Follow this checklist to help make wealth transfer planning a more positive experience. The estate planning process can be overwhelming, and considering what will happen when you or your spouse passes away can be uncomfortable. But getting the process underway now can help you make arrangements for your wishes to be fulfilled while avoiding any unwelcome surprises for your heirs. Read More
What does the future of wealth look like in the hands of the Rising Generation, those currently in their 20s and 30s? If you stand to inherit generational wealth, what do you need to help you navigate the path from rising to thriving to stewardship of your family legacy? Read More
Investors tend to see short-term volatility as the enemy. Volatility may lead many investors to move money out of the market and “sit on the sidelines” until things “calm down.” Although this approach may appear to solve one problem, it creates several others. Read More
Global Economy - U.S. Recession risk is crossing over a probability level that makes recession our base case for the end of 2022 and into early 2023. As inflation and monetary tightening ease more perceptibly in late-2023, we expect a nascent economic recovery that markets may protect into 2024. Read More
Russian military forces continue to gather at Russia's borders with Belarus and Ukraine. We see three potential scenarios and believe the most likely is that Russia inteds to use its forces to destabilize but not invade Ukraine. Read More
Capital markets have reached a crossroads at the threshold of 2022. Despite a thrid straight year of strong market price gains, many investors now perceive a delicate balance between further asset price appreciation and a potential retreat from the risk-taking environment in place since the economy reopened in 2020. Read More
Whether your children or grandchildren are toddlers or teenagers, it’s only a matter of a time before they leave the family home, probably as they head off to college. The cost of sending just one child to college for four years can be staggering, and tuition and fee hikes regularly outpace inflation. Rather than sending your children or grandchildren into the world with the burden of student-loan debt, you can save to help cover at least a portion, if not all, of their higher-education expenses. Read More
No matter what your age or net worth, you need an estate plan to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your assets — during your lifetime, as well as after your death. Before visiting with your attorney, it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of the documents he or she may recommend for your plan. Read More
One financial strategy that is often overlooked when evaluating your retirement and estate planning options is the Roth IRA conversion. Converting allows you to reposition your current tax-deferred retirement account to a Roth IRA by paying federal and possibly state income tax [but without the IRS 10% additional tax for taking early or pre-59½ distributions (10% additional tax)] on the taxable amount of the conversion. The benefit is that any earnings would be distributed tax-free, if certain conditions are met. Read More