During the years 1815-1914, when Britain, through the Royal Navy, was the de facto world’s policeman, some leaders of smaller countries would see how far they could provoke Britain, without precipitating serious consequences. In other words, “twisting the lion’s tail.” Currently, we have the Philippines recently elected President, Rodrigo Duterte, threatening to distance his country … Continued
Corporate tax rates, both in the U.S., and abroad, have gained increasing visibility following the EU assessment of a $15 billion penalty relating to Apple and Ireland’s tax strategy, and the ongoing U.S. election rhetoric. Incentives get less publicity and are generally promoted as a jobs policy or the pursuit of some other social good, … Continued
My colleague, Walter Kirchberger, does a lot of world travel and recently brought back with him not a tee shirt or other souvenir, but an article he had read on the ship titled, “The millionaires next door.” It was an Associated Press piece by Liz Weston. Many years ago, a book was written of the … Continued
The technical details behind corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards are complicated and controversial. At an automotive conference held in Traverse City, MI, public sparring between regulators and industry representatives suggest that the path to the current goal of 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2025, is going to be bumpy. Predictably, the auto industry … Continued
Many clients ask about the taxability of inherited assets. Generally, funds or assets you inherit are not taxable; if estate taxes (sometimes referred to as death taxes) are due they are paid by the estate prior to distribution to beneficiaries. A few states (not Michigan) have an inheritance tax. The rules regarding how to treat … Continued
Taxes are always a controversial topic with widely divergent opinions as to who should pay, how much, and on what basis. An old saying “Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax the fellow behind the tree,” may be more appropriate than ever, as politicians increasingly seek to obscure the full amount they are collecting and … Continued
As investment professionals, we tend to take a lot of “investment content” for granted and, like many professions, assume that the general public has the same awareness on wealth planning concepts that we do. Our recent college intern, Daria Lenderman (Northwestern University), shared her observations following her very successful session at Sigma Investment Counselors this … Continued
Investors should be cautious in reacting to “consensus” opinions and investment strategies. For example, running up to, and immediately after, Apple’s new iPhone announcement, analysts, both financial and technical, were somewhat less than enthusiastic about the phone’s prospects. Comments included, not enough new stuff, taking out the headphone jack is a mistake, etc. As a … Continued
Most individuals recognize the need for some regulations. However, the key question is, at what point do regulations stop providing a path to an orderly arrangement for community cooperation and become the sand that brings the machinery to a halt? In order to be truly useful, regulations are likely to be the most beneficial when … Continued
The Census Bureau recently reported that 62.9% of households owned a home in the second quarter. That is the lowest level in 51 years, equaling the home ownership rate in 1965, when the census began tracking the data. Home ownership peaked in 2004 at 69.2%, amid the late and unlamented housing bubble. Is the reduction in … Continued
It is not exactly a secret that the Fed would like to increase interest rates but isn’t actually doing it. The problem may be that there does not appear to be any compelling reason to raise rates at this time and at least two good reasons not to. The Fed’s mandate is to maximize employment, … Continued
For many people, money is a very quantitative subject. How much do you have, how much do you need, how long might your money last, etc.? Labels around money also evoke a similar image – a hundred grand, a millionaire, billion dollar deficits, etc. But, for a large swath of the population, money is a … Continued
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