Blogs
Read articles on our thoughts on different aspects of the market, the economy, or certain investment strategies, which help us convey issues and answers that should be top-of-the-mind for all investors.
Are You Sure You Want to Buy Yesterday’s Winner?
November 16, 2020
“One cannot ride a horse backwards and still hold its reins.” – Richard Paul Evans
One year ago we wrote a newsletter, with the same title, that explained why it may not make sense to chase an asset class that has done well recently (namely U.S. equities rather than international or emerging market stocks). This “recency” phenomenon, or short-term track record investing, can come back to haunt investors who think that...
How High Net-Worth Women Can Optimize Their Gifting Strategies
November 16, 2020
Combining today's low gift tax rates with a historic peak on the lifetime gift tax exemption amount (currently $11.58 million), now could be a great time for high net-worth women to pass along assets to family members and other loved ones.1 Giving these gifts today may result in favorable tax treatment and reduce the risk that these exemption...
End of Year Planning: Set Goals and Reduce Taxes
November 2, 2020
By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning, creating the first draft of your federal and state income tax returns to see what factors you can tweak and...
The Great American Financial Experiment
October 23, 2020
“Be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” – Alexander Pope
Last year there was quite a bit of chatter about a new economic model called Modern Monetary Theory (“MMT”), a theoretical change from traditional economics that could have profound implications for the interplay between the government and its populace. Simply put, MMT suggests that a government essentially print as much money as...
Thinking of Converting Your Traditional IRA to a Roth?
October 13, 2020
Anyone who is thinking of converting their traditional IRA to a Roth IRA may want to consider do it this year. Why? Because today's unique conditions create an opportunity to minimize the tax bite from converting. In fact, many have already taken advantage of this opportunity, with one provider reporting a 67% increase during the first four...
12 Estate Planning Must-Dos
October 2020
Many of you already have estate documents, probably executed many years ago. You need an estate attorney to look over your documents every 10 years or so. Here are a dozen points to review. 1. Do you have a will and powers of attorney for health care and property? These are part of every complete estate plan. With health-care power, you...