Using Net Worth

Using Net Worth

Much of fundraising and gift planning is focused on gifts from income earned on the part of the donor. Given the increase in asset values during the past several decades, as well as the increase of those moving into the higher wealth categories, a renewed focus on...
The Power of Planning

The Power of Planning

I have been fortunate to have enjoyed a 50 year career in wealth management. During the early years, it was necessary to stay motivated in the fact the benefits would be long term and that the results of our work would be realized in the future, much more than in the...
Can You Adapt?

Can You Adapt?

I believe that the challenge offered by 2020 has been the ability to adapt to a severely changing environment. I certainly don’t expect the world to stand still, but the events related to the pandemic was on few radar screens. I do recall that Bill Gates mentioned a...
What Good is Endowment?

What Good is Endowment?

I recently had a Zoom call with a client couple. He is a lawyer and she is the local head of a national non-profit. Our client calls typically start by out asking about health, the family, and career highlights. In this Covid era environment, updates in these areas...
A Valuable Influence

A Valuable Influence

Early in my business career, I was fortunate to meet and visit with Sir John Templeton. Born in Pulaski, Tennessee, a graduate of Yale, the founder of the Templeton Growth Fund and the Templeton Prize, both of which have survived his death and continue to flourish, he...
A Missed Opportunity

A Missed Opportunity

Recently, I attended a dinner in support of a charity. A board member who was seated next to me, asked me the question, “Do you offer family meetings? I am concerned about what the next generation is going to do with their inheritance and I want to share with them...