In light of the high conflict nature of many divorces, and the cost and time associated with divorce litigation, many couples attempt to pre-plan for the possibility of a later divorce by executing a pre-marital agreement. The past, present and future of pre-nups and post-nups highlight a process that attempts to minimize a couple's stress duri...
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Family wealth executives often struggle with determining how to allocate fairly the collective expenses of managing shared family wealth. Drawing on 2008 FOX research, this 2009 FOX Fall Forum presentation examines pricing methodologies and practices used by both single and multi-family offices, with an emphasis on innovative strategies a...
A much anticipated and, perhaps, over-hyped news conference rolling out the Trump Administration’s tax reform plan generated very little “new news.” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Director Gary Cohn presented an outline of a plan that is very similar to the talking points the President promoted on the camp...
As data continues to accumulate that reinforces the growing consensus of the superiority of passive indexing strategies over active management, the defenders of the old guard are fighting back. They are cutting fees, shuttering underperforming strategies, and merging businesses in order to reduce costs. The pressure is severe: according to Mornings...
The stock market abounds with colorful sayings that reflect the collective wisdom of decades of investment experience. For professional investors, these time-worn adages are reminders of sometimes-painful past market episodes and the unending challenge of getting the future right. But at the end of the day, can these slogans actually be useful in m...
Nearly all investment professionals rely upon portfolio optimization techniques grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory to structure investment portfolios for individual investors. Using statistical techniques and computer-assisted modeling, investment advisers are able to combine different types of assets such as stocks, bonds, cash, real estate, and ...
Ask a wealth management colleague to define “the cloud” and you are likely to get a vague response. Even among information technology experts, the term “cloud” may refer to different technologies that are only connected in a general sense. And despite the fact that cloud computing has quickly become the IT norm, the question...
The start of 2017 was a stark but welcomed contrast to the prior year. In January 2016, U.S. markets experienced one of their worst starts in history―hampered by concerns of slowing global growth, bottoming oil prices, and an impending election season. This January, these worries seemed far from investors’ minds. Domestic and international ma...
When a loved one dies, there isn’t a checklist of tasks to complete to expedite the grieving process. When you have been named the Executor (or “Personal Representative”) of the estate, you have an administrative process to navigate in addition to the emotional one. Thankfully, in that role, there are a finite number of actions th...
Michigan recently passed an act that allows individuals to create Domestic Asset Protection Trusts ("DAPTs"), an attractive option to help people protect their assets from the claims of third party creditors. If the basic requirements of the newly adopted Michigan statute are satisfied, it also permits the trust settlor to retain certain ...
On April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump presented the core principles of his proposal to significantly overhaul the Tax Code, including reducing individual tax brackets from seven to three, lowering corporate and individual tax deductions, and eliminating the alternative minimum tax. If key elements of the administration’s tax reform propos...
In the U.S. the first quarter GDP growth fell short of the consensus forecast; however, stocks have remained surprisingly resilient, currently sitting just below all-time highs. Overall, Energy, Financials, and Information Technology have been the primary growth drivers. In Europe, Independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron defeated populist/Eu...
President Trump has directed the Secretary of Labor to re-examine the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final so-called “Fiduciary Rule” to determine whether it “may adversely affect the ability of Americans to gain access to retirement information and financial advice,” and to prepare a new cost-benefit analysis of the Fidu...
In a competitive global marketplace, employers across the United States spend countless resources attempting to set themselves apart and claim their share of available business opportunities. Against that backdrop, it is easy to understand why employers will do everything possible to protect the confidential information they have created and the go...
Philanthropy has long been characterized by the drive to make a difference. While the practice has evolved, the value of kindness and the legacy of giving it reinforces remains constant. Here we explore the donor-advised fund, a charitable giving vehicle that can be employed individually or as part of a larger plan, providing donors tremendous flex...