Direct Indexing

Even with tariff uncertainty, there’s no stopping the engine of ETF creation. More than 288 new ETFs have already launched this year.

Investing in stocks so far in 2025 has not been for the faint of heart. Some market indices have undergone wild swings, flirting with bear-market territory

Navigating market volatility can be challenging for investors. Our Bill Cass shares several tax planning strategies to consider.

Another period of heightened volatility in the markets reminds us why tax management can be such an essential part of fixed income investing.

Investors face new challenges as their wealth grows. So it’s a good thing that direct indexing is designed to fit their allocations just the way they are.

When dealing with digital assets it’s important to keep records and consult a tax professional. Our Bill Cass explains the taxation rules around cryptocurrency.

For taxable investors with sizable gains in their brokerage accounts, the decision when to realize that capital gain is intensely personal—depending of course on individual circumstances, while also factoring in market return expectations and the prevailing tax structure.

Customization is an integral part of direct indexing. The technology behind it can make or break the experience for clients and advisors alike. We dive into the features and functions that make the best tools.

Parametric’s tax optimized ladders (TOL) solution may help to enhance after-tax yield by seeking to optimize the allocation between tax-exempt and taxable bonds, based on an investor’s own tax rate and the relative value between sectors.

Investor’s bearish sentiment has surged to levels that generally align with previous market corrections and crashes.

Unlike most of the rest of the world, I will attempt to minimize all there is to say about the beginning of the next 4 years, as the persistent yack and what to make of it reverberates in all corners of the financial globe.

We wrote in last month's letter that the U.S. stock market had to meet lofty earnings expectations to maintain its strong performance relative to global benchmarks, while the latter had a lower bar because of considerably cheaper valuation multiples and higher dividend yields.

Many independent firms and Registered Investment Advisors aspire to move upmarket, targeting wealthier clients who demand more sophisticated financial solutions.

Tax season can be stressful, but with the right approach, advisors can turn it into an opportunity.

The managed account industry has seen tremendous growth and client adoption, with assets increasing by 28% over the last year and 50% over the past two years.

At some point in time, the top brass that manage your organization’s investments will no longer be with the organization, whether that’s through retirement, a job change, or a change in personal circumstances. Then what?

In a first quarter 2025 asset allocation report, Confluence expects resilient economic growth in the short term.

The higher yields they currently offer can be a benefit for income-oriented investors, but those yields reflect the additional risks they face.

For stocks, Christmas came with a 'Santa Clause' rally soon after the election. Since then, there's been a correction in US markets.

While every new year arrives with its own unique set of opportunities and challenges for institutional investors, we believe 2025 could offer more than the typical share.

US equity markets rallied just enough to round out 2024 with all four quarters posting positive returns. The S&P 500® Index finished the fourth quarter up 2.41%, bringing the year’s total return to 25.02%.

We explore how advancements in indexing solutions have allowed investors to tailor their portfolios according to their specific objectives or risk profiles.

There are a few things it makes sense to get a start on when a new year begins. One is tax-loss harvesting.

Reflecting ongoing uncertainty around inflation and the trajectory of monetary policy, yield volatility posed challenges in 2024. Yet it also highlighted the importance of tax-efficient strategies like loss harvesting in fixed income portfolios.

Direct indexing has been around for more than 30 years, yet many people still don’t know what it is or how it continues to grow and evolve.

In our year ahead outlook, we unveil 5 key factors we believe offer rare certainty in these uncertain times. Discover how we’re navigating this landscape and positioning portfolios to seize opportunities and mitigate risks in the year ahead.

After a strong November 2024, markets were generally down in December. The S&P 500 index was down 2.3%, while energy, small caps, value stocks, and REITs performed considerably worse.

From start to finish, 2024 was a year of change, with a multitude of implications for investors.

In an actively managed portfolio, there’s no way to escape capital gains taxes altogether. But understanding the importance of tax efficiency is crucial to long-term success for investors and advisors.

At the time of year where everyone is reflecting on the things that matter most to them in their personal lives, it is important to also consider what matters when it comes to investing. In this investment commentary, Johnson Financial Group shares what really matters as you put your money to work.

In an equity market that has mostly moved straight up this year, the logical question is, how have we been realizing losses? Our analysis of potential tax benefit1 may provide the answer.

Over the past few years, I’ve written numerous articles and given numerous presentations on Direct Indexing.

We launched QuantStreet a little over three years ago, and our first accounts went live as of December 2021.

When it comes to personalized investment strategies, multiple perspectives come into play: the client, the provider and the advisor.

As students across the country start to prepare for year-end exams, there are valuable lessons we can take from the classroom.

Generosity knows no season. But as the year-end holidays approach, many of your clients may be thinking about making a charitable donation or increasing their charitable giving.

A year-round focus on taxes can unlock value for investors in higher brackets—and it can help advisors prove their own value.

As the year winds down, many investors focus on year-end charitable giving and tax planning. Finding a charity and donating money is the easy part. Taking slightly different approaches to gifting can yield dramatically different results from a tax perspective.

With Direct Indexing, you can help your clients prepare for life-changing transactions and minimize capital gains taxes by selectively harvesting losses to offset those gains, and implementing tax-efficient trading strategies.

The most common questions we’ve been asked as the election approaches are generally about the Federal debt and deficits. Many investors worry about a looming “day of reckoning” for US debt. They fear the US’s fiscal imprudence will eventually force a sudden and dramatic repricing of US debt. In this insight, we explore the modern history of US debt to GDP across several Presidential administrations and outline why investors should not be worried about a financial apocalyptic abyss.

Volatility creates a number of challenges for advisors and investors, but also opportunities for those who know where to look.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have grown in popularity as one of the most flexible and accessible investment vehicles available today. Offering a blend of stock-like liquidity and mutual fund-like diversification, ETFs can serve as a core component in the portfolios of both novice and experienced investors

For decades, a key component of many investors’ portfolios was a fixed income ladder. It was intended to provide ballast to the more volatile equity allocation and help reduce interest-rate risk.

Taxes can have a major impact on the long-term growth of a portfolio. Find out how continuous, thoughtful tax management can help investors maximize their wealth.

Taxes may be the biggest fee your tax-sensitive clients are paying on their investment portfolios. And neither they nor you, their advisor, may be aware of just how big that fee is.

While the beach version of SoCal has had an epic, non-marine layer summer, it seems to have been enjoyed by few locals who instead violate the cardinal rule of adult life without children living at home and nevertheless travel to Europe in summer. We haven’t missed you.

Active fixed income ETFs have taken a big leap this year per new research about active ETFs that may draw new investor eyes.

With tax-loss harvesting season on the horizon, investors may want to consider a pair of tax-conscious, active fixed income ETFs.

Certificates of deposit (CDs) and Treasuries both can offer steady, predictable investment income—but how to decide between them? Here are five factors to help you choose.

Passive fixed income index investing has evolved significantly over the previous decade, offering investors the flexibility to align risk requirements and investment goals. Learn more from our experts.

With U.S. equities perhaps calling for diversification, an active international ETF like TOUS could play a helpful role.