“Conventional estate planning focuses most of the attention on assets rather than family. Structures and strategies emphasize tax savings over family needs. The planning perspective needs more focus on protecting the family as opposed to protecting assets or preserving wealth.” -George Bearup, Senior Trust Advisor at Greenleaf Trust The philosophy of protecting the family while […]

April was Financial Literacy Month. Financial Literacy Month is a nationally recognized month created with a goal of improving financial literacy in America. As a financial organization with a holistic approach to wealth management, we want to ensure that financial wellness is at the forefront of all our client’s minds, from our family office and […]

One of the frequently mentioned benefits of a trust is to protect the trust’s assets from a beneficiary’s creditor claims. While many trust beneficiaries do not have creditor problems, many of those same trust beneficiaries are married, and nationwide statistics show that about 50% of marriages end in divorce. One question that frequently arises is […]

Purposeful Growth is an integral component of our long-term strategic plan. Our growth is purposeful because it must involve continuously improving our service and capabilities to existing clients while seeking opportunities to serve new clients. Growing just to become bigger is a fool’s game. Over the years, we have found opportunities to purposely grow in […]

Did you know that April is financial literacy month? You may be asking yourself, what exactly is “financial literacy”? Financial literacy is often defined as “the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing.” You may be wondering how financial literacy is related to retirement planning. Simply, […]

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 […]