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Crunch Time Tips for Tax Time

Crunch Time Tips for Tax Time Each year HFS strives to educate our team and our clients on helpful tips for tax time. Click here, New Year, New Tax Changes, for a review of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes. You, your CPA, and your Financial Planner can work together to plan so you have no surprises near year end. You put your trust in the team around you to be on top of the latest information and adjust plans as necessary to stay on course. Due to the changes in tax law, the amount of people who itemize their tax returns will fall from 46 million to 16 million in the US according to The...

Is Financial Stress Eating Up Your Profits?

Is Financial Stress Eating Up Your Profits? Financial stress is a silent killer that may be robbing your business of thousands or even millions of dollars of profit annually. Mercer estimated that employers lost approximately 250 billion in wages in 2017 because of financial stress1. The survey which was based on 3,000 workers found that employees are spending approximately 150 hours annually during work time on financial issues1. Seventy percent of HR professionals say financial stress is impacting their workforce. In addition, financial stress can also lead to increased absenteeism,...

Global Asset Allocation Views – Q1 2019 Quarter in Review The 4th quarter of 2018 did not go as planned, though in reality nothing about investing truly ever goes to plan. The S&P 500 had just hit an all-time high and we were heading into historically what has been the strongest part of the calendar. Then Fed Chairman Jerome Powell spoke. An unscripted comment about how we are ‘a long way’ from neutral on interest rates and the rest is history. Many people still remember 2007 and how the Fed overzealously tightened. As the floodgates opened, under the radar events began...

Do You Know the Real Rate of Return On Your Investments?

Do You Know the Real Rate of Return On Your Investments? Many investors look at their monthly statements or review their account online and look at a couple of numbers to determine how their investments are doing. The first number is usually the balance in your account. If it is more than it was the last time you looked at it then you feel good. Next they look at the percentage return on their portfolio to see if it is a number they can feel good about. Obviously, the higher the number the better. However, before you put your statement away it is important for you to understand what your...

Out with the old and in with the new…year?

Out with the old and in with the new…year? The year of 2018 is sprinting to the finish line. The snow is starting to fall and the fireplace is crackling as we hustle through December. Days like today are the best time to reflect on the year in review. Your reflection can help you establish your “why.” Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Why do you go to work each day? Why do you choose to raise children? Your why is your purpose. To review the year passed is to review your purpose: -Who are you most grateful for? -What are you most grateful for? -Did you make a meaningful impact in the...

The ABCs of ESG

The ABCs of ESG What is ESG? ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is an investment discipline focused on non-financial factors that investors have determined as being critical for a firm’s long-term performance. These factors focus on a variety of issues ranging from climate change, gender equality in the workplace, and board independence. Companies have begun to voluntarily report on their ESG issues with many investment institutions urging the SEC to make it mandatory. Why ESG? The first attempt for sustainable investing began in the 1980s with the use of exclusionary screens...

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