Discover the value of proactive and holistic advice Your family may not feel like a business — but at higher levels of wealth, decision complexity (and stakes) can rival those of a large company. There are obvious matters like investment decisions and wealth management. There are legal disputes, negotiations, and tax planning. Finally, someone has to handle those practical decisions that affect your family’s daily life: choosing a new personal assistant, managing school applications and logistics for your children, scheduli ..read more

First Quarter 2019 Investment fads are nothing new. When selecting strategies for their portfolios, investors are often tempted to seek out the latest and greatest investment opportunities. Over the years, these approaches have sought to capitalize on developments such as the perceived relative strength of particular geographic regions, technological changes in the economy, or the popularity of different natural resources. But long-term investors should be aware that letting short-term trends influence their investment approach may be counterproductive. As Nobel laureate Eugene Fama said, “Th ..read more

Young professionals and business owners dream about the day when they finally make it into the “high income earner” category. In their minds, the label will mark them as being in the financial security zone for the rest of their lives. However, there’s an important distinction that many don’t see until it’s too late. High income doesn’t automatically equal financial security in retirement! Making a significant income year after year is great, but only if you also make smart choices about that money. Here are three important factors that can help high income earners make the most out of the m ..read more

Equity markets posted positive returns around the globe in the first quarter. Looking at broad market indices, US equities outperformed non-US developed and emerging markets.  Small caps outperformed large caps in the US and non-US developed markets but underperformed in emerging markets. Value stocks generally underperformed growth stocks in all regions. REIT indices outperformed equity market indices in both the US and non-US developed markets. US Markets US equities outperformed both non-US developed and emerging mark ..read more

Many think only the wealthiest Americans have access to the most effective asset managers. These Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds, and Venture Capital firms would have you believe they are brilliant enough to call themselves financial alchemists. The truth is much simpler; these elite strategies regularly fail to match or outperform the broader stock market. Let’s take a look at the performance of these strategies and what inherent flaws are responsible for their failure to beat the simpler approach of investing in low-cost, tax-efficient index funds. To begin, let’s look at some performance ..read more

Keep the family cabin a source of care-free memories, not stress and frustration! What comes to mind when you think about your vacation home? Most people who have a family vacation home associate it with blissful and carefree days. Whether it’s fishing with grandpa, the smell of burgers and hot dogs on the grill, swimming in the lake with friends and cousins, or roasting marshmallows around the firepit, the cabin can be a place of summertime fun and meaningful connection. Who wouldn’t want the same for their children’s families? However, many families don’t give enough thought to what the “cab ..read more