I’m encouraged by a conversation topic that seems to be coming up more and more regarding philanthropy, trust-based philanthropy. It’s not a new topic, but one that has and will take time to become the norm. As with most changes, it is understood and adopted at varying rates and levels of engagement. For the sake […]

Increasingly popular methods to raise employee participation in defined contribution retirement plans are various “automatic” features. These include auto-enrollment, auto-escalation, and automatically diversified qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs). Let’s explore the opportunities auto-enrollment, in particular, affords plan sponsors. There are three forms of auto-enrollment, or automatic contribution arrangements (ACAs). Basic Auto Enrollment (ACA) Participants are […]

For much of 2021, there was plenty of angst expressed in the news with regard to the potential reduction of an individual’s federal unified gift and estate tax exemption amount. That exemption, $11.7 million per individual in 2021, was regularly threatened by several bills filed in Congress to reduce the exemption to a much lower […]

We believe meaningful recognition should be appropriate and deserved. It should be acknowledgement for a job well done. At the end of the year, we announced the following 20 promotions. These were teammates from throughout the organization who successfully executed customized purposeful growth plans with their coaches. Promotions are always based on merit at Greenleaf […]

With the end of 2021 around the corner, many individuals who work at both publicly traded and private companies may find themselves in a position where their employers have given them opportunity to receive equity compensation as part of their benefits package. There are two basic types of equity compensation – options and grants. Under […]

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed by the House of Representatives on November 5 and signed into Law by President Biden on November 15, 2021. It’s approximately 2700 pages long and includes $1.2 trillion of spending into broad infrastructure improvements. The bill has bipartisan support. In fact, it passed the Senate by a […]

As fall gives way to winter, families across the nation turn their attention to holiday festivities, football, and the coming of a new year. Similarly, financial advisors and tax experts at Greenleaf Trust spend this time preparing for year-end capital gains distributions. While this annual tradition may largely go unnoticed by those outside of the […]

I thought navigating 2021 would be a lot easier when we started. After all, what could be more difficult than 2020? I was wrong. Although we will have had our most successful year in the history of our company, it seemed like the rules and guidelines were always changing. Are we still in the pandemic, […]

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Background Cash has always been king when purchasing a home, especially in today’s hot housing market. Being able to purchase a home with cash can give you a significant advantage over the other potential buyers. The ability to purchase a home in cash is not feasible for many people without having to draw from their […]

While the 2017 Tax Act effectively doubled the federal transfer tax exemption per person, it also provided that the lower transfer tax exemption would automatically drop beginning in 2026. That scheduled sunset of the higher federal transfer tax exemption has produced among many wealthy individuals a “use-it-or-lose-it” mindset when it comes to estate planning these […]

Much has been written this year about potential changes to tax law in 2021 and many across the country are trying to divine just what exactly Congress will accomplish before December 31, 2021. I will not use this space to add another voice attempting to make that prediction because the real answer is: none of […]

Halloween is just behind us and it’s scarier than ever out there. Consider these fear factors: The damage caused by cybercrime reached $4.2 billion in 2020. (IC3,2020) The average cost of a data breach on remote work is about $137,000 per attack. (IBM,2020) In 2020, malware increased by 358% overall and ransomware increased by 435% […]

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Business owners and highly-compensated executives often want to know how they can get more money into their company-sponsored retirement plan. It is common for plans to be designed to assist the high earners of companies with achieving their ultimate goal of ensuring they have a large nest egg of qualified tax dollars at their retirement. […]

“Anything is possible,” were the iconic words spoken by former Boston Celtic, Kevin Garnett, upon clinching Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. At Greenleaf Trust, we would love to be able to peer into a crystal ball and tell you exactly how things will turn out, but we simply […]

If you’re like most people, you give to charity because you want to make an impact on the world or support a cause you care about. But how much and when you give is typically a financial decision. Tax incentives may help you to give more than you could otherwise and provide even more resources […]

It’s highly likely that by the time you’re reading this, the US Congress will have spent the final week of September 2021 debating two momentous spending bills: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a budget reconciliation bill (what is being called the “Build Back Better Act”), not to mention a $1.6 trillion continuing resolution to […]

Greenleaf Trust is taking great strides to examine diversity, equity, and inclusion — both within the organization itself and the communities we serve. We are always looking for ways to give back, change our actions to be better and more inclusive and to provide opportunities for our team members to uphold the same expectations. We […]

Several articles within Perspectives have been written about Roth planning techniques. Taking advantage of Roth contribution strategies remains a good financial planning strategy as individuals consider higher income taxes that they may face in their retirement years. As a result, more attention than ever is being given to Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k)s, Roth conversions, as […]

The basic federal estate tax exclusion amount (often referred to as the estate exemption) is the amount a person can pass to their heirs tax-free through lifetime gifting or at death. Currently, the exclusion is $11.7 million per person, which means a married couple can pass a combined $23.4 million to their heirs without any […]

One of the fundamental duties of a trustee is to keep beneficiaries reasonably informed with regard to the trust’s existence and administration. That could be soon changing in Michigan. The Michigan Trust Code imposes broad disclosure requirements on a trustee. Specifically, the Michigan Trust Code provides that a trustee must keep a qualified trust beneficiary […]

Recently updating our estate plan made me think about the actual implementation of the plan. After all, successful plans require attention and thoughtful execution. Do we want to burden our boys with it? If so, should we? Our plan isn’t complicated, but will they actually know what to do? How long will it take? How […]

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The IRS requires that retirement plan sponsors file a Form 5500 by the end of the seventh month following the close of the previous plan year. Thus, if a plan is operating on a calendar year, the form would be due on July 31. However, in 2021, July 31 is a Saturday; when that date […]

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What a year this has been! Life can be challenging enough without adding a pandemic to the mix. The sense of relief as life begins to return to ‘normal’ feels so good after such a long, unexpected time. Not only is this a good time to reflect on all we have to be grateful for, […]

Offering a high-quality qualified retirement plan, especially in a tight labor market, helps attract and retain talent. Along with offering employees a retirement benefit, employers hold an important fiduciary role to keep the plan in good order through plan administration and following regulatory compliance. Ignoring fiduciary responsibilities may lead to penalties from the Internal Revenue […]

Often in real estate we hear the mantra: location, location, location. The repeated statement suggests value varies based on the location in which the real estate resides. A similar phenomenon occurs in investing and is referred to as Asset Location. The placement or location of your investments can ultimately provide tax-efficiency and enhanced after-tax returns […]

Parents often treat their children the same when it comes to distributions of their estate in order to avoid conflict or claims of undue influence. While well intentioned, sometimes parents overlook the fact that distributing their estate equally among their children can still cause their children to feel that they were treated neither equally nor […]

As of June 22, 2021, the state of Michigan has been opened to full capacity! In addition, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) have also recently rescinded their COVID-19 Emergency Rules. As a result, Greenleaf Trust will be moving to Phase II of […]

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There are few thrills in life that can compare with turning 16 and getting your driver’s license. It’s often the first true sense of independence and freedom that many experience. For me, cruising down the road, windows rolled down, parentless, in a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am was truly unforgettable. Before I could even figure out […]

Americans saw a number of changes to their retirement savings plans when the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, or the SECURE Act, was passed two years ago. Get ready for more. The House Ways and Means Committee recently voted unanimously to advance a second bill, the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of […]

With interest rates so low, intra-family loans (also referred to as family loans), using current low interest rates, have garnered significant interest for the purpose of wealth transfer to complement a holistic estate plan. While the majority of the conversation in recent years has focused on wealth transfer as the purpose of a family loan, […]

Optimism abounds as we approach the summer months, with a return to pre-pandemic life appearing closer than ever. Economic optimism has also returned as businesses have reopened their doors and individuals have reentered the labor force. Consumer confidence is near all-time highs with the US personal saving rate remaining well above pre-pandemic levels. Not long […]

It seemed appropriate that on my drive into the office this morning I heard the song “Human Touch” by Bruce Springsteen. The song’s lyrics took on a broader meaning for me as I reflected on the last 14 months. During that time, Greenleaf Trust team members have been working remotely. That has meant long hours […]