Should investors fear the 3 Ds given the volatility of the equity markets and decline in interest rates over the last six months? This month Allen Trust Company’s Chief Investment Officer, Julie Bryan, considers the shorter-term and longer-term implications.
Read MoreAs we watch the rain and snow fall in the doldrums of winter, our thoughts often turn to sunnier days and second homes by the sea or the mountains. This month Allen Trust Company’s Director of Financial Planning, Allison Grebe Lee, suggests topics to consider when dreaming of buying a vacation home.
Read MoreMuch of the uptick in volatility experienced in early 2018 continued into the end of the year and remains a factor in early 2019. Our Portfolio Manager Julio Quinteros addresses the increase in volatility as the market shifts away from a synchronized global growth view to one that is now navigating a variety of global risk factors.
Read MoreThe Yield Curve, The U.S. Budget Deficit, Market Volatility and Asset Valuations, and Differentiation: Year-End 2018 provided significant insights into the implications and opportunities for financial assets in 2019. Our Senior Portfolio Manager Julie Bryan addresses the question: Is the Economic Cycle Turning Downward?
Read More2018 has been a year of transition. Federal Reserve "policy normalization", geopolitics, and the outlook for corporate profit growth are acting in concert to generate disconcerting volatility in the financial markets. This month Allen Trust Company’s Senior Portfolio Manager Julie Bryan discusses our views on the financial markets for 2019.
Read MoreThe Holidays are upon us, which means tax season is right around the corner. This month, Allen Trust Company's Tax Specialist, Stephen Paul, prepares us for both of his favorite seasons.
Read MoreDespite a more tenuous global backdrop, the prospects for the U.S. economy remain positive and supports the case for higher interest rates. A higher interest rate backdrop will likely result in further market volatility as stock valuation expectations adjust to interest rate moves. This month, Julio Quinteros discusses a rising interest rate environment as a significant variable that limits market returns, and could spill into other areas of the U.S. economy.
Read MorePrivate investors in the United States hold an estimated $6.1 trillion in unrealized capital gains. But why? Taxes, of course! This month, Allen Trust Company’s Tax Specialist, Stephen Paul, discusses the options available to owners of low basis stock and other highly appreciated assets.
Read MoreWhile the current global economic expansion is estimated to reach 3.9% for 2018 and 2019, the medium-term risks are moving to the forefront. This month Allen Trust Company’s Senior Portfolio Manager, Julie Bryan discusses the implications of global divergences.
Read MoreDespite a noisy backdrop, at the midway point in 2018, U.S. equity indices are leading their global counterparts. This month Allen Trust Company’s Portfolio Manager, Julio C. Quinteros, Jr. discusses the recent divergence in performance between U.S. and international markets, with a focus on year-to-date weakness in emerging equity markets.
Read MoreThe 2018 Social Security Trustees Annual Report was recently released and the news media outlets have been in overdrive reporting on the findings. This month Allen Trust Company’s Financial Planner, Allison Grebe Lee, discusses the recently released Social Security Trustees Annual Report and answers a few questions about what it all means.
Read MoreNotwithstanding the potential economic risks, both U.S. and global manufacturing output have remained in a solid long-run growth trend, and U.S. inflation has remained modest.
This month Allen Trust Company’s Senior Portfolio Manager, Julie Bryan, CFA, discusses U.S. economic trends and views on asset allocation.
Read MoreThe new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has created several new challenges and opportunities. This month Allen Trust Company’s Tax Specialist, Stephen Paul, CPA, discusses the Act and some of the implications for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), charitable donations, and Roth IRA conversions.
Read MoreThrough the first half of March it is now clear that increased volatility in financial markets is a constant to take into account and balance as part of our investment considerations. While we acknowledge that risk factors are higher, volatility on its own does not give us pause. We remain focused on long-term investment opportunities. This month, Julio Quinteros discusses the rise in volatility and resulting ebb and flow of markets. Despite higher volatility, we remain grounded in our investment approach.
Read More2018 has begun with increasing volatility in the financial markets. Global economic growth has increased at the same time that upside interest rate risk is rumbling. This creates both opportunities and increasing risks around the world. While volatility in the financial markets was subdued in 2017, 2018 has begun with a bang. This month, Julie Bryan discusses some of the levers that may drive continued volatility in the equity and fixed income markets going forward.
Read MoreJoin Allison Grebe Lee as she dips into the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Highlighted topics include the new estate tax exclusion, gift tax exclusion, charitable donations, and 529 plan changes. In addition, an expansion to the Allen Trust Company/Allen Capital Management tax team is announced in this month’s issue.
Read MoreBitcoin and cryptocurrencies have entrenched themselves as front and center topics that are reaching an ever broader audience as new highs in cryptocurrency values are breached. Although crypto assets receive headline attention, we see the underlying blockchain technology as the more important driver for long-term investments in tech.
This month, Julio Quinteros discusses the rapid ascent of crypto assets and blockchain. His focus is on the long-term impact that blockchain could have on Tech investments.
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