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The term “passion investments” has gained currency within the wealth management arena to describe high-end collectibles and other luxury possessions that hold emotional as well as financial value for their owners. When considering that this new asset class has generated noticeable returns, it’s no surprise that owners want to protect their high-val...

Extreme winter weather has been a major issue throughout much of the U.S. in recent years and can result in high insurance claims accounting for millions in losses—the majority of which were due to ice dams and frozen pipes. An analysis of the winter-weather loss claims yielded four common factors and valuable insights that can help you be more pro...

Water damage has consistently ranked as the costliest cause of loss year over year. The largest of these losses have all occurred while no one was home. Whether you’re planning to be away for a short vacation or leaving for the season, there are nine steps you can take to help reduce the chances that you will suffer a water loss.

Whether your collection of paintings are decorative pieces or appreciative investments (or both), they can hold a tremendous amount of meaning and value. As to the decision regarding how and where to display your fine works of art, it’s important to identify and consider the many factors that could lead to a loss. All paintings—including oils, acry...

A chimney fire can be a significant event, in both monetary damages and trauma. The risk is heightened by the fact that chimney fires often begin out of sight, meaning they may not be noticed in time to prevent the flames from spreading to the home or causing serious structural damage. Luckily, a few simple measures can help reduce the damage from ...

We have all been the new person at some point or another—the new person on the block, the freshman at the big university, a manager in a new office. In such hard-to-navigate situations, training and communications are integral parts of the on-boarding process. When both employee and employer are informed about one another’s needs, personalities, an...

Fund groups face disruptive developments, as advances in financial technology, often called fintech, continue at an ever more rapid pace. Even as new efficiencies and opportunities blossom, regulators have pushed financial firms to recognize the dangers of technological failures. To prepare for the changes ushered in by fintech, it is important for...

Ask a wealth management colleague to define “the cloud” and you are likely to get a vague response. Even among information technology experts, the term “cloud” may refer to different technologies that are only connected in a general sense. And despite the fact that cloud computing has quickly become the IT norm, the question...

For all the risks that tend to step up as you age, there are also far more opportunities to live life the way you want to, and probably longer and in reasonable health. What will help smooth the transition through the stages of aging will be a proactive approach to managing potential roadblocks on the way. As you begin this journey, the more aware ...

Financial reports and other real-time operational data are often lagging indicators of performance. These metrics, although perhaps lacking precision, may have been sufficiently effective in the past; however, they are less so now because they lag the current cadence of information dissemination and business volatility today. The challenge for many...

The future. It’s the topic on the mind of most business leaders—what’s going to happen in the future? And importantly, how do you ensure you’re prepared for it? Today, as technological advances impact the scale, scope, and utility of data and information, a new ecosystem of information and trust is taking shape around us. Bu...

You’ve made the right moves in your operating business—you’ve developed and executed your IT plan and upgraded your ERP, EAM, and CRM systems to improve efficiencies and gain new insights. You're starting to see results, but these new systems are generating vast amounts of data you aren't always sure what to make of. To de...

Industry 4.0—synonymous with smart technologies—is driving efficiencies and increasing productivity. Data, and the physical-digital integration of humans, processes, systems, and machines, are key components of this transformation. The global ramifications of Industry 4.0 are still under debate, but one thing is certain: Change is comin...

Companies have been employing digital technology for years, but they are only now committing themselves to pursuing durable digital transformations. The shift signals a changed outlook from recent years, when digitization efforts tended to be more tactical than strategic. Companies invested in technological upgrades, remaking individual functions s...

Flying privately has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons, including convenience, security, and lifestyle, but there are several considerations in determining what usage and ownership structure is right for you. Like making a real estate investment, owning or leasing a plane poses many financial, tax, and regulatory issues, as well ...