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I Quit!
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- October 18, 2021
No CommentsWith all the talk about inflation, stagflation, higher taxes and lack of affordable housing, I couldn’t help noticing one contrary statistic amid the sea of pessimism—the national “quit rate” is at an all-time high. The quit rate is the number of workers who voluntarily leave their jobs as opposed to being terminated, downsized or furloughed.
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When Life Forces You to Slow Down
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- September 28, 2021
The problem with Coach K’s “Next Play” philosophy I’ve never been the type to slow down and smell the roses. But after 30+ years of triathlons, marathons, tennis, kayaking, open-water swimming and coaching baseball, the wear and tear on my body finally caught up. Step 1: Shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator, labrum and
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Clearly We’re Being Tested
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- September 6, 2021
At times like these, your clients need you more than ever. Are you anti fragile? I’m not the most devout guy in the world. But on the eve of Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) and the 20th anniversary of 9/11, it’s clear to me our resolved is being tested by a higher authority. The
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Global Minimum Tax a Big Step in the Right Direction
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- July 15, 2021
But the devil is in the details. If your client or company is impacted by new global tax rules, focus on your tax base not your tax rate By Cecil Nazareth | guest columnist Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced last week that 130 of the 139 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agreed
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Survey: Wealth Advisors Most Optimistic; CPAs the Least
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- July 10, 2021
As we prepare to release our 5th annual CPA/Wealth Advisor Confidence Survey™ to the media and general public, this much is clear. Financial advisors of all stripes have never been busier. But tons of billable hours and ample referrals don’t necessarily translate into satisfaction. First the good news: Four in five survey respondents (81%) told
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Can Baby Bonds Put Disadvantaged Kids on the Path to Prosperity?
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- June 18, 2021
Thanks to legislation approved on Wednesday, every year over 15,000 Connecticut infants born into low-income families will receive $3,200 government-funded savings accounts. The accounts are designed to provide qualifying children with an estimated $10,600 when they turn 18. The returns are based on a projected average rate of return on investment over 18 years of 6.9
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Memorial Day Estate Planning Thoughts
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- May 24, 2021
Hard to believe it’s almost Memorial Day weekend. But it is. For the first time in over a year, extended families may finally get together (in person) to kick off the official start of summer. Whether masked or unmasked, the focus will be on grilling, boating, beaching, golfing and maybe a parade. But the term
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John Legend: Winning Doesn’t Have to Be a Zero-Sum Game
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- May 9, 2021
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, John Legend, delivered a stirring commencement address at my son’s college graduation last weekend. With his signature tenor-baritone voice wafting over Wallace-Wade stadium, he shook the sleepy students out of their slumber with expletive-filled acronyms DDMF and GTHC familiar to anyone who’s watched a Duke-Carolina basketball game. Clearly, it wasn’t going to
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Advisor Survey: Even the Affluent Lack Financial Awareness
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- February 11, 2021
Most advisors we talked to are optimistic about their growth prospects in 2021. But they don’t seem as confident about their clients’ financial acumen. Early results of our 5th annual CPA/Wealth Advisor Confidence Survey™ showed more than half of advisors (55%) believe America’s financial literacy has NOT improved over the past year. More than half
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We’ll Miss You Hammerin’ Hank: Master of Consistency and Tolerance
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- January 25, 2021
Last weekend marked the passing of baseball great, Henry Aaron. He was just shy of his 87th birthday. Aaron was one of my first boyhood sports heroes at a time when kids could still look up to athletes, celebrities and even Presidents as role models. At the time, I didn’t know the 20-something Aaron would