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One element of successful investing is assessing how investor expectations may change over time. We began warning in mid-2018 of a growth slowdown in 2019, which came to a head in the fourth quarter when growth concerns led to a significant reduction in risk appetite and valuations. Souring investor expectations set the stage for positive surprises over the next year, which we think improves the outlook for risk taking.

The year 2018 ended on a far different note than it started, with the economy stronger and markets weaker than most had projected at the outset. More perplexingly, underlying economic fundamentals remain quite strong with declining gas prices and interests, and steady jobs and wage growth.

Doug Balfour, author of Doing Good Great: An Insider’s Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Philanthropic Journey, and Pat Armstrong of the Abbot Downing Institute for Family Culture discuss best practices for engaging in philanthropic activities as a family. Both believe that while each family’s questions are unique to their individual circumstances, there are common themes and patterns associated with the exploration of the “why” of their giving as well as the evolution of their philanthropy.

The results of the U.S. Family Business Survey findings brought out the importance of being prepared to compete in a far more digital economy. Family businesses have built up trust among loyal employees and their ownership group. So how to turn values like loyalty and hard work into a multi-generational success story?

An increasing problem facing employers is the threat of class action lawsuits related to their use of background checks. In these lawsuits, plaintiffs claim that employers are violating a federal statute called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (the “FCRA”), which regulates, among other things, an employer’s use of background checks performed by third-party providers. In the face of this potential exposure, it is extremely important that employers ensure they are complying with the FCRA’s notice and disclosure requirements.

People, by nature, are born to judge and make judgments about others as well as themselves. Understanding each other through Real Colors® and knowing what makes each other tick regardless of, and separate from, each person’s relationship with the family of wealth or the family business, is eye opening for families. Real Colors® is a “rite of passage” for accepting others for who they really are and it provides a means for making critical family decisions (including financial decisions).