Advisors

jayk7 | Moment | Getty Images This has been the year of unpredictability. The pandemic, including self-quarantining for months, is top of mind for people around the globe. The many other surprises this year include the fastest bear market in history, civil unrest, quite a unique U.S. presidential election, the speedy creation of a coronavirus

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty Images This year, doing good for the planet can also help you trim your tax bill. That’s because a basket of provisions in the tax code reward individuals and businesses for taking steps toward energy efficiency. Whether you added a few solar panels to your roof, bought a hybrid

Climate change and low-carbon solutions are impacting investors’ portfolios. Mitch Diamond | Getty Images For some advisors, embracing environmental, social, and good governance principles means more than just investing sustainably; it also means expressing their values through their practices’ corporate structures and activities. For example, BSW Wealth Partners in Boulder, Colorado, recently converted to a

Nitat Termmee | Moment | Getty Images At the end of every year, there’s an opportunity to make smart financial moves to reduce taxes, increase net investment income and decrease portfolio risk. Some of these financial moves are especially timely. They’re enabled by federal legislation and temporary changes in tax rules aimed at easing pandemic-related

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell prepares for a House Financial Services Committee hearing on “Oversight of the Treasury Department’s and Federal Reserve’s Pandemic Response” in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 2, 2020. Jim Lo Scalzo | Reuters The Federal Reserve has made a move that cements its nod to the

Investors are increasingly interested in companies that are environmentally and socially conscious, and the world’s largest asset manager is no exception. In an annual letter to CEOs earlier this year, BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink said “climate change has become a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects … But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe

Courtney Keating | E+ | Getty Images Talk to anyone who’s gone through divorce and they’d likely say the experience was no walk in the park. Yet the notion may be weighing on more spouses during the pandemic, some research shows. For instance, based on Loanry.com’s internal data, there’s been a 62% increase in loan

Whether workers get a windfall from Uncle Sam or wind up owing taxes mostly comes down to filling out one form correctly – and few people are doing it. In fact, 45% of the people polled by the American Institute of CPAs said they don’t know when they last reviewed the amount of tax withheld

Getty Images We’ve officially reached the last month of 2020. For many investors, that may prompt a sigh of relief. But financial advisors say this is a great time to step back and assess which year-end financial moves you need to make now and revisit your money strategy to set yourself up for a prosperous

Demonstrators in Chicago protest President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the Paris climate change accord on June 2, 2017. Scott Olson | Getty Images News | Getty Images As the Federal Reserve recently called out climate change as a stability risk, the investing world is recognizing the potential rewards of addressing the challenge. “There’s an

Vasily Pindyurin | fStop | Getty Images Cyber criminals steal billions of dollars a year from financial firms. Financial advisors – and their clients – are at risk as attacks increase and grow more complex, according to security experts. “Advisors have one thing the bad actors want, and that’s money,” said Brian Edelman, chief executive

SDI Productions | E+ | Getty Images This year, the IRS is willing to let you write off all your adjusted gross income if you give it to charity in the form of cash. But just because you’re allowed to do it doesn’t mean it’s a good call. When the CARES Act went into effect

Tony Hsieh, former CEO of Zappos.com Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, who died last week from injuries sustained in a house fire, did not leave behind a will, according to published reports. Hsieh, who retired in August from the shoe and clothing online retailer, succumbed to complications from smoke

Joel Angel Juarez/Bloomberg via Getty Images Amid the season of giving — not to mention an ongoing pandemic — donating to charitable causes may be on your mind. While the need for assistance is tremendous, experts say, it’s important to be sure your money goes to legitimate organizations that will use your donation as you

PeopleImages | E+ | Getty Images Back in March, a couple who had recently sold their business called me to express concerns about their decision to sell and retire. With Covid-19 raging, the stock market quickly dropped in value and their retirement savings were in decline. They asked a straightforward question: Did they need to

PixelsEffect | E+ | Getty Images In between the small gatherings of close family this holiday season, there may be more quiet moments and time for reflection than usual. For financial advisors, this can be a time to pause and think about the lessons we have learned in 2020. As I started to think about

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) speaks as bipartisan members of the Senate and House gather to announce a framework for fresh coronavirus relief legislation at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Dec. 1, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., quashed a new Covid-19 rescue bill hours after it was proposed

If you’re cashing in some of your Bitcoin this year, the IRS wants to know about it. On Monday, the cryptocurrency’s value hit new heights, surging beyond $19,800 for a unit of Bitcoin. The asset’s appreciation has skyrocketed this year, rising by 160% in 2020. Understand that if you want to take a few of

TommL | E+ | Getty Images With sustainable investing, you cannot only use your money to make the world a better place, you can also use your money’s voice. Such is the job of shareholder advocacy, a primary strategy under the umbrella of sustainable/socially responsible investing. A small, but dedicated number of financial advisors, along

VioletaStoimenova | E+ | Getty Images Occasionally, a financial advisor grabs national attention by swindling clients out of millions, evading arrest via a bizarre escape plan or, sometimes, both. Luckily, there are ways investors can guard against high-profile cons or more under-the-radar criminality, according to financial experts. “These guys are very convincing in a very