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The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act left many of the rules and laws pertaining to retirement planning unchanged. However, the Act did change the tax landscape for many by lowering overall tax rates for individuals and businesses and changing deductions. Given this new landscape, there are additional opportunities and new twists for taxpayers to be mindful of in order to take full advantage of planning for retirement in the most tax-efficient manner.

Scientists warn of dire consequences to the environment due to climate change, from devasting droughts to massive flooding—effects we’re already starting to experience globally. In this context, it may be particularly important to look at an aspect of the issue which has received less attention: the nexus of gender and climate change. Gender lens investing and other efforts to reach gender parity can be a critical lever to reducing the negative impacts of climate change.

Is philanthropy one of your top priorities? One way to make your estate plan more philanthropic is through a Charitable Remainder Trust (sometimes called a CRT, CRUT, or CRAT, depending on the form it takes). The Trust is created until the end of the trust term or the death of the last beneficiary. At the end of the trust, whatever is left over (the “remainder") is distributed to the charity of your choice. Other advantages of creating a CRT include providing an income stream, enabling an immediate charitable deduction, and reducing federal estate tax liability.

2018 was a tough year for investors, with most major asset classes finishing with flat-to-negative returns for the calendar year. Worries over monetary policy, economic growth, and trade wars are largely responsible for 2018's dismal results.

The stock market’s dramatic recovery so far in 2019, after a dismal fourth quarter of 2018, has left many casual market observers wondering “What changed”? U.S. economic data continues to reflect a modest slowdown, Europe struggles with anemic growth and Brexit uncertainty, and China grapples with a slowing growth rate and enormous debt. The global economic growth continues to look a bit shaky.

Managing wealth can be complex as policies and tax laws change. Employing financial, legal, and tax professionals can help, but each family should be vigilant in understanding and evaluating their work to ensure that the strategies they pursue will support the long-term wealth management goals of the family. In this tax and wealth planning guide, advice and planning tools are provided to help with that process.

Cannabis and industrial hemp are projected to be large disruptors across many industries that include agriculture, construction, energy, textiles, and law. The industry is also moving at an accelerated pace and has opened up global investment opportunities. How to participate in this sector and how to perform proper due diligence are the questions many high net worth investors are asking. The first step is to not allow emotions driven by a fast-paced business environment overtake sound investment principals.

After years of favorable treatment, will insurance carriers finally shift their appetite for this industry? We’ve been fortunate to have a large volume of carriers interested in obtaining asset management business in the past three years. This increased capacity has driven carriers to create enhanced terms and conditions as well as offer more competitive premiums. However, carriers are still cautious of this industry as a whole, with many still feeling the burn from claims activity from the Great Recession of the late 2000s.

Volatility has returned to risk asset markets and has investors asking: “Is this time different or is something else afoot”? In this dedicated Global Family Office investor letter, we cover the volatility and the importance of multi-asset portfolios; the power of diversification to offset ever-present market drivers; and evaluating risk capacity and risk preferences in the volatile market environment.

Market volatility in late 2018 has investors wondering if 2019 will bring global recession and investment losses. Chief Investment Strategist Jim McDonald answers tough questions about the global economy and how markets should react. Chief Economist Carl R. Tannenbaum also shares his views on the nature of recessions.