Got PFIC’s in your overseas portfolio? This one is for you. In this post, I’ll discuss the passive foreign investment company (PFIC). I’ll address the origin (briefly), the taxation, and how you can tell if there is a PFIC lurking in your overseas accounts or not. I’ll conclude with how to think about them if […]
I recently attended the Basis Northwest Conference in Seattle, which centered around tax-aware investments and how the landscape is changing. About 30 years ago, ETFs were the hot new thing. But as wealth continues growing and incomes rise, they’re not enough to meet the demands of high-net-worth investors. More often, clients are coming to me […]
IPOs and the excitement surrounding them tend to bring out investors’ emotional biases. Fear of missing out on big potential gains, excitement over the “hot stock” everyone’s talking about, or the optimistic belief that a company’s recent growth means more is coming—these can all influence an investor’s decision-making process. When a well-known company finally goes […]
As a small business owner, you always have a million things on your mind. A financial advisor who specializes in serving business owners can help you navigate the many complex choices you face. No matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey, it makes sense to surround yourself with professionals who are experts in what […]
The patterns in ultra-high-net-worth portfolios are more consistent than most people expect, and recent research puts real data behind what we already see in practice. CEG Insights surveyed 350 ultra-high-net-worth investors, defined as those with a net worth of $25 million or more (not including a primary residence), covering their assets, risk tolerance, investment attitudes, and behaviors. […]
It’s the 15th of the month, and a Gen Z woman’s semi-monthly pay lands. Let’s call her Emily. Before you can spell out “personal finance,” Emily’s banking app automatically moves 10% of her net pay into a high-yield savings account at her online bank, and Coinbase withdraws her $50 semi-monthly automatic investment and buys Bitcoin […]
Alternative investments (or “alts,” as they are often called) have been a staple in portfolios held by pension funds, large foundations, endowments, and other institutional investors for decades. In recent years, a growing number of high-net-worth individuals have explored alts. Unfortunately, these investments are sometimes promoted without adequate explanations of the risks they entail. In […]
If you’re looking for ways to diversify beyond traditional markets, one area worth exploring is investing in private markets—an option available to high earners with significant investable assets. Growth equity and venture capital, in particular, can be great ways to bolster returns in your portfolio. However, due to the risk and hold periods typically associated […]
For many, investing feels like a journey through a dense forest of regulations filled with a bewildering array of terminology, forms, and procedures. At the heart of this complex wilderness lies the “Form ADV.” On the surface, it might appear that “ADV” is just another cryptic acronym amidst the financial jargon. However, diving deeper reveals […]