Insights

It’s easy for the long-term investor to look at the S&P 500’s performance in recent years and consider abandoning other asset classes such as US small cap, international and emerging market stocks. After all, the S&P 500 contains brand-name companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple.

For executives at public companies and key employees of early-stage startups, it’s common for companies to offer equity compensation in place of a higher salary. In this blog post, I’ll explain what equity compensation is and discuss the differences between each form of equity compensation.

As an investor, you’ve likely noticed the current trends with interest rates and are questioning whether bonds are a smart investment. Bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship, so if rates rise holding excess cash instead of investing in bonds may seem reasonable.

In today's ever-evolving world, cyber fraud has become one of the greatest threats we face. When it comes to protecting yourself against cyber fraud, there are several elements to consider.

Let’s begin with identity theft.

Interest rates are at historically low levels, which means right now is an opportune time for you to use certain estate planning strategies. If you have a large estate, you can take advantage of the current low interest rate environment to shrink your future estate-tax liabilities.

Your relationship with your financial advisor should be grounded in trust, competence, and mutual interest. As an investor, your expectations are that your wealth management firm offers the sort of guidance that delivers you the best possible outcome—even if that outcome means they receive fewer commissions or fees.

As you plan for retirement, it’s important to take time to consider the lifestyle you want and the financial resources you’ll need to support it. This Insight will cover the following 5 strategies for transitioning into this significant life stage, and ensuring it provides you and your loved ones the relaxation and fulfillment you deserve.

Last month, we were joined by our friend and guest, CBS News Business Analyst Jill Schlesinger, for a webinar focused on your questions about the pandemic and what it means for your financial plans going forward. We covered everything from financial news and the stock market to college tuition and the upcoming presidential election. If you missed the webinar, here are 10 takeaways: 

Are you fearful about your finances during this time? COVID-19 and other current events have created financial uncertainty. While you might focus mainly on your investment portfolio, don’t forget about estate planning 101 tools like trusts, wills, power of attorneys (POAs), and advance directives.

In December 2019, Congress passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (the SECURE Act). The COVID-19 pandemic has brought our attention to many other pressing issues that affect our lives including more recent legislation called the CARES Act.