Articles, insights and analysis.

“Opening the economy” is the phrase that seems to be taking up much of the oxygen lately, so let’s spend some time digging into exactly what that phrase means and how we might observe progress in the future growth of our economy. In essence, we want to put some data and facts into the equation […]

While certainly taking a backseat to the COVID-19 pandemic, oil markets have garnered their share of attention of late. Excess supply and lack of demand have driven prices down more than 60% year-to-date, at one point even turning negative. Recent volatility has caused many to ask about the level of energy exposure in their investment […]

A durable power of attorney is an important part of any estate plan. With a durable power of attorney, an attorney-in-fact (agent) can manage an individual’s (principal) financial affairs without the need for a probate court appointed conservator when the principal is either unable, or incapable, of making decisions. While a durable power of attorney […]

Financial wellness, and the need for employee financial wellness programs, has increasingly gained attention in the past decade. Pre-COVID-19, offering a financial wellness program to employees was considered a value-added benefit, but the coronavirus pandemic suggests it is now an urgent necessity with a major emphasis on emergency savings. Simply put, financial wellness is the […]

Given the current state of our environment, many estate plans have been accelerated, which could include creating and transferring assets into an irrevocable trust to benefit family members. For several reasons, grantors may worry about beneficiaries becoming aware of a trust. Delaware may be a venue to alleviate grantors’ fears. Traditionally, when someone is interested […]

After reaching a high on February 19, COVID-19 and the decline in oil prices drove selling pressure on the Standard & Poor’s 500, leading to a 34% decline by March 23. Actions taken by the Federal Reserve Board and spending programs by the federal government have helped this equity market index climb by almost 36% […]

Dear Clients and Friends of Greenleaf Trust, Each month we send our newsletter titled “Perspectives” to our clients and friends of Greenleaf Trust. Almost always, the content is about the economy, financial markets, wealth management retirement and financial planning. Today it is important that we talk honestly about a national crisis that has plagued our […]

Thirteen West Michigan companies were announced as elite winners at the annual “West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” digital awards celebration held earlier this month. Elite winners represent the best practices in human resources programs. The winners are selected based on their overall high scores and are then named an Elite winner […]

As business owners and employers work to achieve full forgiveness of their PPP loans, Retirement Plan Division Director Chris Middleton is working with many to deploy federal funding into retirement contributions for full loan forgiveness. An excerpt from the article is below. Read the full article in MiBiz. Frontloading benefits One potential way for a […]