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The possibility of dramatic tax changes on lifetime gifts and after an individual’s death has increased with introduction of the For the 99.5 Percent Act and the Sensible Taxation and Equity Promotion Act in the U.S. While it remains early in the legislative process, the chances of significant changes are growing and the window for action is closing. For those individuals and families of wealth who said they would deal with these issues “later,” the time is now to do proactive tax and estate planning.

The Corporate Transparency Act (the CTA) is the first significant update to the U.S. anti-money laundering laws in 20 years and gives FinCEN significant authority to adopt necessary regulations to implement the provisions of the CTA. Under this new compliance environment, there will be new burdens—including the filing of “beneficial ownership” information—imposed on many entities operating in the U.S. and will likely to have major implications for foreign and domestic businesses.

Artificial intelligence is quickly transitioning from curiosity to critical cog in efforts to monetize data and power applications from front to back office. Given asset management’s reliance on efficient data processing, rapid decision making, and accurate reporting, there are myriad ways machine intelligence can have an impact.

Data-smart companies are learning how to access, aggregate, and distill competitive knowledge from a vast sea of previously inaccessible information. While there will be asset managers who resist the data adoption or take a wait-and-see attitude, the firms that enthusiastically embrace a data-centric strategy can expect to be rewarded with unanticipated competitive advantages.

Online platforms are reshaping business dynamics, putting customers in charge and forever altering the customer experience. As Asset Managers weigh the critical decision of whether and how to embrace disruptive technologies and business models (which may not be profitable for some time, could undercut current product lines, and may not succeed at all), some lessons can be learned from Amazon’s journey.

Technology has transformed how businesses communicate with—and learn from—their customers. Despite historic hesitancy on the part of many asset managers, driven in large by regulatory concerns, social networks play an increasingly pivotal role in the industry. Investment management functions such as idea generation, portfolio monitoring, and trading may attract the most interest, but social media is infiltrating the industry in other ways as well.

Once the private trust company’s (PTC) governance structure is designed, the foundational operations and administration elements will be central to bringing the PTC to life. Three key elements toward that end include reducing PTC complexity through documentation and recordkeeping; maintaining the PTC through communications and compliance; and preparing the PTC for long-term success through the delegation of duties.

With the IRS increasing their funding and enforcement, upper income taxpayers should expect the IRS audit coverage to increase dramatically on them. It’s important to prepare for the tax changes that are coming—and coming quickly. Along with having a team of professionals on your side, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Now is the time to review and perhaps recalibrate your risk tolerance for tax strategies.To learn more about the coming changes, listen to the podcast recording here with Waller’s Leigh Griffith.

Research has convincingly shown that having diversity of opinions and backgrounds is positively correlated with better decision-making and long-term results. In this two-part series, a deep dive looks at what it means to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into your investment program. First, we lay out why DEI initiatives are rapidly becoming a feature of investment programs and how they lead to better performance.

While implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has benefits in all walks of life, the investment marketplace is a highly impactful arena for driving DEI outcomes. After the first part of this series on DEI initiatives leading to better performance, a case is made for how pursuing the DEI effects is both a compelling and necessary strategy for investors.