As the nation continues to recover from the ongoing shock—both economic and emotional—of the COVID pandemic, it remains to be seen how much our “new normal” will ultimately resemble our pre-pandemic lives. In addition to changes to our daily routines, our elected officials are debating a wide variety of new…
Tax policy and the election
In our July newsletter, we wrote briefly about the potential for changes in tax law, especially in light of the approaching presidential election and the rapid fiscal expansion that took place in 2020 in response to COVID-19. As we near Election Day, tax issues have become even more of a…
The SECURE Act Becomes Law
For the second time in three years, our friends in Washington have chosen to celebrate the holiday season by passing a significant tax-related bill. Two years ago, a Republican-controlled Congress enacted a substantial tax reform package, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Then, in 2019, a divided government…
Investing in the O-Zone Layer?
By most metrics, the U.S. economy has fully recovered from the 2008 financial crisis and recession: housing prices have exceeded their pre-crisis peak, the stock market remains at stratospheric levels (even after its late-year stumble), and unemployment measures stand at multi-decade lows. However, the recovery has been extremely uneven, with…
Tax Reform Becomes Law
After a frenzied process marked by numerous rewrites and edits, Congress closed out 2017 by passing the most aggressive tax reform bill in decades. Headlined by a significant corporate tax cut, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act fundamentally rewrote portions of the tax code, promising to impact households and corporations…
Beneficiary Designations: A Primer
As the nation prepares to inaugurate a new president with strongly different viewpoints and policy prescriptions than those who have preceded him, a number of financial rules and regulations have found themselves suddenly on the chopping block. President-elect Trump and potential members of his administration have already openly challenged last…
(Asset) Location, Location, Location
When it comes to portfolio construction best practices, most of us are aware of the benefits of asset allocation and diversification. But with tax-deferred retirement accounts becoming an ever-larger part of the average investor’s investment portfolio, asset location has arguably become just as important as its much more famous allocation-focused…
