At Pacific Portfolio Trust Company, we believe one of the most powerful tools in estate planning is time. The earlier you begin, the more opportunities you have to grow, protect, and pass on what you’ve built. A thoughtful estate plan ensures your assets are transferred according to your wishes, efficiently, privately, and in a way that reflects your values. While a will provides the foundation, trusts offer additional benefits. They provide flexibility, privacy, and important advantages when it comes to managing Washington’s estate tax laws. Whether you are planning for children, supporting a blended family, giving to charity, or reducing your tax exposure, the right trust can help you achieve your goals and create lasting impact.

At Pacific Portfolio Trust Company, we believe one of the most powerful tools in estate planning is time. The earlier you begin, the more opportunities you have to grow, protect, and pass on what you’ve built. A thoughtful estate plan ensures your assets are transferred according to your wishes, efficiently, privately, and in a way that reflects your values. While a will provides the foundation, trusts offer additional benefits. They provide flexibility, privacy, and important advantages when it comes to managing Washington’s estate tax laws. Whether you are planning for children, supporting a blended family, giving to charity, or reducing your tax exposure, the right trust can help you achieve your goals and create lasting impact.

Your seat backs and tray tables aren’t the only things that are up at this point: economic growth expectations are on the rise as we speak. Already, the U.S. economy was cruising at a healthy altitude – unusually healthy for this stage of the economic expansion’s life cycle, in fact: real (i.e., after inflation) GDP growth for the U.S. came in at a surprisingly chipper +3.1% for the 3rd quarter, versus economists’ consensus expectations of +2.6%, and the NY Federal Reserve’s GDPNow forecast is currently anticipating that Q4 will come in at a +3.0% reading. This is well ahead of the +1.75%-+2.0% that an extremely large, developed economy like the U.S. should reasonably be expected to sustain over the long-term.

Life In Purgatory: Not As Bad As You’d Think?

Certainly not the most comforting analogy, but apt, nonetheless, as we sit here, essentially trapped between two realms.  On the one hand, stocks have been on a tear for nearly two years; now, seemingly-lofty valuations and historic highs in market concentration are causing some investors to anticipate a reversal of fortunes.  With strong corporate earnings and no sign of an impending recession, however, the path of least resistance from here remains higher, nonetheless. 

Financial planning is a crucial aspect of our lives that often gets overlooked or misunderstood. Here is a summary of what it is, who it’s for, why it's essential, and how to get your financial planning started.

May 29th is National 529 Day (5/29), a day created to highlight the importance of 529 savings plans in helping families pay for college or training expenses.