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The pandemic that was the dominant news story of 2020 will continue to hold its position for much of 2021. Between hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine and expectations for the Biden administration, how should investors think about the year ahead?

Real estate has always been a tax-advantaged investment class, especially in the U.S. where rules allow you to shelter income or cashflow through depreciable losses and other mechanisms. For the investors who want deeper insights into all aspects of their real estate investments, they see how technology is transforming their ability to evaluate their tax obligations and how it can even assist them in deciphering implications of a U.S. presidential election.

The stakes are high: climate change is creating an urgent need for a lower-carbon economy, and the Biden administration will face the daunting challenge of reigniting the U.S. economy in the wake of the pandemic, and energy may be a critical catalyst of that recovery. Dr. Daniel Yergin—a leading global authority on energy, economics and geopolitics, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author—talks about the future of energy, and how that future may shape innovation, international relations, and the economy in the years ahead.

Investors have seemingly been concerned about Brexit since day one, and equity performance may have suffered because of it. This brings to light an important consideration for passive investors: the exact contents of their chosen benchmarks, which can make for a poor investment portfolio in many asset classes due to high levels of concentration.

There’s a fading but lingering misconception that socially responsible investing (SRI) means sacrificing returns against a benchmark. The source of concern—and misconception—can often be traced to confusion around the tracking error. By understanding what’s behind a portfolio’s deviation from the performance of its benchmark, investors will see how to make it work in a responsible portfolio.

Technological innovations in bond trading rarely grab headlines, but advancements have substantially changed how business is conducted in the fixed income markets. When used as part of a comprehensive portfolio construction process, electronic trading helps improve efficiency, enhancing performance while reducing account minimums and expanding customization options. However, there’s still a major role for fixed income professionals in unlocking additional value for bond investors.

The pool of potential investors for private offerings has widened under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s new definition of “accredited investor” in Rule 215 and Rule 501(a). Accredited investors—considered to be sufficiently sophisticated and risk tolerant—are permitted to participate in certain private offerings under Regulation D that are not subject to the same investor protections as public offerings.

The combined effect of Biden’s tax proposals could alter behavior of the tax-aware investor. In examining the major tax provisions proposed under a Biden administration, the impact on equity tax management is clear. However, a divided or Republican-controlled Senate will make for a less orderly path from proposal to law.

Year-end tax planning is always challenging, but the coronavirus pandemic has added a whole new layer of complexity to the equation for individuals, families, and businesses across the nation. The potential tax ramifications are significant. There are a number of tax developments to consider for the current tax year.