With proper estate planning, the big-ticket items like real estate, valuable artwork, and heirloom jewelry are often addressed directly in the estate planning documents. Some of the most argued-about items during the estate settlement process are often not over money or items of monetary value. The disagreements often stem from claims to personal property or […]

The financial markets provided strong returns in 2020, despite the staggering human and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The strong returns and the resulting increase in endowment values have been beneficial to many nonprofits, which continue to see a heightened demand for their essential support services. As the disease has come under greater control, […]

After a miserable February in Michigan, I felt like all of us at Greenleaf Trust needed some acknowledgement of where we have been and some encouragement regarding the way forward. Below is an excerpt from what I wrote to our team and I am sharing it here with the idea that we can all benefit […]

Evidenced by the spring break crowds as well as daily airline passenger totals, it is clear people are experiencing real COVID-19 fatigue and are increasing their appetite for risk. Further evidence is the infection rate among younger individuals that helps to explain increased case rates and hospitalizations. Fortunately, duration of stays in hospitals have been […]

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A lot of speculation has swirled around what COVID-19 would do to retirement plan balances. The speculation was driven in part by the frequent and broad sweeping changes that were made to retirement plan regulations in an effort to help participants and employers stay afloat in 2020. While the pandemic has taken a toll on […]

The concept of retirement is in the midst of an incredible transformation. The notion that retirement is a time to end one’s career and pursue a life of leisure is becoming increasingly anachronistic. As United States life expectancies have increased — from 55 in 1920, to 70 in 1960, to 79 today — the length […]

The past several months have provided a series of tragic stories of family members being denied access to a loved one who was shuttered in a nursing home or hospital due to the pandemic’s quarantine. The denial of access to a loved one who is alone and isolated causes everyone to suffer. Yet the denial […]

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Participant Communication Advances with Use of Modern Technology During a time when retirement plan participants are increasingly relying on online resources to access account information, a new rule from the Department of Labor (DOL) that greatly expands plan sponsors ability to deliver plan information by email or text couldn’t come at a better time. While […]

Financial Resolutions for 2021 In preparation for the start of the year, many engaged in the annual ritual of making New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, approximately 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will have abandoned them by the second week of February. With January already in the books, your eagerness to follow through on […]

It seems these days that there are a number of battles being waged out in the world. And, in our information society news travels fast and from many different directions. Fast and prolific enough that it can oftentimes be confusing. When my 13-year-old neighbor asked me about buying a stock he learned about from a […]

This time of year retirement plan providers are gearing up to complete the annual Actual Deferral Percentage (ADP) tests for qualified retirement plans. This test in particular can be very impactful to certain plan participants. This is a non-discrimination test for 401(k) plans mandated by the IRS to ensure that a plan does not unduly […]

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If the title of this article caught your eye, you likely have spent time, energy and resources establishing a thoughtful estate plan. You have presumably run through a variety of questions and scenarios with your estate planning attorney. You understand the importance of structuring your estate plan appropriately for your family and your financial situation. […]

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the sudden reality-check of our own incapacity and mortality. We all now pause to ask the rhetorical questions: Who possesses the authority to pull the plug if I am in an irreversible coma? Who handles my finances if I am in an extended hospital stay recovering from COVID-19? How […]

2020 has been the year of unprecedented actions and unknowns. The presidential election has followed suit in its unpredictability thus far. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been announced as winners of the 2020 election by the major news networks. As of today, the projected total electoral votes are 306 for Biden-Harris and 232 for […]

We are in the midst of a traditional season of gifting and though it looks different, as do many things in 2020, we are still able to enjoy some of our favorite traditions and perhaps create a few new ones this year, as well. Often overlooked in our gift giving are the benefits and drawbacks […]

The multiplicity of 2020 cataclysms notwithstanding, the year-end remittance of capital gain distributions by mutual funds is both predictable and well prepared for by the financial advisors at Greenleaf Trust. These distributions, which typically begin in late November and continue through mid-December, are nontraditional in the sense that fund investors can realize a tax liability […]

I thought the title to this month’s newsletter article appropriate mostly because we are all thinking it after a challenging 2020. We just finished up our annual strategic planning process which culminates with our Advance and company-wide Strategic Planning meeting. And, we have a lot to look forward to in 2021. Our Advance is an […]

We are quickly approaching the end of 2020, and like most, frantically preparing for a season filled with friends, family, and festivities. This year might have a different twist, but the preparation likely remains the same. Like most Michiganders, it’s that time of year where we confirm our Amazon accounts are set-up for two-day shipping […]

The gift of a remainder interest in a personal residence or a farm to a charity entitles the donor to an immediate charitable income tax deduction which can be used of off-set taxable income, or keep the donor in a marginally lower income tax bracket. The Tax Code regulates the form and type of charitable […]

Late last year, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act made significant improvements in the U.S. retirement system. Along with certain provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in early 2020, we have welcomed many retirement plan legislative changes over the last 12 months. But it’s election time, […]

Consider these statistics from the recently released U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse survey conducted in collaboration with multiple federal agencies. Data was collected between mid-August and mid-October: Nearly 37% of households have at least one adult that has substituted some or all of their typical in-person work for telework because of the coronavirus pandemic. Working […]

Throughout Greenleaf Trust’s history, we have been privileged to serve clients who not only have high standards for financial and investment advice, but that also have strong personal commitments to their values and their communities. Historically, many of our clients did not view their purchasing and investing decisions as a primary means of expressing their […]

President Trump and Vice President Biden have provided some direction on what changes they would like to see in the funding of Social Security, but they have largely avoided any substantive proposals. Regardless of which one is president come November, funding of the social program will need to be addressed. The issues surrounding Social Security, […]

“2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the U.S.,” says Catherine Collinson, president and CEO of the Transamerica Institute and the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. “Since then, women have made great strides in educational achievement and career opportunities. Despite this progress, they continue to be at greater risk than men […]

Given the growing needs of charitable organizations during this global health crisis, 2020 may present compelling planning opportunities to make immediate gifts of cash at a time when they are sorely needed. With the recently-enacted CARES Act, individuals may receive increased income tax benefits while helping charitable organizations. The CARES Act allows individuals who itemize […]

I am happy to provide just a brief introduction to this article from our Executive Director of Development, Perry Wolfe, on investing in our communities. Rather than hear it from me, though, I wanted you to hear how important it is to Greenleaf Trust directly from him as he helps lead one of our community […]

COVID-19 has taken a lot from us; travel, impromptu in-person visits with family and friends and freedom to go to a concert, movie theatre or ball game with nary a thought. It has also made many of us anxious and fearful about today and our future and that of our families. While we are getting […]

It was the summer of 1985, and I had just graduated from high school. My Dad and I were headed to Cedar Point. We hadn’t been in years and this would be our last father daughter outing before I headed off to college. I couldn’t wait! I bragged to my friends that the first thing […]

Parents will often add an adult child’s name to their bank accounts, home, and other assets, believing it will make it easier for the child to help them manage their finances and their property as they grow older. While this “do-it-yourself” approach is fairly common among aging parents, the truth is that adding your child’s […]

Many estate plans make use of a list that identifies items of tangible personal property that are to be allocated among designated beneficiaries on the owner’s death. The list is usually incorporated by reference into a Will or a Trust, such as: I may leave a list that is attached to this Will, and if […]