You are about to leave the Clifford Swan website. We are not responsible for the content or accuracy of information on any third-party websites nor do we monitor or endorse such websites. If you would like to leave the Clifford Swan website and visit the third-party website, please select “Continue” below.
The investment industry has come a long way, offering Americans more ways than ever to build wealth. But the rise of alternatives—once the exclusive domain of institutions and the ultra-wealthy—has made it more difficult to cut through the noise and identify what matters. We’ve developed a framework to help. For most of our country’s history, […]
The investment industry has come a long way, offering Americans more ways than ever to build wealth. But the rise of alternatives—once the exclusive domain of institutions and the ultra-wealthy—has made it more difficult to cut through the noise and identify what matters. We’ve developed a framework to help. For most of our country’s history, […]
By combining charitable intent with tax-advantaged lifetime income, a charitable gift annuity (CGA) can work very well for the right donor and for the right nonprofit. But a well-designed gift is only the beginning. Behind every CGA is a contractual payment obligation that a nonprofit must honor for the life of the annuitant, regardless of […]
David J. Nelson, CPA
George E. Hasbun, CFP®
Clifford Swan is honored to be recognized by Financial Advisor Magazine in its annual ranking of independent advisory firms around the country. Financial Advisor Magazine is a publication targeted at financial professionals that aims to deliver essential market information and strategies to help advisors better serve their clients and grow their firms. RIA firms applied for consideration. To be […]
Clifford Swan
Financial markets can be full of surprises. Some provide valuable information by which we might adjust our investment strategies. Other times, surprises can be a kind of noise that is best ignored. The U.S. stock market threw a party in the first half of 2023. Surprise! It was, however, a rather exclusive party. The tech-heavy […]
Clifford Swan
Around the time of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), a guest comedian on Late Night With Conan O’Brien poked fun at airline passengers who complained about boarding difficulties and tarmac delays. The comedian pointed out that if these passengers would just focus on what happened next – participating in the “miracle of human flight” – they might […]
Daniel J. Mintz
The cost of education has never been higher. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the cost of education has increased by two times the inflation rate since 2000. Despite the increase in education costs, tax-advantaged 529 savings plans, which are the primary savings vehicle for education, have been underfunded by most Americans. Concerns […]
George E. Hasbun, CFP®
It’s been a little over a year since the Federal Reserve began their aggressive tightening cycle to combat persistent inflation, increasing short-term interest rates from 0% to 5%. The central bank’s actions have resulted in higher long-term interest rates, lower stock prices, and lower real estate values. The sharp increase in interest rates and subsequent […]
Clifford Swan
Clifford Swan served as the lead sponsor of the Pasadena Festival of Women Authors held this past Saturday at the Pasadena Hilton. The volunteer-run Pasadena Literary Alliance hosts the annual event. The Festival celebrates the accomplishments of authors while raising funds for literary programs at community nonprofits. Kathleen Gilmore and Lloyd Wong attended from Clifford Swan […]
Clifford Swan
We recently thanked Jim Brown and Dianne Barrios for their years of dedicated service and welcomed David Nelson and Diane Riveros. After over two decades at Clifford Swan, Jim Brown retired on December 31, 2022. Jim joined the firm in 1999 and served as Chief Operating Officer. Through his leadership, the firm’s day-to-day operations ran […]
Peter J. Boyle, CFA
In life, few things put us at the mercy of our emotions the way investing can. The last three years in the markets have been especially unnerving, exhibiting the plot elements of a Shakespeare play. We witnessed drama as the world locked down during Covid, a supernatural-like intervention by Congress and the Federal Reserve to […]
David Y. Lin, CFA
Updated March 2, 2023 to reflect the updated California tax deadline. NEW BEGINNING AGES FOR RMDS The SECURE Act that was signed into law at the end of 2019 changed key rules around Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Notably, the age to begin taking required minimum distributions increased from 70.5 to 72. The Act also eliminated […]
Clifford Swan
Now is a good time for those wanting to give to consider establishing a charitable gift annuity. At its core, a CGA is an arrangement whereby assets are given to a charity in return for the charity’s promise to make lifetime payments of a fixed amount to a beneficiary, who is often the donor. This […]
Lloyd K. Wong, CFA
Jennifer I. Maqueda
As we welcome a new calendar year, we pause to reflect upon the one which has concluded and consider what 2023 might offer investors. 2022 was a tumultuous year in the financial markets, with double-digit losses for both stocks and bonds. A rapid rise in inflation and interest rates served as the catalyst for the […]
Clifford Swan
“The real trouble with this world of ours is not that it is an unreasonable world, nor that it is a reasonable one. The commonest kind of trouble is that it is nearly reasonable, but not quite. Life is not an illogicality; yet it is a trap for logicians. It looks just a little more […]
Kevin J. CavanaughNext Up
Explore how our services help individuals, families, and institutions achieve their financial goals with clarity and confidence.
