IRAs for charity

Charitable giving in the U.S. rose 2.7% last year, reaching an all-time record of $390.05 billion.  That’s also a record in inflation-adjusted dollars, reports the Giving USA Foundation in its annual report on philanthropy.  Individuals, foundations, and corporations contributed to the robust growth in philanthropy, while bequests were projected to have declined by 9.0%.   Some […]

Read More

Fourth Quarter Expectations versus Lifetime Expectations

September is on track to beat the averages this year. As we begin the final week of the month and quarter, the S&P 500 is up 1.24% month to date and 3.25% quarter to date. Year to date, the price return of the S&P 500 stands at 11.76% as of Friday’s close. This is quite […]

Read More

You can’t do that with an IRA

Terry Ellis decided that his next job would be selling used cars. To that end, he formed a limited liability company (LLC), which was to be 98% owned by his IRA. The other 2% would be owned by an unrelated third party working for the LLC. Ellis was designated as the general manager of the […]

Read More

Past Performance is no Guarantee

Last week began with a Monday rally of 1.08%, the best one day gain since April 24th, and a new high close for the S&P 500. The index added another 12+ points during the rest of the week and closed at a record high of 2,500.23. The last 5% or greater correction in the index […]

Read More

Estate planning for the married

DEAR TRUST OFFICER:  Most married couples will never need to worry about filing a federal estate tax return, will they? I’ve heard that for couples the federal estate tax exemption is over $10 million. — AFFLUENT, NOT WEALTHY DEAR AFFLUENT: On the contrary, in the vast majority of cases of an estate with a surviving […]

Read More

Stormy Weather

Yields on Treasuries debt with maturities of one year and longer declined leaving the yield on the benchmark 10-Year Note at 2.05% on Friday. The S&P 500 finished the week fractionally lower as investors processed new information with regard to threats from North Korea, the damage and rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey and potential threats from […]

Read More

Three questions to ask yourself before you retire

As you near the end of the final lap of your working years, and begin scanning the retirement horizon, you are likely to be seeking the information that you need to ensure a secure financial future. Here, we touch on three of the most important questions that you should be asking yourself as you transition […]

Read More

September Sale

Interest rates, as measured by Treasury instruments, were generally flat for the week. Stocks advanced with the S&P 500 gaining 1.37%. Gold rose 3% to its highest level since October 2016. As we move into September, historically the worst month for stocks, it will be interesting to watch for a turn in psychology sufficient to […]

Read More

529 Plans: Advanced Questions

The cost of higher education and the burden of education loans upon recent graduates continues to be a recurring theme. Families with higher incomes have addressed these costs by contributing to tax-preferred savings vehicles, such as the 529 plan (named for a section of the tax code). We’re reasonably confident that 529 plans are here […]

Read More