For most of the period from the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 through the end of the COVID pandemic in 2022, the Federal Reserve held interest rates near zero. As post-pandemic inflation surged in early 2022, the Federal Reserve began a rapid rate-hike cycle that ended in July 2023 with the Federal Funds Rate at 5.25% - 5.50%. As noted in this Investment Report, the yields above 5% attracted investors to money market funds as total assets grew approximately 20% in 2023 to more than $6 trillion.
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Many successful family-owned businesses are managing embedded family offices within their existing operations to maximize the benefits and opportunities gained from the unique structure. But in time, the needs of both the business and the family shift for various reasons that include the family growing and earlier generations transitioning out of the business. If you aim to run a best-in-class, well-functioning family office while also operating a family-owned business, consider these best practices and related emerging trends.
Set against the backdrop of rapidly accelerating technological change and economic uncertainty, this year's Global Risks Report is a comprehensive analysis of the most significant risks facing the world today. With its forward-thinking approach and survey of nearly 1,500 risk experts, it provides insights into potential challenges and opportunities for risk leaders in various industries.
Tailored to the needs for risk leaders, this executive summary of the 2024 Global Risks Report highlights the key findings to support decision-makers in balancing current crises and longer-term priorities. In this year’s report, the risk analysis is contextualized through four structural forces that will shape the materialization and management of global risks over the next decade: climate change, demographic bifurcation, technological acceleration, and geostrategic shifts.
Running a family-owned business is no easy feat. Among the many challenges is determining the right salary and compensation structure for top executives. And the topic of pay is a sensitive one when it involves the founder, family members, and other stakeholders.
With the convenience of private aviation, families of wealth see the benefits of acquiring and owning their own aircraft. In this interview with Brian Lucareli, attorney Ben Rikkers and member of the Foley & Lardner’s Transactions group explains how to acquire an aircraft and any legal and potential liability details to consider. Ben also discusses the importance of conducting an initial inspection of the aircraft prior to the purchase, fractional ownership programs, and the aviation regulations around operational control.
In a wide-ranging survey of 800 affluent North Americans, we asked about how they view their wealth, what they value most, who they turn to for financial advice, and what keeps them up at night. This Report examines the growing gap between what successful individuals and families value and how they choose to protect it against a myriad of risks. And with assets representing more than their dollar value, it’s pivotal for families of wealth to take action and shore up protection of what they value most with comprehensive risk and insurance strategies.
The uneven historic GDP growth, deflation, and low corporate productivity have made Japan a tough market for investors. But given the strong performance in 2023, the Japanese market is changing. Starting with Abenomics more than a decade ago and the more recent initiatives by Japanese stock exchanges, the tangible changes in Japan are attracting investors once again.
As the U.S. economy continues its turbulent path toward a soft landing, businesses are generally seeing a reduction in unemployment and turnover. Unfortunately, employers will face increased pressure from the employee benefits expense line, which will be fraught with challenges over the next 12 to 24 months. By taking a strategic approach to benefits planning and navigating the upcoming challenges, employers can stay on top of key issues in healthcare, compliance, and benefits.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI), once seen as a vision of tomorrow, has rapidly advanced to become an established part of the day-to-day operations for organizations in every industry. Like any other emerging technology, the time to think about how AI will impact the future of business—including the tax function—is now. By integrating AI gradually and effectively implementing automation technology, organizations and tax professionals can benefit from enhanced efficiency, optimized operating models, advanced data insights, and improved talent acquisition and retention.