Retirees who delay taking Social Security beyond full retirement age are eligible to receive up to six months of benefit payments in a lump sum in addition to their monthly payments, writes Mary Beth Franklin. However, she notes there are several trade-offs, including increased tax liability and the possibility of increasing income to a level that triggers high-income surcharges on Medicare premiums.

A Deutsche Bank survey of investors in hedge funds shows that China and the wider Asia region are gaining popularity in the hunt for growth opportunities.

Blucora, which provides tax-preparation software, will acquire independent broker-dealer 1st Global in a $180 million stock deal. About $18 billion in client assets are managed by 850 advisors at 1st Global, which focuses on taxes and CPAs.

Inland Private Capital has sold a pair of Denver multifamily properties for a total of about $21.9 million. The sale of Ascent Uptown and Emerson Lofts, along with the income provided from the properties during their ownership, allowed for an 8.71% average annualized return to investors, said President and Chief Operating Officer Keith Lampi.

SmartStop Asset Management's real estate investment programs raised a total of $77.5 million in January and February, generating 282% more than in the first two months of 2018. "Demand for alternative investments that are noncorrelated to traded equities continues to grow as wealth advisors and individual investors increasingly recognize the inherent benefits of portfolio diversification," CEO H. Michael Schwartz said.

Advisors who want to take their careers to the next level must be willing to constantly and confidently prospect, Matt Oechsli writes. He puts forth three key skills advisors must master to do so.

Advisors should ask seven questions to understand how each piece of technology works for their firms, consultant Jarrod Upton suggests. Among them are how the technology supports growth and whether the vendor offers necessary support and training.

Advisors spend more than one-fifth of their time dealing with administrative matters, according to a recent study. "Administrative tasks don't give advisors a competitive advantage," writes Rob Klapprodt of Vestmark, who offers five tips for maximizing efficiency.

Get a return on your marketing investment by customizing content to fit your niche, recommends content marketing expert Jordan Fromholz. He offers seven tips for advisors, including being authentic and specific, and ending all articles with a call-to-action.

Americans spend an average of more than $5,000 a year on non-essentials such as eating out, takeout and food delivery, ride shares and taxis, and coffee, according to a survey by GOBankingRates. A 25-year-old who cut nonessential spending in half and invested the savings annually until age 65 could amass an extra $500,000 after taxes in a retirement account, GOBankingRates says.