One nice feature of the increasingly popular charitable vehicle called the donor-advised fund (DAF) is the ease with which it can be established and managed. An equally important attraction is the ability to accelerate charitable deductions into the year in which any gifts are made to the DAF, even though donors can defer any actual … Continued
Summer’s quickly come to a close, the kids are back at school, football is on television and Halloween costumes are in the stores. I’ve barely put away our beach bag and the holidays are a few short months away. And with that comes the realization of another year’s passing. This is the time of year … Continued
I can now fully understand from firsthand experience what it means to want the very best for your child. As the mother of a 2½-yearold, I am fortunate in that it is still relatively easy to meet all of my daughter’s needs and to make her happy. While raising children in Silicon Valley — or … Continued
As a high net worth individual with a robust balance sheet, you may find yourself the intended recipient of an inheritance and for the purposes of generosity and tax efficiency, would rather pass on to other family members. This may be especially true if you have an asset base in excess of the Federal estate … Continued
The term “robo-advisor” has been getting so much press lately you’d think we were facing the rise of the machines. Images of an “advisor” who looks and sounds like C3PO from Star Wars asking, “When do you plan to retire? I repeat, when do you plan to retire?” run through my mind. Actually, robo or … Continued
Home ownership has long been appealing to families, not only because it fulfills a “dream” but also because home ownership has favored status in the tax code. As with many personal financial matters, purchasing a home cannot be reduced purely to “bottom-line” calculations. Emotions, particularly the heightening sense of economic security, can come from financially-appropriate … Continued
The Valley has experienced a dramatic shift over the years from using the competitive value proposition of stock options to attract and retain top talent, to offering restricted stock units as an attractive enticement. This trend started to develop as the incentive models of stock options showed diminishing effectiveness; employees began to realize that a … Continued
Who enjoys paying taxes? I think I can say confidently that the answer is no one. As covered in my article “All About That Basis,” an accurate record of the cost basis of your investments can help you minimize your tax bill when you dispose of an asset. The best and perhaps easiest way to … Continued
Over the last few years, we have seen an uptick in clients borrowing against their investment accounts for short-term liquidity needs such as a larger tax payment or a bridge loan to secure a real estate purchase. The option of a margin loan has been more attractive due to historic low interest rates and a … Continued
Real estate, farmland, artwork, closely-held stock of C or S corporations….these are all highly valuable assets, especially here in the Land of Founder’s Stock. If you’re philanthropically minded, it might make sense to consider incorporating these valuable, less liquid assets in your strategic gift and tax planning. With the memory of tax season still fresh, … Continued