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We help clients pursue their financial goals, but over time, we often become part of each other’s lives. Those relationships are built on trust, strengthened through shared experiences and remembered long after the portfolio reviews are over.

In the first half of 2026 investors weathered dramatic shifts in the economic and geopolitical landscape.

Estate planning is drafted at a single point in time. Most documents are drafted with as much flexibility as possible, but sometimes facts and circumstances change which may necessitate creative solutions. Some of the most common problems that need solving are discussed below.

Before taking investment advice from a friend at the next cocktail party, it is important to understand the elevated risks involved with IPO investing. If you choose to participate, make sure your investment is sized appropriately within your overall financial plan and that you are not investing more than you can comfortably afford to lose.

At first glance, it may appear that they would not be eligible for retirement benefits either. However, employers too often assume these workers are automatically excluded, which can lead to costly plan corrections and compliance issues.

One difference in trust directors between Michigan’s trust director statute and other states’ laws that authorize a trust director (or trust protector) is that Michigan’s statute is clear that a trust director serves in a fiduciary capacity, which means that the trust director owes duties of care and loyalty to the trust beneficiaries, from which liabilities can attach to the trust director who does not act reasonably and in the trust beneficiaries’ best interests.

Our Retirement Plan Services division provides administrative, fiduciary and investment management solutions for 159 employer sponsored retirement plan clients and over 18,000 plan participants across the country.

As we move into the summer months, our attention will remain focused on three key areas: incoming retail and labor market data, developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the Federal Reserve’s next policy decisions.

Tax planning for many closely held business owners frequently occurs through a series of independent decisions. It typically looks like a conversation with an accountant near year-end, an isolated retirement contribution analysis, a discussion about succession planning that gets deferred until “later,” or an eventual consideration of what a sale might look like.

Whether the decline is sudden, or gradual, diminished capacity can leave a person vulnerable, and this vulnerability is especially significant for business owners.

Economists typically categorize inflation into four types or stages based on speed: creeping, walking, galloping and hyperinflation. If we continue with the use of a mouthwatering sandwich as our example, we can examine each of these stages of inflation in turn.

What this moment calls for, perhaps, is a clearer-eyed understanding on all sides of how much retirement security has quietly been outsourced to employer goodwill, and what happens when that goodwill contracts.

The example lends itself to a central theme of the book that any business can be a hospitality business. We believe this too. We believe in the importance of making clients feel seen and cared for through thoughtful, purposefully personalized service.

At the end of the day, the conflict in Iran has introduced new risks. It will likely weigh on growth and keep inflation somewhat elevated in the near term but the bigger picture hasn’t fundamentally changed.

While there may not be many AI-drafted estate plan cases which have been litigated or published yet, there have been situations where unverified AI drafting has caused issues in the courtroom, including made up case law citations in legal briefs and using outdated laws.

Most investors picture market swings, worrying headlines and the uncomfortable feeling of watching an account balance bounce around. That is not risk. That is noise.

AI has the potential to meaningfully improve efficiency, personalization and participant outcomes in the retirement plan industry. However, its success depends on thoughtful implementation, strong governance and continued human oversight.

For many individuals, decades of financial records, online accounts and personal information now exist across a wide range of websites and services.

Laws continue to change, as do the needs of trust beneficiaries. Yet an irrevocable trust’s words are locked in on the date the trust becomes irrevocable.

Greenleaf Trust is structured to remain privately held into perpetuity. We have the ability to serve from generation to generation and intend to do so. We also may make acquisitions in the future as part of our long-term strategy to Serve Clients More. When and if that happens, we will always put client relationships first.

The U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran have materially altered expectations for 2026. Coming into the year, investors expected a solid combination of decelerating inflation, interest rate cuts, strong corporate earnings growth and low risk of recession. Rapidly rising energy prices have introduced a new layer of complexity for investors to navigate.

Financial Literacy Month is a meaningful reminder that building confidence in your financial future does not have to happen alone. Whether you are just getting started or refining an existing plan, having a trusted partner can make navigating financial decisions clearer and more manageable.

Greenleaf Trust offers multiple tools to enhance clients’ digital experience, one of which is the MyWealth platform. The MyWealth platform plays a role in the management and implementation of your comprehensive wealth management plan, as well as offers a secure way to house your important documents via the “Vault” feature.

As we age, the value of our health and access to good medical care increases significantly each year. It is important to approach healthcare decisions in a thoughtful manner.

As wealthy individuals exhaust their currently available applicable exemption amounts, or they find they have no exemption available if the sunset date for the large transfer tax exemptions occurs on January 1, 2026, more attention should be given to the use of a net, net gift agreement to reduce the effective transfer tax rate for lifetime gifts.

What has allowed us to adapt and thrive through changes as well as create improvements is the intentional preservation over the years of our core values and culture. Our core values of client first focus, integrity and accuracy, continuous improvement, teamwork, a budget focused on the client and inclusive employment practices provide a foundation for all that we do.

The economy and markets still appear to be on solid footing. Trade policy remains in flux, creating a potential headwind as businesses and consumers adjust to the evolving landscape.

As fiduciaries – whether personal or professional – we can help prevent that outcome for families and individuals who have placed their trust in us. The tools exist and the legal framework is largely in place. All we have to do is ask the question: “What digital assets do you have, and does someone know how to find then?”

For families focused on education savings, a 529 savings plan remains the gold standard, offering superior tax benefits, greater contribution flexibility and parental control. For families seeking general savings without restrictions, an UTMA may be appropriate, with the understanding of its limitations.

As a retirement plan provider, our sole goal is to help you save for a retirement you can be proud of, without sacrificing your current wellbeing. We have no interest in coercing you into a contribution rate that you are not comfortable with. We are here to help you every step of the way towards retirement, and are happy to provide the insight necessary to make choices you can feel confident in.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, OB3, made significant changes to charitable giving, and the income tax deductions that often motivate a charitable gift. Those changes impact what to give and how the gift is made.

Succession planning can definitely be one of those things like cleaning the garage, scheduling a dentist’s appointment, taking care of the check engine light on your car or unloading the dishwasher. They are all things you can get to later. You know you should take care of them, and you will; just not now. For a business though, putting off succession planning can be much more disruptive than a dirty garage or full dishwasher.

As we navigate the first quarter of 2026, we encourage investors to maintain discipline. Whether dealing with headlines from Washington or the nuances of trade negotiations, a long-term time horizon remains your most effective asset.

The best estate planning doesn’t end with the signing of the documents, but also includes honest, candid reflection and conversation about why the decisions were made, being realistic about the individuals involved and follow up on all of the details to make sure that everything truly is in order. No one likes to talk about these things – they are hard.

I wonder what financial advice from today will make our children and grandchildren smile and shake their heads 38 years from now. What are we getting wrong? What will seem as outdated as the advice to go 100% bonds at 55? Only time will tell but I hope they find our old articles as fascinating as I found Jack’s.

As this generation of business owners move toward retirement, most of the conversation centers on how they will fund their after-career phase. But the demographic shift also impacts the millions of employees who depend on employer-sponsored retirement plans – especially in the 2.3 million U.S. businesses owned by Baby Boomers.

IRAs now comprise a substantial part of an individual’s net worth, often with balances in the millions of dollars. Individuals are encouraged, both by financial planners and by Congress to open Roth IRAs.

As tax-related scams continue to evolve, awareness and careful verification remain the most effective defenses. Greenleaf Trust encourages clients to reach out to their Client Centric Team before acting on any suspicious tax-related request.

To cultivate means to develop or improve something through care and effort. Our Cultivation initiative is a reference to the symbol of our long-term strategy, a tree. The roots represent our core values, the tree our clients, with the branches representing our team that supports our clients and the leaves the initiatives to Serve Clients More.

The recession anxieties that dominated headlines just two years ago have largely evaporated, replaced by a growing consensus that the elusive “soft landing” may have been successfully navigated. The outlook for corporate earnings remains robust, driven by productivity gains and technology adoption. In what was at times a volatile year, disciplined investors were rewarded.

In an era of rapid financial, legal and family-dynamic changes, one of the most valuable features of any trust is flexibility. While trusts are often created to provide structure, security and long-term direction, the most successful plans intentionally balance that structure with the ability to adapt.

Our annual personal trust and wealth management client satisfaction survey is designed to gauge Greenleaf Trust’s collective efforts from our clients’ perspective. We not only want to know if we are delivering on our promises, but we also crave candid feedback on ways in which we can better serve our clients. Analyzing the results helps us more closely align the voice of our client with our daily impact and better understand how our clients feel about Greenleaf Trust’s personalized service and customized solutions

Retirement marks a significant life milestone, but it is not just about your financial readiness. It really is a multifaceted transition that involves emotional, lifestyle, and practical considerations. Here are a few key areas to think about.

If an asset is given away during lifetime, the gifted asset’s income tax basis is ‘carried over’ to the recipient. If the recipient then sells the asset, he or she will incur a capital gain. That is not the same if the asset is inherited after its owner’s death.