Month: April 2018

Growth of ESG investing by institutional and retail investors has exploded in recent years! Should you get involved? ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and ESG investing means favoring companies with good track records in these areas. It is a term that is often used synonymously with sustainable investing, socially responsible investing (SRI - my favored term), or impact investing. ESG factors refer to industry specific key issues such as climate change, human capital and labor management, corporate governance, gender diversity, privacy and data security, among others. Lately, gun control issues have been a hot topic in the news. Studies have shown that ESG investing does not negatively performance so contact me if you'd like to learn how to incorporate ESG investing into your portfolio!

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Starting in 2018, single taxpayers can claim a $12,000 standard deduction while married taxpayers get a $24,000 standard deduction. Additionally, state and local tax deductions are limited to $10,000. The combination of these changes means that many people will no longer see a tax benefit by itemizing their deductions. However, if you don't itemize your deductions, then you don't get a tax benefit to making a charitable donation either. For those over age 70 1/2 with IRA assets, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is a tax-savvy strategy that allows you to continue to get a tax benefit from being charitable.

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