Driven by demographics and investors’ desires to get ahead of both the effects of social change and an expected wave of regulation, we are seeing a boom in sustainable and socially conscious investments, popularly known by the shorthand acronym ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). This kind of socially responsible investing, also known as sustainable, green, or ethical Read more
Heading for Home: The Housing Market Soars
In a mostly dreary 2020, one bright spot was the residential real estate market. After briefly retrenching at the beginning of the pandemic, home sales exploded, even as a dearth of homes on the market and low mortgage rates caused prices to skyrocket. Those rising prices lifted home values, creating more wealth for homeowners. Now, Read more
The Debt: Who Owes and How Will It Affect the Economy?
Debt, simply defined, is an amount of money borrowed by one party from another. Debt is used by many corporations and individuals as a method of making large purchases that they could not afford under normal circumstances. The U.S. government uses debt in the same way, though it hasn’t been as central an issue in Read more
The 2021 Outlook: How Can We Recover From 2020?
As 2020 has ended, we began to look forward to 2021 in hope the year arriving will be better than the one just departing. How could it not be, after months filled with pandemic, toxic politics, and violence in the streets? What do we anticipate for the economy in 2021? Given the promise of the Read more
The Next Show: Counting the Electoral Votes
On January 6, 2021, Congress will meet in joint session to count the Electoral College votes in the 2020 presidential election, won by Joe Biden, 306-232, over Donald Trump. This is usually a pro forma event, little noticed except by the most devoted followers of political pageantry. However, given the drama that has ensued since Read more
Wrap It Up: Time for Year-End Planning
The holiday season is a time for good cheer, greeting family and friends, celebrating the present (and presents), and reflecting on the year just ending. (Though, given how tumultuous 2020 has been and the likelihood the effects of the global pandemic will extend into 2021, you may want to keep those reflections brief and go Read more