Resource Search

This 15th edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report comes as long-mounting, interconnected risks are being felt. This qualitative and quantitative study of global risks draws on feedback from nearly 800 global experts and decision-makers who were asked to rank their concerns in terms of likelihood and impact. It provides a rich perspective on the major threats that may impact global prosperity in 2020 and over the next decade, seeing a year of increased domestic and international divisions with the added risk of economic slowdown.

While investing isn't the same as war, Sun Tzu's advice on preparation is still applicable. In looking ahead and preparing for what can happen, a set of key themes and investment implications emerge around fractured politics in 2020, trade war and the unloved expansion, and efficacy of monetary policy and negative yields.

While “gifting down” to younger generations has historically been the norm, it’s now increasingly common for children to accumulate more wealth than their living parents. This provides an opportunity for children to “gift up” or provide loans to help support parents—while pursuing income and estate tax planning. Other gifting strategies can include gifting assets or creating a trust to help support their parents' living expenses or health care costs. Each solution has pros and cons.

More than a decade ago, central banks embarked on a highly unconventional monetary policy path—generally referred to as "quantitative easing." This made possible the longest recorded U.S. economic upswing in history. But can this monetary "magic" continue to work? It is up for debate and is the premise of this year's six investment themes, beginning with "policy pressures need prudent response."

The U.S. equity income market could be in for a wild ride in 2020. Learn how exposure diversification may help your portfolio weather the coming storm.

Parents and grandparents often want to help their children and grandchildren with significant financial goals and challenges: buying a first home, making a financial investment, or starting a new business. Intra-Family Loans (IFLs) are a simple, low-cost, effective (yet often underutilized) wealth transfer technique that parents and grandparents can use to assist their family members with these economic challenges—all without incurring federal gift taxes if properly structured.

One of the biggest challenges corporate and municipal bond investors face when it comes to portfolio performance is interest rate fluctuation. Changing interest rates can increase risk and decrease investment value. Incorporating a separately managed account made up of evenly weighted bonds into an investment strategy may help reduce risk and make it easier to withstand rising interest rates.

Successful owners who choose to sell their business have many things to think about before beginning the process. Owners who are new to the process should consider not only the financial ramifications of selling their business but also how it can affect their life after the sale has finished. To make the selling of a profitable business much smoother, there are five things to consider. First, it begins with the question: What financial means do I need to support my current lifestyle?

In a survey of 1,000 owners of privately held businesses across the United States, there was a focus on owners’ attitudes toward transitioning their businesses in light of their perceptions of macroeconomic and political conditions. The topic is especially pertinent as Baby Boomers—who own about four million companies—enter retirement age. In this environment, the competition for buyers or investors is likely to be intense, and those business owners who have begun preparing for transition early and have a holistic plan in place will be best positioned for success.

2019 witnessed an uncommon surge for both risky and safe assets as stocks and bonds had their biggest simultaneous gains in more than two decades. An improving outlook on the economy, progress between the U.S. and China on trade, and the Fed’s interest rate cuts boosted investors’ confidence. However, fears of a global manufacturing slowdown, aggravated by trade conflicts, helped push up defensive assets along the way.