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Planning can help reduce a client's tax liability and mitigate the unpleasantness of surprises when tax returns are filed. This is a valuable service advisors can offer clients, and because proper tax planning requires a discussion of a client's entire financial picture, it also can serve as a catalyst to broaden the scope of relationships with cli...

Given the relatively low current tax rates, changing executive and legislative control and the increasing need for government revenue, there is a distinct possibility of a capital gains tax rate increase. Knowing this, individuals may be wise to suspend the common practice always to defer taxation.

Evaluating and purchasing a capture device begins with a careful assessment of needs. This paper provides guidance not only in determining those needs but also in calculating the return on investment and total cost of ownership of converting paper documents to digital and incorporating them in an enterprise document management system.

Good e-mail management involves adequately capturing, categorizing, indexing, storing and protecting business information contained in e-mails, making it retrievable when needed and disposing of it according to company policies. Implementing an email management system for your company means doing some homework, but careful planning and preparation ...

The family office integrates many diverse components – taxes, philanthropic giving, trusts, personal services, property management and legal matters. A carefully chosen document management system can streamline these many pieces and reduce the overall cost of doing business.

Private investment firms that can differentiate themselves by demonstrating an infrastructure that includes complete partnership and portfolio accounting, system-enforced controls and full transparency while being able to manage complex portfolio strategies, ownership structures and allocations have a significant advantage in growing their business...

The recent economic crisis resulted not only in a significant loss of wealth, but also in a loss of trust. This article addresses the psychology of that loss of trust and presents a constructive response to it for family offices and their clients: Create standards for investing that can help avoid a re-occurrence of recent events.

The differences between the belief systems and practices of stewards and inheritors within single Asian families and the confusion they create.

In response to representations made since the Pre-Budget Report, HMRC announced that the draft legislation released in December and, in particular, the definition of a "bank" did not actually reflect their intentions and that the legislation will be substantially amended in this regard. Withers Worldwide provides a summary of the amendments and the...

Although wealthy philanthropists vary in their interests, backgrounds and styles of giving, some patterns emerge. Researchers for Barclays Wealth create profiles for six types of givers – privileged youth, eco givers, altruistic entrepreneurs, reactive donors, cultural inheritors and professional philanthropists – and identify each group's source o...

Deutsche Bank researchers examine the impact of speculative trading on the price of crude oil, based on variables in weekly market reports from the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission and econometric procedures. Researchers conclude that speculators' dispersion in beliefs, not their activities, drive crude oil prices.

Gifting may be the place to start in planning a long-term estate planning strategy, according to this paper from Wells Fargo. While gifting can be useful in transferring tax savings, it also can provide a real-time snapshot of the estate plan by allowing the giver to see how beneficiaries accept and respond to the gifts and then to change the estat...

Although estate tax laws may be uncertain, now is the time to review estate planning documents. This report from Schiff Hardin suggests tax-reduction strategies; defines required minimum distributions from retirement accounts; details developments in tax-related state law in California, Florida, Illinois and New York; and provides information on ma...

This helpful paper from Century Wealth Management presents seven essential steps that will help business-owning families implement a thoughtful system of governance so their businesses can survive and thrive from generation to generation.

The financial crisis has altered the investment landscape for investment managers as well as for investors. This paper from BNY Mellon looks at the results, such as increased regulatory oversight and demands for greater transparency.