WHVP has been crowned “Best Client Communication”, “Best Overall Digital Engaging (In-House)” and "Best Female Executive" (for Jamie Vrijhof-Droese) at the WealthBriefing Swiss EAM Annual Awards 2022.
Recently inherited an IRA? The wrong move could cost a boat load in taxes and penalties, but you have options. Governing bodies like the IRS and legislation such as the SECURE Act have outlined important rules regarding an inherited IRA, such as how much you may owe in taxes as well as whether you will need to begin taking required minimum distributions. These can depend on several factors, such as your relationship to the deceased, whether the IRA inherited is Roth or traditional and more.
As we move through 2022, it becomes very clear that the heightened inflation numbers are not a trifle but are something that should be followed closely. Why is that? While central banks were chasing inflation during the last three decades, now as inflation finally arrived, it seems they did not see it coming. Let's take a look at the kinds of inflations we see out there and how to wade through them.
While an investment advisor can be helpful in any situation, hiring one is typically more important when you are nearing retirement or have complex issues and questions to sort out. From your needs and objectives to your risk tolerance and timeframe, there are a variety of factors your investment advisor will consider when designing your customized investment strategy. However, before you hire an investment advisor to help you grow your assets, it’s important to ask yourself these four key questions first.
Whether facing a devastating event or an exciting advancement, people frequently make money decisions as a response. At any given point, the market can go up, down or it can remain the same. While many aspects of the virus or even the economy are out of our control, one thing we can control right now is how we handle our financial strategy. In the past, the market has recovered in response to epidemics with an average of 17.17 percent over time. While no two situations are alike, remembering the likelihood of recovery over time - and the market’s nearly inevitable up-and-down movement - can provide a more logical angle to calm the nerves.
This episode talks about Jamie’s background in wealth management and banking in Switzerland. Potential international solutions for US investors. Typical funding requirements when it comes to Swiss banking. What to consider before investing in Switzerland or other offshore places? The importance of relationship building and trust in wealth management. Asset protection using Swiss banking products/methods? A brief overview on the taxation of international accounts for US investors. Typical fees when it comes to investing in a Swiss account. Could you borrow against your Swiss Bank funds by leveraging it as collateral? What are the typical rates of return on a Swiss investment (example of one type of investment) account? Can you use a self-directed IRA to own a Swiss account? Do we convert US dollars into other currencies when investing offshore? If so, what are the advantages of doing so? How does one measure the strength of the US dollar? Do you have to physically go to Switzerland to open a Swiss bank account?
The “money illusion” refers to how we view our buying power today versus in the future. Are you falling victim to this potentially dangerous ideology? The “money illusion” refers to how we view our buying power today versus in the future. Are you falling victim to this potentially dangerous ideology? It’s no surprise that a dollar today isn’t worth the same as a dollar was 20 years ago. This is the result of inflation. Inflation plays a major role in financial planning, whether you are conscious of it or not.
In this episode Alex is joined by Jamie Vrijhof-Droese who heads the business development of WHVP and advises a group of international clients with respect to international diversification and asset protection. Together they will discuss how you can use your IRA to invest internationally.
When deciding which types of investments you’re interested in pursuing, consider some of this helpful information you can use to better understand evidence-based investing and how it differs from other types of investment styles. Understanding the difference between popular investment terms including active, passive, behavioral, and evidence-based is the first step to making informed decisions about your investment strategies.
Stocks, bonds and ETFs... oh my! If you've always been an investment novice with no idea where to start, class is officially in session. Welcome to Investing 101. Before you do a deep dive into theories, past performances, or principles, we’ll get you up to speed with the basics of investing and what you should know as you look to grow your financial knowledge.
Modern Portfolio Theory may seem to only focus on a market’s optimal state, but using the system in tandem with other theories will allow an investor to take a balanced view of their financial strategy. Modern Portfolio Theory may seem to only focus on a market’s optimal state, but using the system in tandem with other theories—like behavioral finance—will allow an investor to take a balanced view of their financial strategy. An understanding of both ways of thinking gives you a better understanding of the market and your role as an investor. A primary focus on modern portfolio theory tempered by behavioral finance may enhance your overall investment experience.
First and foremost, I want to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year! If we learned one thing in the past two years, it is to be grateful for what we have because we do not know how long the nice things last. Keeping our focus on the financial environment, there were different surprises that might have brought up doubts about how markets work. While it is important to stay open-minded to new developments, the environment we have lived through during the pandemic is everything else than representative of how markets usually work. Thinking back to pre-coronavirus, discussions about helicopter money were more of a theoretical construct. Now, however, governments sending out cash to the people, covering losses that usually are borne by banks and insurance companies, and governments working hand in hand with central banks have become normal.
As 2021 is coming to an end, we would like to take the opportunity to look back on an eventful year and tell you about some of our highlights.
When we think of financial health, a few things might come to mind. We may think of our own financial status, our investments, the Dow Jones Industrial Average performance, the stock market as a whole, the economy, the country’s employment status and so on. While some aspects may be interrelated on some level, they are not all one and the same, nor do they all indicate the status of one another.
Capital gains taxes apply to more than stocks. Capital gains taxes can apply to any other property that acquires value over time. These taxes are calculated by subtracting the cost of the investment from the final selling price of said investment. And the amount you pay will depend on a variety of factors. Here's how capital gains taxes work and a few methods you can use for reducing them.
Passive income allows for an accumulation of wealth without a person’s direct involvement once the initial investment has been funded. Think stocks, bonds, etc. Each build wealth using various tools from interest payments, dividends, or shares.
Does the latest news story have you concerned over stock market volatility? One of the greatest dangers to your wealth may not be the market’s dips and dives, but before you make any drastic financial moves, we've outlined some important things to consider first.
It is crucial to understand how much you can (and should be) contributing to your retirement plan, and the good news is preparing for retirement just got a little more financial wiggle room. Catch-up contributions can be a great way to make up for the lost time when it comes to retirement savings. Are you eligible?
After the markets broadly corrected during September, they once again recovered relatively quickly. Accordingly, we are seeing new record highs once again. Investors may ask what is going on at the markets. While a clear answer is impossible to give, we believe that it has to do with the enormous amount of money in the system. Some investors missed performance because they were convinced at the beginning of 2021 that the recovery could not endure the way it has over the year. We had a similar perspective. Some of them lost their patience and used the correction in September to get back into the markets. However, we believe that changing the strategy due to frustration is the wrong move. We feel that the situation did not change for the better. Despite the markets rising, there are several new risks like the real estate market in China, the rise in inflation, and the rising tensions between China and the U.S., and Japan due to their provocations of Taiwan.
Both SRI and ESG investing are strategies that allow an investor’s portfolio to reflect their personal values. These types of investing have been gaining traction, and they can be helpful lenses to look at companies' business models to evaluate long-term sustainability. Learn more about these strategies and how they differ.