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In 1954, renowned management consultant Peter Drucker wrote a book called The Practice of Management, in which he introduced a process known as management by objectives (MBO). MBO was a simple yet groundbreaking way for business managers to define and convey specific objectives to the organization’s team members, as well as to prioritize these objectives […]

The investment industry and academia largely ignore tax implications and instead focus on return and risk. One of our key maxims at Savant is tax-efficient investing. We believe incorporating tax ramifications is the critical third leg to the investment management stool (risk, return, and taxes). As we approach the end of 2019, it’s relevant to discuss […]

Did you know there are 47.5 million people around the world living with dementia? Of those, 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. Although dementia mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of aging. Over 16 million people in the U.S. care […]

From Hong Kong to New York, stock markets were slammed by a wave of fears about slowing growth, trade wars, and higher interest rates. Even though markets enjoyed a sweet Halloween rebound, the S&P 500 lost nearly 7% in October, its worst month since September 2011. The pain spread to overseas markets, which were already […]

The first month of the fourth quarter was positive for global stocks (+2.8%), which have now gained +19.1% year‐to‐date. Although US large cap (+2.2%) and small cap (+2.6%) had moderate gains within the month, their year‐to‐date returns are strong at +23.2% and +17.2%. Bonds are all up with their year‐to‐date numbers coming in at +9.1% […]

Politics and religion. Two of the most commonly debated subjects. So why bring one of them up? With impeachment rumors flooding the headlines, it’s pertinent to address the political questions surrounding the dinner table. Will this disturb my investments? Should I pull my portfolio out of the market?   The impeachment proceedings of 1974 and […]

Who Wins, Who Loses Under the Recent Tax Cuts In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, concerned that he had not heard from Le Roy since the beginning of the French Revolution. The letter asks about Le Roy’s health and events in Paris over the past year, whilst Franklin […]

The final month of the third quarter was positive for global stocks (+2.1%), which are now up 15.9% year-to-date. Bonds (-0.4%), on the other hand, fell slightly as yields ended the month on a higher note. Year-to-date, however, bonds have benefited from price appreciation and have returns of +6.4% (U.S.) and +10.0% (international). Alternative asset classes, […]

With global economic and profit growth slowing, central banks around the world have shifted their policies to be accommodative or dovish. Specifically, central bank action of late has been to lower short-term interest rates to combat weakening growth. For example, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s (Fed) most recent rate cut was in September 2019. Taking the […]

If you have a son or daughter who is a high school junior or senior, chances are you have been guiding them through quite a bit of paperwork lately. From college applications and scholarship essays to requests for transcripts and recommendation letters, it seems that there is a never-ending stream of forms to be completed […]

Savant CEO Brent Brodeski was quoted in the article, “Acquisitions fuel Focus Financial’s growth, but debt questions loom,” on Financial-Planning.com. The article discussed the actions taken by Focus Financial to continue its growth.

If you are a Gen Xer (born 1965-1980), you are entering, or have already entered, your prime earning years.