Despite some recent volatility, stocks have continued to move higher over the past few months. We’ve seen record gains as corporate earnings in the U.S. have recently surprised almost all analysts. On the S&P 500, a standout 87% of corporate earnings beat expectations.  That goes a long way to justify historically very expensive price-earnings multiples. […]

There may be situations where your client owns a life insurance policy and the life insured isanother individual (e.g., their business partner, spouse, or child). Your client has died owning thispolicy and now the ownership of the policy needs to be changed. What are the tax implications of theownership change and is it possible to […]

Despite mixed earnings,  an ongoing pandemic and the threat of considerably higher taxes coming with Joe Biden’s administration, markets have continued to nudge higher over the past couple of months.  It would be normal, with signs of an overheated market to wonder, a) why things remain so buoyant and b) when we’ll see the next […]

This episode’s insurance article is on Estate Freezes. Over the years we’ve done a number of them for some of our business clientele. While this approach is certainly not for everyone and can be difficult to grasp, the strategy can help to save considerable tax in certain situations. If you feel this may help your […]

We’re regularly working towards improving our education so that we can help you. One of the things we did (well Mark and I did) this Christmas holiday was to review The Psychology of Money. It’s a book detailing timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness, written by Wall Street Journal columnist Morgan Housel. The book […]

We’re regularly working towards improving our education so that we can help you. One of the things we did (well Mark and I did) this Christmas holiday was to review The Psychology of Money. It’s a book detailing timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness, written by Wall Street Journal columnist Morgan Housel. The book […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an economic downturn, volatile markets, and financial challenges for many businesses. Year-end tax planning is always valued, but perhaps this year more than ever. Let’s examine various considerations around capital loss planning from atax perspective, including the general rules and issues around superficial losses, and discuss the impact of […]

With the exception of some volatility in the last few weeks, stock markets have remained amazingly resilient.  Given that corporate earnings in numerous sectors have collapsed, it would be easy to assume a significant market pullback would have similarly occurred.    That may come yet but the fact that we’ve had such relative resiliency since […]

Here’s how driving factors into insurance underwriting. Cassie Schneider Thanks to a clampdown on drunk driving, more use of seatbelts, and cars equipped with airbags and the technology to help avoid accidents, the number of deaths due to motor vehicle accidents has decreased over the past few decades. However, the risks of mortality and morbidity […]