Viewpoints

Information and education are an essential part of the client experience, and we
are here to provide resources and insights to help keep you advised.

Nuclear Energy 2.0: A Discussion about the Technologies Driving the New Sustainable Energy Solution

Nuclear Energy 2.0: A Discussion about the Technologies Driving the New Sustainable Energy Solution

A Discussion about the Technologies Driving the New Sustainable Energy Solution

Beyond Money: The Emotional Side of Investing

Beyond Money: The Emotional Side of Investing

Investing is more than a financial exercise. The most seasoned investor feels a twinge of fear and concern when volatile markets react negatively to sudden economic shocks. Those cool-headed decisions based on a sound investment policy offer little comfort when there are sudden declines. Why do we become prisoners of our emotions subject to making the wrong choices at the wrong time? There are evolutionary reasons for our behavior. The science of “Behavioral Finance” has shown that we are the product of inherent emotional biases in our core genetic code. We fear losses significantly more than we value gains. A loss aversion bias likely developed during human evolution as a survival mechanism, deeply rooted in the way our ancestors needed to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty and scarcity. Early humans faced an environment where resources such as food, shelter, and water were not only scarce but also crucial for...

The Geopolitics of Business and Investment

The Geopolitics of Business and Investment

Manchester Capital’s Managing Director, Christine Kaming Tomas, sat down with Sam Gyimah, Geopolitics of Business podcast host and former UK Minister for Science Innovation and Higher Education, to discuss the geopolitics of business and investment. Sam draws on his background as UK MP, Minister, banker, entrepreneur, and board member of Goldman Sachs International, Cambridge University Endowment, and Oxford Innovation. Find Sam’s podcast here: The Geopolitics of Business.

Don’t Break the Glass

Don’t Break the Glass

As we analyze the global situation in early 2024, a mosaic of complex geopolitical events unfolds, each with potential ramifications for the global economy and investors. Do these events rise to the level of “breaking the glass” and pulling the fire alarm? The intensification of conflicts in the Middle East, notably the escalated attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ operations in Iraq and Syria, pose a significant threat to regional stability. The recent death of three American soldiers in Jordan caused by a rebel drone raise the stakes of an expanding war in the Middle East. These actions, coupled with Israel’s countermeasures against Hamas and operations in Lebanon, illustrate the intricate dance of power and retaliation that is playing out. Meanwhile, the political landscape in East Asia is equally turbulent. Taiwan’s election with a new pro-independence President contrast with an...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MANCHESTER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT OF SUSAN W. SOFRONAS AS MANAGING DIRECTOR, HEAD OF WEST COAST ACTIVITIES 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MANCHESTER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT OF SUSAN W. SOFRONAS AS MANAGING DIRECTOR, HEAD OF WEST COAST ACTIVITIES 

[MONTECITO, CA, January 10, 2024] — Manchester Capital Management LLC, a leading private family wealth office in the United States, is delighted to announce the appointment of Susan W. Sofronas as a Partner working out of the firm’s Montecito, CA office. Susan will add strategic leadership to Manchester Capital’s capabilities and reinforce its unwavering dedication to providing outstanding, bespoke wealth management solutions. Susan has an outstanding record of advising some of the most sophisticated and affluent families and she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that align perfectly with our vision for continued client success. Her career reflects a demonstrated track record of leading and advising complex families in achieving their wealth goals, coordinating family and business matters, and guiding multigenerational families in successfully shaping their legacies. Susan’s insights on assisting women in wealth management have been featured across diverse financial platforms. Renowned for her strategic acumen, Susan has earned...

Information Searches: Let the Buyer Beware 

Information Searches: Let the Buyer Beware 

If you Google “Where is the best place to hide a dead body?” the first search result, from theleverageway.com, claims the best place is “page 2 of Google search results.” According to the site, “Studies have shown that about 91.5% of search engine click-throughs occur on the first page of search results.”  This response to the enquiry inadvertently reveals multiple dilemmas faced by modern information consumers, the most critical of which is, what can be trusted?  In simpler, more naïve times, finding the answer to “Where is the best place to hide a dead body?” would involve some legwork on our part.  We might survey friends and colleagues to get their thoughts.  We might discuss past “difficult cases” with a coroner.  We might drive to a lake or forest to check out possibilities.  A trip to a nearby library might be in order to consult chemistry books about chemicals capable of...

The Year in Numbers

The Year in Numbers

As we count down the days to 2024, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on 2023 defined by some interesting numbers that tell the tale of a unique year. 33,888,140,000,000 – The U.S. National Debt in dollars as of December 4th.  The Federal debt to GDP ratio now stands at 122%.  That represents $100,840 per U.S. citizen.[1] 1,080,000,000,000 – The total amount in dollars of credit card debt owed by Americans.  This number topped $1 trillion for the first time after rising $45 billion in the second quarter and $48 billion in the third quarter.[2]  Although revolving debt as a dollar amount is high, and current rates are more punishing than we have seen in decades, at 6.3% of disposable income, revolving debt is below the 6.6% 2012 – 2019 average.[3]  Couple this with the fact that most mortgage holders were able to lock in low mortgage rates...

High Interest Rates—Not the Demise of Effective Estate Planning Strategies

High Interest Rates—Not the Demise of Effective Estate Planning Strategies

Regularly reviewing existing estate plans is a good financial practice, and the looming change to the lifetime estate/gift tax exemptions at the end of 2025 makes now an opportune time to review your plans. Two powerful tools in estate planning are time and interest rates. With time, the more you have remaining, the greater the number of estate planning options available to you. With interest rates, the lower the prevailing rates, the more likely investments can achieve excess returns, thus the more attractive many strategies become. The ultra-low interest rates of the past decade were a boon for many estate planning strategies, but the increase in interest rates does not mean the end of effective estate planning opportunities. Indeed, there are a handful of strategies that become even more attractive in a higher interest rate environment. Rising interest rates influence the effectiveness of various estate planning tools. Leveraging these tools...

MCM Webinars: The Venture Capital Opportunity

MCM Webinars: The Venture Capital Opportunity

MCM Managing Director Christine Kaming Tomas facilitates a conversation with Managing Director of Investment Research Bart Earley, CFA and Senior Investment Analyst Lorry Delille, CFA about current opportunities in Venture Capital Investing.