Economists have largely shelved their recession forecasts, which last year registered 50% odds of a downturn in 2024. The outlook for corporate earnings growth is rosy. Predictions for inflation remain marginally concerning, but overall, the outlook for the coming year is positive.

Continuous improvement is one of Greenleaf Trust’s core values – it is a pillar of our culture and has become part of our DNA. Every tangible improvement we have made on behalf of our clients stems from a disciplined review of our practices.

Offering employees a solid retirement plan can be a vital component of a larger benefit package to entice people to join your company team and stay.

Our new goal is focused on what we are passionate about and built with a deep understanding of our core competency.

Campaign proposals are one thing, but actual policy implementation can be quite another. It’s easy to draw oversimplified conclusions based on assumptions that only account for the first order impacts of policy decisions.

A Power of Attorney under MCL 700.5103 is an effective legal tool for parents needing to temporarily delegate their decision-making authority.

Year-end financial planning is about setting the stage for a prosperous new year.

The Internal Revenue Service recently announced contribution and benefit limits for qualified retirement plans effective January 1, 2025.

Interpretation problems can arise when the trust instrument refers to distributions of a trust’s income or assets to a person who is related to and survives the named beneficiary as his or her descendant.

In 2015, we constructed our long-term strategic goal to be Top of Mind in the Michigan markets where we serve. Now we’re looking ahead to the next 10 years.

With policy actions at the Fed shifting from tightening to loosening monetary policy, we thought now would be an ideal time to add historical context to the current anticipated rate cutting cycle.

A trustee is obligated to adhere to the instructions outlined in the trust instrument while simultaneously complying with the regulations set forth in the MTC to fulfill the objectives defined within the trust instrument.

Building a portfolio that incorporates passive investment vehicles requires active fiduciary care and diligence; it is neither unmanaged nor unmonitored.

The idea of terminating DB plans is not new, as more than $300 billion in pension plan liabilities have been transferred to insurance companies since 2012. However, this decision requires careful consideration of the current interest rate environment, plan funding status, and broader economic factors.

Once again, we had a busy and successful summer at Greenleaf Trust. As I reflect on summer, here are some of my highlights.

If I had to describe the third quarter of 2024 in one word, it would be “pivotal.” Not because the last three months were critically significant, but because I observed a lot of pivoting. Labor market? Pivoted. The Fed’s focus? Pivoted. Monetary Policy? Pivoted. Even the Democratic National Committee? You guessed it… pivoted.

For individuals and families who have accumulated significant wealth that may be subject to an estate tax at their passing, the decision on how and when to pass on the wealth may be difficult.

The most recent changes to qualified retirement plans were the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Acts, SECURE, for short.

As evidenced by recent disclosures by LinkedIn, Target, and Equifax, the frequency of data breaches has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2023 alone, data compromises surged by 78% compared to 2022, increasing from 1,801 to 3,205 reported incidents.