Youth of Sports Participation

University of Missouri Health Care, the adolescent medicine team, promotes sports participation for children of all ages. It notes that physical exercise is necessary for the health of the “mind, body, and spirit. Team sports such as rugby, football, and baseball help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills.”

Some specific benefits include:

  • Improved academic scores. Instead of distracting students as some may think, sports teach children memorisation, repetition, and learning. These skills transfer to the classroom.
  • Learning teamwork and problem-solving skills. Playing on a team where the group has a common goal requires communication to solve a problem. These are good skills for children to learn and incorporate into the rest of their lives.
  • Physical health. Physical exercise that comes with playing sports helps children reach their fitness goals. They learn healthy habits, such as not smoking or drinking, and also lessens their chance of developing osteoporosis and breast cancer in their life.
  • Increases self-esteem. As students become adept at their chosen sport, they learn to feel good about themselves and their achievements when playing sports. This transfers to how they live their daily life and into the classroom for improved grades.

Despite all the benefits, there are some risks to consider when choosing to play sports or in choosing the sport that is best for each child.

Risks of a Sports Concussion

A recent study was conducted of 10,334 student athletes and of players in 12 different sports. The purpose was to determine the risk of sports concussions among youth athletes.

Some interesting statistics emerged.

  • More than 12 percent of young athletes ages 13 to 18 suffered a concussion while playing sports.
  • Athletes aged 18 suffered more than twice as many concussions as 13-year-olds.
  • Girls had a 1.5 times concussion risk when compared to boys.
  • Those who experienced one concussion were 3-5 times at greater risk for suffering a subsequent sports concussion when compared to those who never experienced one.

Sports with the highest rate of concussions were, in order:

  • Wrestling and martial arts.
  • Cheerleading.
  • Football.
  • Track and field.

Football players in any position on the field had the same level of risk.

Study Conclusion

The study concluded that there is an increasing trend for sports concussions. That may be due to the fact that more young people are playing sports than played in the past.

Also, there is more public attention concerning sports medicine and concussions in sports. There are also new protocols for concussion management that call more attention to the need for better treatment of those players who suffer a concussion, and the need for sports concussion prevention solutions.

On the issue of subsequent concussions, the study noted that one concussion, even if mild, “results not only in immediate physiological changes but may affect neuronal plasticity and increase the risk for a subsequent concussion.” The capacity of the brain to respond to another head injury is compromised, which makes it more susceptible to another concussion.

Subsequent concussions may also be due to more aggressive and experienced players who participate in more games which increases their exposure to injury, and therefore they suffer more sports concussions.

Ruling Made in CRISPR Patent Case

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The co-inventors of CRISPR gene editing, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking contributions to this revolutionary genetic technology. Doudna and Charpentier were an integral part of a now-legendary gene editing research team at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in the early 2010s.

In June 2012, Doudna and Charpentier published a trailblazing paper that first explained the functional processes and showed the practical application of CRISPR gene editing. Like those of many initial genetic and microbiological studies, the research presented by Doudna and Charpentier focused on simple, one-celled organisms. Specifically, the Doudna and Charpentier paper described the CRISPR gene editing of DNA in bacteria.

The early CRISPR trials detailed in the Doudna and Charpentier paper clearly give the UC Berkeley research team a viable claim to the invention of CRISPR technology as a whole. A board of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), however, denied this claim in its official ruling on February 28, 2022.

The deciding factor in the USPTO ruling involved the difference between prokaryotic (simple unicellular) and eukaryotic (complex unicellular and multicellular) lifeforms. In short, eukaryotic cells have a nucleus, but prokaryotic cells do not. This means that all UC Berkeley patents involving the use of CRISPR in the cells of humans and other higher organisms are now invalid.

Because the UC Berkeley team was not the first to prove that CRISPR works specifically in eukaryotic cells, the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board determined that Doudna, Charpentier, and their colleagues can take little credit for use of the gene editing tool in the treatment of human disease. The board went on to cite the difficulties that UC Berkeley encountered when it came to getting their invention to function properly, contending that the CRISPR gene editing concept fell short of a patentable “definite and permanent idea” at the time.

The USPTO ruling came after a protracted and heated legal battle over the commercial applications of CRISPR gene editing in all areas of human biotechnology and medicine. As this incredibly powerful tool continues to change the face of biological research, the patent for its use holds incalculable value. In the wake of the recent USPTO decision, the patent for CRISPR gene editing in humans belongs to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Broad Institute of Harvard University.

Although the work of UC Berkeley undoubtedly laid the foundation for use of the CRISPR tool in the fight against human disease, the Broad Institute was the first to apply the tool to human cells. In January of 2013, Feng Zhang and his team of Broad Institute researchers reported that they had successfully employed UC Berkeley’s CRISPR techniques in eukaryotic animal cells. Furthermore, they had edited the DNA of a human being.

The USPTO ruling in favor of the Broad Institute of Harvard University and their partners at MIT was a large finical blow for UC Berkeley. In fact, University of Illinois College of Law professor Jacob Sherkow estimates that the institution stands to lose as much as $10 billion in American licensing revenue.

The news isn’t all bad for UC Berkeley, however. First of all, the institution can keep all of its previously accumulated revenue that relates to CRISPR gene editing in humans. Even better, UC Berkeley will continue to profit from the medical applications of CRISPR in Europe. In complete opposition to the ruling of the USPTO, the European Patent Office has chosen to uphold UC Berkeley’s patents on eukaryotic CRISPR applications. This difference of opinion between the US and Europe indicates just how complex and contentious the fight for CRISPR patent rights has become.

Education can Thrive in a Virtual Environment

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To cultivate student success, America’s future schools must re-strategize and take a different approach to education. 60% of U.S. adults, a substantial majority, concur with the statement, traditional school systems are failing today’s students.

Worldwide, a gargantuan total of 168 million children lack access to face-to-face education. In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, 57% of students are hopeful about virtual learning surviving post-pandemic, with only 19% of teenagers expressing a preference for in-school learning.

In addition, current Gen Z teens are 500% more susceptible to mental illness than prior generational teens. A mere 18% of U.S. citizens, 45-years-old and younger, are equipped with the knowledge to pass multiple-choice questions administered on the U.S. Citizenship Test. As for cheating, a whopping 86% of high school students believe that the majority of their peers do at least once.

With many schools opting for online education, due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, virtual learning received an influx of support, which has only continued to increase. Offering students more temporal flexibility, a haven from bullying, choice of learning environment, and more opportunities for family involvement, online schools can offer benefits more conducive to learning and that cater to personal needs and preferences.

With more devoting to students’ individuality, online learning has the potential to revolutionize American education and accelerate the children we raise who will lead our nation tomorrow.

What Does the Future of School Look Like?

Privacy-Centric Data Collection Protects Consumers and Businesses

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Consumer privacy has been a growing concern for many years, and never more than now when the COVID pandemic has opened up new doors and windows for cyber criminals to exploit individuals and businesses. 

Governmental authorities have noted the need for additional regulations in this arena and have taken action on behalf of every internet user to protect their privacies. The eDirective and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the state-specific Patchwork Privacy in the US, have bolstered security for users and have put data collection back into the hands of the individuals. 

While these privacy protection efforts are great for consumers, they do pose a significant problem to any business with an online presence. 

These businesses rely heavily on cookies and tags to track consumer data and to be informed about the needs, interests, and trends of their target audience. In fact, without the ability to track such data, businesses would have no use or purpose for their data analytics, which guide their business movements in very significant ways. 

Fortunately for these businesses, the use of traditional cookies is not the only way to collect consumer data. In fact, businesses can use “privacy-centric” methodology to keep track of important consumer data while still complying with regulations and keeping their consumers safe. 

Data Collection in a Post-Cookie World
Source: InfoTrust

What You Can Learn From a Full Night’s Sleep

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The world’s highest earners have something very interesting in common: they all prioritize sleep. Some of the top earners in the country relay that a good night’s rest is important not only for the body, but for the mind and soul as well. 

Influential figures such as Greta Thunberg, Serena Williams, and Marie Kondo have shared their sleep routine, and all of them are getting more than six hours of sleep a night. This pattern is seen in other famous figures, and it’s no coincidence. Sleeping more than six hours a night has been linked to higher productivity overall. In fact, a poor night’s rest can actually cost American workers billions in lost productivity! 

It has been proven that people who regularly get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep are 29% more productive than those who sleep less than 5 hours, which explains why these highly successful people all get adequate amounts of sleep. If  a good night’s rest is working for the country’s top earners, why are so many Americans still getting less than 5 hours of sleep a night?

To help increase the amount of rest you’re getting each night, consider changing some small things in your daily routine. For example, limiting the amount of screen time before bed can help you fall asleep faster and help you stay asleep all night. Phones, laptops, and TV also produce bluelight which can inhibit melatonin production by up to 200%! Consider turning off screens an hour before bed or investing in some blue light glasses to help with problematic sleep problems. 

Another easy way to help sleep better is to launder your bed sheets more often. 73% of people say they are more excited to sleep with fresh sheets. This gets people in bed earlier and the comforting feeling keeps them sleeping well all night.
These very easy lifestyle changes can greatly improve your sleep routine. Take it from some of the most successful people in the country: sleep is one of the most important aspects of productivity. If sleep is so important in our daily lives, why are so many of us depriving ourselves of a good night’s rest? Learn more about healthy sleeping habits in the infographic below:

why the rich and successful get a full night of sleep

A New Way To Financial Insurance and Prosperity

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Cryptocurrency has risen in popularity and value at an astounding rate. Currently, the market cap of cryptocurrency stands at $2.05 trillion which matches Italy’s economy – the eighth largest in the world.

Reports of cryptocurrency getting lost seem to dominate Bitcoin news and leave many viewers and watchers mystified. In 2022, reports show that over 1,500 bitcoins go missing daily. A slew of issues are to blame, but three are most common. First, lost private keys are often behind the disappearance, with 20% of Bitcoin being sidelined due to lost wallets. Second, drops in the market can prompt loss, with $1.7 billion in American trading lost due to this in 2018. Lastly, corruption or crashes can be to blame, with approximately one out of each 1,500 files getting corrupted.

A new financial backing model has arised: cryptocurrency insurance. Potentially transformative for payment processing, infrastructure, wallets, financial service platforms, and exchanges among other financial utilities, the $3 billion industry of cryptocurrency insurance is gargantuan and growing.

The process of insuring with cryptocurrency and NFTs consists of three steps. To start, identify providers, get quotes. The second step is to compare crypto insurance premiums among providers. Choosing protection, a safety plan for your insured investments, is the last step.

Put your trust, and your financial future, in cryptocurrency insurance.

Can you get cryptocurrency insurance?

Pharmacy Automation Means Fewer Errors and Better Care

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The healthcare industry overall, is fighting a losing battle to maintain enough staff to provide for patients and perform all the tasks related to healthcare. Staffing was already a concern, and today, as we dive into the third year of the COVID pandemic, staffing shortages have reached new highs and patient care is suffering significantly. 

This is no less true in the pharmaceutical field. Within just the next 4 years, the healthcare industry will have lost 6.5 million workers and only 2 million new healthcare workers will have filled those positions, leaving a huge staffing gap. 

For pharmacies, many of these losses could be filled by automation rather than additional people. While one staff member can fill approximately 120 medications per hour at a cost of 15 cents per medication picked, an automated dispenser could pick 700 medications per hour at only 2 cents per medication picked. 

Other processes that could be filled by automation are things like inventory management, tracking medical history, narcotic and controlled substance monitoring, and medicine identification. Not only would this free up the need for manual processes, but pharmacy automation also reduces common medication errors, which also means better patient care. 

Many hospital pharmacists believe that operational technologies are paramount to pharmacy success.

Impact of COVID 19 on Central Pharmacies

The Rise of Inflation

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What is inflation?  It is an increase in the price of goods or services because rising production costs, increases in product demand, and supply chain issues have weakened the currency.  The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures inflation by monitoring elements of our daily lives such as housing, education, and transportation.  The Federal Reserve aims to maintain inflation at 2% or less, but in 2021, the U.S. CPI rose 6.8%, which is one of the biggest jumps in inflation rates in more than 30 years.  

America has a long history of inflation with the 2008 Great Recession being one of the most recent inflation incidents.  Unfortunately, the U.S. began to experience another inflation event in 2021 as prices rose 15.53 times higher than the average prices of 1921.  Compared to the previous few years, healthcare prices rose by 6% while food prices rose by 8.3%.  Used car prices have even increased to almost 30%.

Over the years, the U.S. has come up with ways to control runaway inflation, including decreasing prices of bonds and increasing interest rates.  Unfortunately, these “solutions” can occasionally cause problems such as reducing spending power and creating recessions.   There are several negative and positive consequences of continuous inflation such as lower unemployment, higher wages, growing interest rates, and greater cost of living.  

Thankfully, there are ways to protect yourself from completely succumbing to the effects of inflation.  Purchasing property like getting good rentals can provide a 10% return on investment while considering commodities like foods and industrial  metals can result in up to 19% return on investment. 

Inflation is here, and it will probably stay for a while.

Why is Inflation so High?
Source: Expensivity

Metapets: The Future of Pet Ownership

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The Metaverse is a large collection of modern technologies that often involves human interaction and immersion in cyberspace.  Virtual Reality, gaming, avatars, NFTs, and many more are key components of this billion dollar technological space that is only expected to grow in the future.  In 2020, the Metaverse market was worth $47.69 billion, and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.3%.  The success and revenue of the Metaverse can be credited to an increased focus on the combination of the digital and physical world through an online platform, as well as the loyalty and participation of dedicated users.

Who will lead the Metaverse race?  Despite the challenges of data privacy, security, identity, and potentially unreliable payment systems, there are many programs that continue to successfully attract users and provide services within cyberspace.  Ready Player Me, Decentraland, and Horizon Worlds are popular platforms where users can connect with others, play games, trade assets, and create entire worlds within the Metaverse.  More specifically, pet ownership is a niche area within the Metaverse that continues to grow exponentially in popularity.

Metaverse platforms like Metapets, MetaGochi, Axie Infinity, and Cryptokitties, give users the chance to customize, own, and care for a pet from the comfort and ease of their own device.  Common requirements of pet ownership like cleaning, training, feeding, and walking can all be made simple through the Metaverse, as Metapet ownership allows for more freedom and less responsibility than physically owning a pet.  Thanks to the development of these technologies, pet lovers all over the world can spend more time with their animals and benefit from a multitude of other services that the Metaverse has to offer.

Pets and the Metaverse Infographic