Weekly Market Insights 03.10.25
A World Turned Upside Down Financial Markets U.S. financial markets declined last week, reversing gains for the S&P 500 since the beginning of the year. With two consecutive years of 20%+ returns, investor enthusiasm is subject to corrections. As we and many others have reiterated, markets dislike uncertainty, and at present, uncertainty reigns supreme. While…
Read MoreRevocable Trusts
A revocable trust is a legal arrangement whereby you, as the grantor, transfer ownership of assets to a trustee while still retaining control over those assets. As grantor, you retain the right to change the terms of the trust or revoke it entirely at any time during your lifetime. A revocable trust is often used…
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights 02.18.25
A Confusing Market Rally Financial Markets Equity markets rallied to near record levels last week, continuing a strong upward trend despite economic reports that could have given investors reason to hesitate. This rally isn’t surprising given the broader market momentum. However, what stood out this time was the resilience of equities in light of data…
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights 02.10.25
Confusion Financial Markets All the major equity market indices lost ground last week. Two driving factors were economic releases and tariffs. On Friday, we received another strong employment report, giving Federal Reserve officials more reason to hold off on further rate cuts. Regarding the second factor, the President announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada…
Read MoreAdvance Health Care Directives: Living Wills and Health Care Proxies
Advance Health Care Directives are legal documents that describe the extent of medical treatment you want to receive should you become unconscious or too ill to communicate. The name “Advance Directives” refers to the fact that you are setting out instructions in advance of a time when you might need someone to carry out your…
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights 02.03.25
A Good January for Investors Financial Markets Although it had the potential to end badly, most financial markets around the globe finished with gains for the first month of 2025. It was certainly an eventful final stretch, with DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough and the news of higher-than-expected tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico—an interesting mix of…
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights 01.27.25
Into the Unknown! Financial Markets In a remarkable atmosphere of relief, investors greeted equity markets with surprising enthusiasm, pushing the S&P 500 to new record highs. Last week’s economic releases were fine, and corporate earnings reports have been solid. Perhaps the most encouraging news for markets was the benign tariff commentary from the White House…
Read MoreThe Importance of Having a Durable Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to choose someone to act on your behalf as to legal and financial matters in the event you are unavailable or are incapable of doing so yourself. In this article, we explore the significance of a durable power of attorney by addressing key…
Read MoreBasic Estate Planning Documents Everyone Should Have
When working with a trusts and estates lawyer to create a new estate plan, a client should end up with the following documents: Durable Power of Attorney Health Care Proxy (also known as a Health Care Power of Attorney) Living Will Will Revocable Trust (in some cases) In this introductory article, we will provide a…
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights 01.13.25
A Change of Mood Financial Markets United States equity markets had a difficult week, driven by stronger-than-expected economic data. Interestingly, under different circumstances, markets may have rallied. However, in the current state of the world, financial markets are dominated by inflation concerns and Federal Reserve decisions. Market participants analyze every new piece of information through…
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