What Is a Trust Protector and Do I Need One?
Imagine this: You’re at a cocktail party talking about investing and estate planning and someone mentions naming their closest friend as the “trust protector” for their kids’ trust. What are they talking about? Trust protectors have long been used by jurisdictions outside of the United States as a mechanism to provide oversight of corporate trustees […]
Market Insights – Second Quarter 2024
Watch this video of Sandip Bhagat, our Chief Investment Officer, discussing the latest market insights. Relative Value… Opportunities or Mirages? The dramatic melt-up in stock prices during the fourth quarter of 2023 continued into early 2024. Fears of an impending recession continued to recede and economic activity exceeded expectations. Job growth is now down to […]
Ensuring a Smooth Generational Transfer
Transferring the ownership of a family business from one generation to the next can be challenging, particularly in today’s world, where the financial values and business objectives of multiple generations may differ. As an advisor, I have witnessed the various difficulties families face while navigating the process of transitioning the family business to the next […]
Want a Tax-Efficient Portfolio? Focus on These 3 Areas
Deploying tax-efficient strategies within an investment portfolio is one of the most critical roles of a financial advisor, especially because many investment managers focus on pretax investment returns. By emphasizing after-tax returns, advisors may better meet the needs of their high-net-worth clients—particularly in high-tax states. Here are three key areas to focus on to improve after-tax returns: […]
Whittier Trust Announces Promotions and Continued Investment in Talent
Whittier Trust, the oldest wealth management firm headquartered on the West Coast, announced six promotions across its California and Nevada offices. The promotions reflect Whittier Trust’s commitment to investing in key talent and ensuring exceptional service for its clients. Promoted Executives: Jeffrey J. Aschieris: Vice President, Client Advisor Amanda Buntmann: Vice President, Client Advisor Kayla La […]
Six Reasons Why Most UHNWIs Choose a Multi-Family Office
Your family office is a point of pride as well as a smart way to manage your business and personal affairs. But you don’t have to have a gold nameplate and command your own staff to reap all of the family-office benefits. In fact, a multi-family office typically offers greater advantages—and ironically, more control—than a single-family office. […]
5 Estate Planning Priorities for 2024: An Essential Checklist
2024 is in full swing, and the start of a new year is a good reminder to take stock of our lives and plan for the future. Effective estate planning is a crucial aspect and its importance cannot be overstated. A well-thought-out estate plan ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes, minimizes tax liabilities, […]
Post-Sunset Taxation of Entities: Decoding the Changes
Efficient tax planning demands a forward-thinking approach, strategically organizing financial affairs to minimize tax liability. An essential element of this approach is the anticipation and understanding of changes in tax laws over time. The last major overhaul of the tax code came in 2017 when many tax code provisions were changed or added by the Tax Cuts […]
Are AI and Wealth Management Compatible?
There’s no denying that artificial intelligence is developing quickly—at warp speed, even. In fact, in March 2023, some of the biggest names in technology—including Elon Musk and other professors, researchers, and business leaders—signed a letter asking for a pause for artificial intelligence labs training AI systems out of concern for the dangers such technology may present. Additionally, the […]
The Magnificent 7 and the Imperfect Index
Despite domestic and geopolitical uncertainty, equity portfolios performed quite well in 2023 as measured by the S&P 500 Index. The market return was largely driven by the seven largest constituents of the S&P 500, also known as the Magnificent Seven. The Magnificent Seven includes: Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Tesla. These companies […]