CIBC Private Wealth Management Blog

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Firm News

CIBC Extends Brand Across U.S.

Jack Markwalter
June 25, 2018

Today, we announce that CIBC Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management has become CIBC Private Wealth Management. The same team our clients trust is backed by one of the strongest banks in North America with 150 years of providing exceptional client service. For nearly five years, CIBC has been investing in the U.S. and enabling us to build our private wealth business. Coming together under...

Firm News

CIBC Atlantic Trust Wins Private Asset Management’s Award for Best Investment Platform

Eric B. Propper, CFA
March 06, 2018

Download PDF We are pleased to announce that CIBC Atlantic Trust has received Private Asset Management (PAM)’s award for Best Investment Platform—Performance . The 2018 PAM Awards were announced last month at a ceremony in New York. This award—our sixth investment-related PAM award—is a significant accomplishment and reflects our unwavering commitment to investment...

Firm News

Talking Innovation with Futurist Jack Uldrich

Carolyn Donnelly
December 15, 2017

Download PDF We’ve been honored this year to have Jack Uldrich, a prominent futurist and author, as a keynote speaker for our CIBC Atlantic Trust Speaker Series, which took place in seven cities across the U.S. and attracted more than 700 attendees. Uldrich’s specialty is helping organizations develop the foresight necessary to build a successful future. His central premise is...

Firm News

Expanding Our Chicago Presence—Geneva Advisors Joins CIBC Atlantic Trust

John S. Markwalter Jr.
September 01, 2017

Download PDF We are pleased to announce that CIBC Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management has completed its acquisition of Geneva Advisors , a private wealth management firm headquartered in Chicago. With the addition of Geneva, our firm now has more than 430 employees in 14 markets nationwide and approximately $40 billion in assets entrusted to our care. Together, Geneva...

Firm News

CIBC Announces Agreement to Acquire Geneva Advisors

John S. Markwalter Jr.
July 07, 2017

Download PDF We are pleased to announce today that CIBC will be acquiring Geneva Advisors , a private wealth management firm headquartered in Chicago with US$8.4B in assets under management and a team of approximately 100 client-focused employees ( see press release ). They will join our CIBC Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management team when the transaction closes in the fourth...

Firm News

Expanding Our Firm’s Services

John S. Markwalter Jr.
June 26, 2017

Download PDF We are pleased to announce that CIBC has completed its acquisition of PrivateBancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary, The PrivateBank. Headquartered in Chicago, The PrivateBank is a high-quality, middle-market commercial bank. We expect this acquisition to benefit our clients by offering additional access to a full range of private banking, deposit and lending services. As...

Firm News

Linda Beerman Resumes Role as Head of CIBC Atlantic Trust’s Wealth Strategies Group

Eric B. Propper CFA
May 31, 2017

Download PDF We are pleased to announce that Linda Beerman has resumed her role as head of the CIBC Atlantic Trust Wealth Strategies Group . Linda has served 16 years with the firm as a leader in various roles, including chief fiduciary officer and as a member of the firmwide Operating Committee, in addition to her service as head of the Wealth Strategies Group, which she...

Firm News

2017 and Beyond: Oil & Gas Outlook Event Speaker Series

John Winslow
May 05, 2017

Texas has long been at the epicenter of all things energy-related, and the past several years have been challenging and volatile. With this in mind, CIBC Atlantic Trust held three events last week in Houston (the energy capital of the U.S.) and Dallas . These interactive, dynamic sessions involved more than 100 highly engaged participants. Speaking first was CIBC Atlantic Trust...

Firm News

Family Wealth Report Recognizes CIBC Atlantic Trust with Private Client Investment Platform Award

Eric B. Propper CFA
March 17, 2017

Kishore Setty, Paulina Mejia, Kyle Edmonds, and I attended the fourth annual Family Wealth Report (FWR) awards ceremony in New York on March 2 and proudly accepted the Private Client Investment Platform award on behalf of CIBC Atlantic Trust and our investment Team. This is the third consecutive year that CIBC Atlantic Trust has been recognized by FWR , a leading trade publication...

Firm News

CIBC Atlantic Trust Receives National Recognition at Private Asset Management Awards

Eric B. Propper CFA
March 09, 2017

My colleagues and I were pleased to accept two awards from Private Asset Management (PAM) magazine on February 13 at their annual ceremony in New York: Best Investment Platform – Performance Best Trusts and Estates Division This is the seventh consecutive year that CIBC Atlantic Trust has been recognized by PAM, a financial services industry trade publication. The...

Firm News

Announcing New Office Heads in Atlanta and New York

Eric B. Propper CFA
February 17, 2017

We are pleased to announce that Kishore Setty , CFA, and Scott Thompson , CTFA, were named heads of our New York and Atlanta offices, respectively. A great deal of thought and strategic planning went into these important leadership transitions, and they reflect a commitment to ensuring continuity and consistency with our management team. Atlantic Trust invests in our rising talent...

Firm News

Atlantic Trust Heads to the Sunshine State for the 51st Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning

Paulina Mejia
January 24, 2017

Atlantic Trust was proud to be part of this year’s Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning , which took place the week of January 9 at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and Convention Center. The week-long program, one of the largest and most respected in estate planning, included over 140 exhibitors, as well as educational and professional development opportunities for all in...

Firm News

Atlantic Trust Post-Election Update Webinar

David L. Donabedian CFA
November 15, 2016

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election outcome yielded not one, but two surprises for the nation and the world last week. The first, of course, was an unexpected Republican sweep in both the White House and in Congress: Donald Trump has been elected 45th President of the United States while the GOP retained control of the House of Representatives and gained a majority in the Senate. The...

Firm News

Election and Market Update

David L. Donabedian CFA
November 09, 2016

Donald Trump's victory was greeted negatively by global equity markets overnight, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 Index opened this morning in a slightly positive direction. A number of factors may create a volatile short-term environment: ...

Firm News

View from the top: A Q&A with The New York Times’ Joe Kahn

Jay Pearlstein CFA
November 03, 2016

Whether it’s due to unpredictable global markets, high-stakes political events or the threat of terrorism, the world is often a volatile place. Keeping pace with new developments as they emerge is no easy task, giving journalists a heightened role in helping the public stay informed of what’s happening in the world around them. One such journalist is Joe Kahn,...

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G2G Impact

G2G Impact: How to Control Your Credit So It Doesn’t Control You

Jordan Sheiner
December 11, 2018

Welcome to Part III of our four-part series about some of the strategies you can use to achieve your financial goals—both today and in the future. More than ever before, debt has found a way to creep into nearly all of our lives. Today, 70 percent of college students graduate with significant student loan debt, and the average American has a credit card balance of $6,375...

G2G Impact

G2G Impact Planning Foundations: Savings and Investments

Jordan Sheiner
December 04, 2018

Welcome to Part II of our four-part series about some of the strategies you can use to achieve your financial goals—both today and in the future. When it comes to building your financial roadmap, both savings and investments are core components of a sound path to retirement. The good news is that the Millennial generation is already great at saving —a result of having the importance of...

G2G Impact

G2G Impact Planning Foundations: Planning For Your Future

Jordan Sheiner
November 28, 2018

Welcome to Part I of our four-part series about some of the strategies you can use to achieve your financial goals—both today and in the future. Millennial this, millennial that. News outlets love to cover them, and brands have struggled to understand them, but the fact remains that millennials are finally starting to come into their own. In fact, millennials are now the largest...

G2G Impact

Wealth Your Way Podcast: Charitable Planning - When Fortune Smiles on You, How Do You Smile Back?

Josh Miller, CFP®
November 27, 2018

If there are causes you feel strongly about that you wish to support financially, charitable giving is likely an important consideration when setting your near- and long-term financial goals. While donating money to your favorite charities can be as simple as writing a check, there are various other options available to you for making charitable contributions that may reduce your current and...

G2G Impact

Wealth Your Way Podcast: Are Your Investments In Your Social Circle?

Ryan Christine Coulson
November 13, 2018

Recently, societal impact investing has become more mainstream, popularized by younger generations wanting to “do better by doing good” with their investments. Socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment strategies offer investors the opportunity to invest with passion and purpose in addition to the long-term goal of earning financial...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Basic Gift and Education Planning - Your Guide to College and Other Savings

Josh Miller, CFP®
November 01, 2018

Although giving and receiving gifts is a tradition that most people have participated in their entire lives, you may not often think about how gifting can be beneficial from a financial planning perspective. However, gifting can be a great way to transfer assets tax-free during your lifetime to reduce both your taxable estate and the potential estate taxes, thereby increasing the amount of...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Estate Planning - You Are Never Too Young to Start

Josh Miller, CFP®
October 02, 2018

The two absolutes we can count on in life are death and taxes, yet planning for these two things can be an unpleasant process. Many young adults delay creating a will until they are married or have children, but you can also ensure that your parents, siblings, or other loved ones are provided for by naming them as beneficiaries of your assets. You may also choose to designate certain...

G2G Impact

In Partnership: Using Two Strategies to Target Sweet Spots in the Market

Dave Donabedian, CFA
September 25, 2018

Mid-cap stocks are often referred to as the market’s sweet spot—they are typically less volatile than small-cap stocks but offer more growth potential than large caps. This combination has resulted in favorable risk-adjusted returns over time, which investors tend to seek. Yet, historically, mid-cap stocks have been largely overlooked. In the early 1990s, two investment teams began to...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Mutual Fund Basics - The Power of Numbers

Ryan Christine Coulson
September 18, 2018

Although stocks and bonds are traditionally considered the building blocks of an investment portfolio, few investors have the time or resources to select individual securities themselves. Instead, mutual funds are widely used by investors to access a professionally-managed, diversified portfolio of securities without the requirement of a large investment. If you have a 401(k) account, you are...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Life Insurance Basics: Who Says You Can’t Buy Love?

Josh Miller, CFP®
September 04, 2018

Risk management is an important component of any financial plan and that includes having the right insurance to protect against potentially expensive and untimely events. Knowing when to purchase health, auto, or homeowner’s insurance is generally straightforward, but life insurance can be more ambiguous, especially for young adults just achieving financial independence. With many types of...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Stocks and Bonds

Ryan Christine Coulson
August 21, 2018

If you are just beginning to invest your money—or simply thinking about it—the proper mix of investments depends on your unique circumstances and goals. Factors like age, current income and earnings potential, and the amount of credit card or student loan debt you may have will all impact this decision. Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to investing, understanding the key...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Marriage and Finances: Loving union, legal contract

Josh Miller, CFP®
August 07, 2018

Prenuptial agreements often have a negative connotation associated with them, but they can be very beneficial for many couples considering marriage. While typically not the most romantic topic of conversation, entering into this type of agreement can provide the extra layer of protection you need to safeguard your assets or the wealth your family has worked hard to create and preserve. ...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Asset Allocation: Location, Location, Location

Ryan Christine Coulson
July 31, 2018

If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, one of the decisions you need to make when enrolling is which investments to hold in your account and in what proportion. Typically, your plan will offer a variety of investment options across multiple asset categories, geographic regions, or investment styles, and while many participants default to selecting every investment option in equal amounts, a...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Mortgage Basics: Is Homeownership Right for You?

Josh Miller, CFP®
July 10, 2018

Download PDF Knowing the right time to buy a home is not as straightforward as it was when our parents and grandparents were going out on their own. Today, many young adults are waiting longer to buy their first homes, preferring to rent and spend or invest their money elsewhere. While owning has its advantages, it also comes with many trade-offs. Understanding the pros and cons of...

G2G Impact

Podcast: Basic Investing and Risk

Ryan Christine Coulson
June 12, 2018

Download PDF For many of us, the habit of saving money is instilled in us from a very young age. Unfortunately, when it comes to investing, the best approach isn’t as clear. Unlike traditional savings accounts, the range of investment options is wide and varied. With so much information available online and elsewhere, knowing what to focus on can be difficult. If you are...

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Investments

Currency Wars

Gregg Anderson
December 13, 2018

As the end of 2018 approaches and we reflect on the major events of this year, the intensifying trade conflict between the United States and China looms near the top of the list. So far this year, the Trump administration has placed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, leading China to strike back accordingly as each new block of tariffs is imposed. This tit-for-tat...

Investments

What's Bothering the Stock Market?

Dave Donabedian, CFA
December 11, 2018

Volatility—and in a downward direction—returned to global equity markets in the early days of December. The S&P 500 Index (S&P 500) was down about 4.6% last week, and is off more than 10% from its all-time high in September. On a year-to-date basis, the total index return is essentially flat. 1 We see three fundamental factors impacting sentiment, boosting volatility...

Investments

Clean Energy: A Sunny and Windy Forecast

Lance Marr, CFA
December 06, 2018

Energy may make the world go ‘round, but the kind of energy consumers use matters too, and increasing competition from clean energy providers is forcing traditional providers to take note. In stark contrast to the small niche that solar energy occupied nearly 30 years ago, clean energy—which encompasses renewable or alternative sources of energy and other clean technologies — is rapidly...

Investments

FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged

Gary Pzegeo, CFA
November 08, 2018

The Federal Reserve left the target range for short-term rates at 2.00% - 2.25%. Markets had placed very low odds of a move at today’s meeting. Here is a summary of today’s release : Current conditions – the economy remains strong, but the Fed noted deceleration in the pace of growth in business fixed investment. The recent round of GDP data saw fixed investment fall...

Investments

Volatility Returns

Dave Donabedian, CFA
October 12, 2018

Download PDF The S&P 500 has dropped over six consecutive trading sessions and is now 7% below the all-time high reached on September 20, 2018. This follows a strong third quarter (+7.2%)—the best in more than four years. Here is where U.S. equity returns stand on a year-to-date basis as of the market close on October 11, 2018: Factors Behind the Selloff While a...

Investments

International Update: European Due Diligence

Matt Scherer, CFA
October 08, 2018

Download PDF The MSCI All Country World ex USA stock index was up roughly 0.5% in September, but remains down over 2.5% for the year. The wild ride continued last month as the market declined over 3.0% early on, only to stage a strong recovery in the back half of the month. The same themes continue to pressure international stock markets, with emerging market and trade...

Investments

FOMC Raises the Target Range By 0.25%

Gary Pzegeo, CFA
September 27, 2018

The Federal Reserve raised the target range for short-term rates to 2.00% - 2.25%, as expected. Markets have been discounting a rate increase at today’s meeting leading many to focus on the Fed’s press release, the Summary of Economic Projections, and Chairman Powell’s press conference for signs of a marginal shift in strategy. Today’s information revealed neither a sign that the...

Investments

What Makes Variable Rate Demand Notes Stand Out?

Dan Skolochenko
August 28, 2018

Variable rate demand notes (VRDNs) are floating-rate debt securities issued by municipalities and are most often held in municipal money-market funds. Like other municipal debt, most VRDNs are not taxed at the federal level, and residents of issuing states are generally exempt from relevant state taxes. In general, VRDNs have three key characteristics that distinguish them from other municipal...

Investments

Going Deep in the Name of Due Diligence

Matt Scherer, CFA
August 15, 2018

The MSCI All Country World ex USA stock index was up 2.4% in July, but remains down 1.5% for the year. Stabilization of the U.S. dollar, progress on trade agreements and signs of a recovery in the emerging markets all contributed to solid returns for the month. International markets continue to lag domestic markets, but the gap closed some in July as easing headwinds and attractive valuations...

Investments

Understanding Premium Bonds

Dan Skolochenko
August 14, 2018

As a long-term investor, you may choose to include fixed income in your investment portfolio for a variety of reasons, such as capital preservation, income generation, or a combination of both. Depending on your financial circumstances, tax bracket, and whether you are purchasing bonds in a taxable or qualified account, you have the option of taxable bonds (Treasury bonds, agency bonds, and...

Investments

FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged

Gary Pzegeo, CFA
August 01, 2018

The Federal Reserve left the target range for short-term rates at 1.75% to 2.00%. Futures contracts for short term interest rates implied a low probability of any action by the Fed at today’s meeting. Following is a summary of the FOMC’s statement. Growth The Fed described the economy as “strong”, which was not surprising given second quarter GDP...

Investments

FERC Final Ruling - Incrementally Positive for MLPs

Paul McPheeters, CFA
July 23, 2018

Download PDF On July 19th, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final ruling as a follow-up to its announcement on March 15th that had caused significant weakness across the MLP sector. The final ruling was a positive development for the sector as we detail below. To help understand the incremental improvement in the final ruling, it’s important to...

Investments

Trade Tension: The Portfolio Manager's Playbook

Matt Scherer, CFA
June 30, 2018

Download PDF The MSCI All Country World Index ex USA, which tracks both developed and emerging markets, was down 1.9% for the month of June and is now down 3.8% for the year to date. Global stock markets declined in June in large part related to investor fears about the increasing threat of trade wars. The planned implementation of tariffs announced by the U.S., the retaliatory...

Investments

The Ebb and Flow of Regulatory Focus on Technology Companies

Sid Nargundkar, CFA
June 20, 2018

Download PDF The recent Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal, where a third-party firm abused the Facebook platform to gain access to the private data of millions of users, has increased the likelihood of significant regulatory actions against large technology companies. In order to contextualize the risk from the investment perspective, we will try to use history as a guide and...

Investments

FOMC Raises the Target Range by 0.25%

Gary Pzegeo, CFA
June 14, 2018

Download PDF The Federal Reserve decided to raise the target range for short-term rates to 1.75% to 2.00%. Changes in today’s press release included the usual nuance, but there have also been a few mechanical changes to the delivery of policy and communication thereof. Following is a summary of the FOMC’s statement, summary of economic projections and Chairman Powell’s...

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Uncategorized

Volatility Returns

Dave Donabedian, CFA
October 12, 2018

Uncategorized

Investing in China

Ohm Srinivasan, CFA
September 26, 2018

Emerging markets have become volatile in recent months due to the conflict over global trade, especially as it becomes a showdown between the U.S. and China. Both rhetoric and action on this front have been and may continue to be highly unpredictable. The trade war could also have a ripple effect on global growth. At the same time, waiting for all of these macro issues to resolve themselves...

Uncategorized

Private Equity: Too Much Demand?

Kyle Leavitt
May 22, 2018

Download PDF This past year saw record levels of capital being raised by Private Equity (PE) funds. This was the result of more firms coming to market to raise funds and a seemingly universal increase in the size of each fund raised. The graphic below shows how substantial the increase has been in both fund size and the number of funds being raised. This influx of capital has been...

Uncategorized

Co-Investments: A Closer Look

Lester P. Duke, CFA
September 20, 2017

Download PDF Co-investing, also referred to as direct investing, is becoming a larger and more dynamic element of private market investing in recent years, and we believe the trend will accelerate over time. Here we provide a brief overview of what co-investing is, how it’s different from investing in a traditional private equity fund, its key advantages and special considerations...

Uncategorized

Is Inflation Whipped?

David L. Donabedian CFA
August 24, 2017

Download PDF In 1974, President Gerald Ford encouraged all Americans to wear "WIN" buttons (Whip Inflation Now) as a way to rally the country against the inflationary spiral that was causing major economic dislocations and rapidly rising interest rates. Fast forward to 2017, and today’s WIN button could stand for “Where’s Inflation Now?” Despite a long economic expansion, a...

Uncategorized

Investors Beware…Of Investors

Scott M. Burg, CFA, CAIA
June 29, 2017

Download PDF Last month’s investment article highlighted the debate surrounding active vs. passive investment, framed by the notion that most professionally managed funds have struggled to keep up with indices in recent years. This month, we continue our discussion, but with a different dimension of active management, looking at whether individual investors are successful in...

Uncategorized

It’s Never Too Early to Plan

Judith A. Saxe AEP®
June 29, 2017

Download PDF Summer is here, and your adult children may now be home from college, your child may be getting ready for his or her first post-college job or you may be helping a child prepare to leave for college for the first time. As a parent, you can use these opportunities to discuss some important estate and financial planning issues that develop as your child becomes an adult....

Uncategorized

Asset Allocation Committee Update

David L. Donabedian CFA
May 24, 2017

Download PDF At its May meeting, the CIBC Atlantic Trust Asset Allocation Committee (AAC) determined that a higher relative allocation to developed international equity markets is appropriate under current market conditions. Developed international markets consist primarily of equities in Europe and Japan, which comprise over 85% of the MSCI Europe, Australia, Far East Index...

Uncategorized

An Active Debate on Passive Investing

John Tennaro
May 24, 2017

Download PDF There have been many existential debates about the “optimal” way to invest: growth stocks vs. value stocks, international vs. U.S.-only portfolios, and the list goes on. This type of discussion tends to crop up after one type of investment outperforms another type for a period of time, which leads some to declare that today’s winner will remain superior for years to...

Uncategorized

What Is Artificial Intelligence and Why Should Investors Care?

Jigar Patel
March 30, 2017

We believe artificial intelligence is one of the most exciting and transformative opportunities on the horizon. The foundation of computing was built upon the idea of people instructing a computer regarding the processes it should perform. Computers behaved like calculators, crunching data without having the ability to make decisions. In recent years, however, technology has made...

Uncategorized

What’s the Deal with Private Equity? Understanding Private Equity Returns

Daniel Criscuolo
February 23, 2017

For some investors, private equity (PE) may be a bit of a mystery. Their only exposure might be a story in The Wall Street Journal, likely titled, “Is this the end of private equity?” While it seems that this article comes out every year, the asset class has been generating attractive long-term performance over multiple investment cycles, and we believe performance will be attractive for years...

Uncategorized

Surprise, Surprise

David L. Donabedian CFA
December 01, 2016

Both the Election and Market Reaction Confound the Consensus At its November meeting, the Atlantic Trust Asset Allocation Committee (AAC) focused on the economic and investment implications of the election results. We believe the unique nature of the incoming administration, along with the Republican Congress and “one-party rule” in Washington, will bring significant change to the policy...

Uncategorized

Year-End Tax Planning Checklist: What to Know

Ryan Christine Coulson
December 01, 2016

Every year we advise our clients to engage in routine, year-end tax planning. This planning is needed now, especially as we take President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tax policies into consideration. With the new year quickly approaching, our Wealth Strategies Group has created the following checklist that may serve as a starting point for your year-end tax planning: ...

Uncategorized

Winners and Losers: Potential Election Impact on Market Sectors

W. Brant Houston CFA
September 27, 2016

In this very political season, investors are increasingly focused on how the November election will impact the investment environment for 2017. In the upcoming issue of The Advisor , our quarterly newsletter, we cover potential consequences for the tax code as well as the economic implications for trade policy. Aside from these major macro issues, there could be industry-specific policy...

Uncategorized

"Is It Over Yet?" Thoughts on the Election and Markets

David L. Donabedian CFA
August 30, 2016

More than a year after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump entered the presidential race, we still have over two months to go before Election Day. The “campaign season” has turned into a near-permanent state of affairs. A baby born on the day Clinton announced her candidacy will most likely be walking and talking by the election date, and a Major League...

Uncategorized

Creating Flexible Trusts in Uncertain Times

Judith A. Saxe AEP®
June 29, 2016

Attorneys and other advisors often recommend trusts to help manage and protect assets for the long term or to help achieve a certain tax benefit. If a trust is designed to be irrevocable, whether during life or after death, it is critical to consider whether it makes sense to add provisions that may enable trust modifications if necessary to adapt to changing times and circumstances....

Uncategorized

Negative Interest Rates: Paying to Save

Gary E. Pzegeo CFA
June 29, 2016

Exorbitant pricing has returned to markets, and not just in Silicon Valley or biotech stocks. Over the last several months, central banks in Europe and Japan have begun charging member financial institutions to store bank reserves anywhere from 0.1% to 0.4% of the value of those reserves. This has been called Negative Interest Rate Policy, or NIRP. The numbers are small, but the...

Uncategorized

3 Questions to Ask When Helping Aging Parents with Estate Planning

Carly Howard
May 25, 2016

What can you do to help your parents with their estate planning? It’s difficult to know what kind of “help” your parents may need—or when it’s the right time to step in—especially if your parents are reluctant to share information about their finances. Coordinating with your parents’ advisors is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of your parents’ estate planning needs. ...

Uncategorized

Brexit: Will They Stay or Will They Go?

David L. Donabedian CFA
May 25, 2016

"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" This is the question that British voters will answer in a June 23rd national referendum. As the vote approaches, this could be a source of volatility in global equity, fixed income and currency markets. ...

Uncategorized

A Look Inside the Green Book: The President’s Budget Proposals

Josh Miller CFP®
April 29, 2016

This year, the administration has put forth tax proposals that may change the current law. We earlier provided a summary of last year’s proposals, which can be found here . Below is a summary of the fiscal year 2017 Revenue Proposals submitted by the Obama administration that would affect individual taxpayers and future estate and tax planning strategies: ...

Wealth Strategies

Preparing Yourself Financially For The Unexpected

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 29, 2018

At times of personal and family crisis such as divorce or death of a spouse, financial matters are among the last things that you should have to worry about. Yet, concerns about everyday questions like how to pay the bills and how to access online accounts often find their way to the top of the list of anxieties. One way to alleviate these concerns is to be prepared before such...

Wealth Strategies

Medicare: What’s Changing in 2019

Camille Barron
November 20, 2018

The other day, my husband Jim and I were having dinner with friends when the topic of how we met came up. We shared the story of how we were introduced at a local restaurant while attending a social function. Things moved steadily from there and one year later—to the day—we were married in that exact same location! Not only that, coincidentally, our 13th wedding anniversary—October 15—was...

Wealth Strategies

How to Incorporate Philanthropic Giving into Your Estate Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 15, 2018

Whether or not you’ve begun the estate planning process, you may have thought about what you want your legacy to be after you’ve passed. For many people, this means setting and achieving philanthropic goals during their lifetime and for years to come. Although philanthropy is often motivated by tax reasons, charitable giving benefits many individuals and families from a legacy, personal...

Wealth Strategies

5 Strategies to Protect Family Wealth

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 08, 2018

One of the essential components of any estate plan—or wealth management plan in general, for that matter—is wealth preservation. To be able to pass on your assets to future generations, you need to ensure that they are properly safeguarded in the meantime. While many people worry that a volatile market environment or bad investment decision will cause them to lose a substantial portion of...

Wealth Strategies

Second Chances: The Importance of Post-Mortem Planning

Lindsay Jacobsen
November 06, 2018

Let’s face it: the term “post-mortem planning” can be confusing. On one hand, it could sound as if everything can be accomplished after death, with little need for planning during life. On the other hand, it can be easy to assume that post-mortem planning really only encompasses a few small steps—for example, filing a final tax return or writing a few checks to cover remaining expenses. The...

Wealth Strategies

The Advantages of Donor Advised Funds as a Charitable Giving Strategy

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 30, 2018

If you have philanthropic intentions, one of the challenges you may be facing is determining which method of giving makes the most sense given your goals and financial circumstances. As a donor you have many options, but one giving strategy—donor-advised funds—has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are accounts that are set up within a charitable...

Wealth Strategies

Investing with a Purpose

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 25, 2018

Responsible investing, though not a new concept, has only recently gained popularity among a meaningful portion of the investment community. In the past, investing with a purpose was largely focused on avoiding the stocks of companies that engaged in morally questionable activities—these may have included alcohol and tobacco companies, firearm manufacturers, and gambling-related stocks, among...

Wealth Strategies

Uncovering the Facts About Estate Planning Documents

Halsey Schreier
October 23, 2018

Myths aren’t just the stuff of legends. They’re everywhere—even in the financial world. Myths can be damaging, but also instructive, especially when we examine the counter-story. Each quarter in The Advisor, we will address some of the common myths that surround a particular wealth management or investment topic. This quarter, our focus is on estate planning, health care proxies and...

Wealth Strategies

6 Reasons Why You Need an Estate Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 18, 2018

Although we typically associate the term “estate” with the ultra-wealthy, estate planning is not just for the rich. Everyone, regardless of family dynamics or financial status, can benefit from having an estate plan—a collection of documents that specify how you want your assets distributed. Nevertheless, most people have neglected to put such plans in place. According to a recent survey...

Wealth Strategies

Alternative Assets: Not Your Grandfather’s Investment Portfolio

Ryan Christine Coulson
October 16, 2018

After building a portfolio of traditional stock and bond investments, some investors become curious about including alternative assets in their portfolios for additional diversification benefits. While hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital are investment opportunities often associated with the financial elite, not all alternative assets are reserved for the ultra-wealthy. However,...

Wealth Strategies

Effective Philanthropy: How to be More Strategic about Giving

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 11, 2018

Americans tend to be very charitable. Historically, charitable giving as a percentage of GDP has consistently hovered around 2%. In 2017, this amounted to more than $400 billion, according to Giving USA. Yet, most of us don’t really understand the impact that our donations have on the causes we choose to support. After the check is written, where does the money go? Strategic philanthropy is...

Wealth Strategies

Why Women Need to Engage in Financial Planning

Patricia DeChant
October 09, 2018

In today’s world, women are corporate executives, entrepreneurs, independent investors and leaders in their communities. They control over half of the world’s wealth , and their share is rapidly rising. One in four married women is the breadwinner , and they are increasingly becoming the key decision-makers when it comes to personal and family finances. Yet,...

Wealth Strategies

Key Considerations For Selling A Family Business

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 04, 2018

Succession planning can be one of the most challenging aspects of owning and operating a family business. And while many family business owners may dream of passing ownership of the business onto future generations, keeping the business within the family isn’t always a viable option. When a clear successor within the family doesn’t exist, family business owners are faced with the difficult...

Wealth Strategies

When to Consider an Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
September 27, 2018

Keeping a family business within the same family from generation to generation is not always a possibility. Nevertheless, many family business owners want to ensure that the firm and culture they have worked hard to build is preserved well into the future. An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a way to keep control of a family-owned business within a different type of family—employees who...

Wealth Strategies

Transitioning Your Family Business to the Next Generation

Cathy Schnaubelt
September 20, 2018

Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the American economy. However, despite the job security and family legacy potential many of these businesses represent for the families that own them, the importance of careful succession planning is often overlooked. Indeed, only about 30% of family businesses survive into the second generation, according to the Family Business Institute. ...

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Showing 1 - 15 of 170 results.

Women's CIRCLE

Preparing Yourself Financially For The Unexpected

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 29, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Medicare: What’s Changing in 2019

Camille Barron
November 20, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

How to Incorporate Philanthropic Giving into Your Estate Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 15, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

5 Strategies to Protect Family Wealth

Cathy Schnaubelt
November 08, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Second Chances: The Importance of Post-Mortem Planning

Lindsay Jacobsen
November 06, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

The Advantages of Donor Advised Funds as a Charitable Giving Strategy

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 30, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Investing with a Purpose

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 25, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Uncovering the Facts About Estate Planning Documents

Halsey Schreier
October 23, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

6 Reasons Why You Need an Estate Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 18, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Alternative Assets: Not Your Grandfather’s Investment Portfolio

Ryan Christine Coulson
October 16, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Effective Philanthropy: How to be More Strategic about Giving

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 11, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Why Women Need to Engage in Financial Planning

Patricia DeChant
October 09, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Key Considerations For Selling A Family Business

Cathy Schnaubelt
October 04, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

When to Consider an Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Cathy Schnaubelt
September 27, 2018

Women's CIRCLE

Transitioning Your Family Business to the Next Generation

Cathy Schnaubelt
September 20, 2018

— 15 Items per Page

Showing 1 - 15 of 170 results.