Cerity Partners Annual Meeting

Welcome Message

Bob Smith, Partner and Market Leader for Cleveland Office

The Anatomy of a Cyberattack and Ways to Protect Yourself

Stefan Ludlow, Cerity Partners and Adam Moseley, Charles Schwab

Cyberattacks are on the rise. Learn tips to safeguard your family and your assets.

Key Takeaways:

• Phishing attacks are the most common cybersecurity attack you may experience. A successful attack is a question of when, not if.
• Enabling two-factor authentication for email, banking, and other important accounts helps prevent account takeover in the case of a successful phishing attack.
• Using a password manager to prevent the re-use of passwords between logins reduces the potential damage of a single compromised account.

Overview of Proposed Tax Policies and Planning Opportunities

Kathryn Jodon, CPA and Erica Cameron, CFP®, Cerity Partners

Taxes are a hot topic for elections. Learn about the proposed tax policies of the major presidential candidates and planning considerations.

Key Takeaways:

• Based upon current proposals, individual income tax rates may remain the same or potentially decrease for individuals with income less than $400,000.
• It will be important to keep an eye on the capital gain tax structure and estate and gift tax laws following the election result.
• Planning opportunities may exist if there are changes to the tax code, but we recommend planning now and waiting to execute.

Guiding Principles of Portfolio Construction

Tom Cohn, CFA® and Tony Basalla, Cerity Partners

Diversification is one of the primary drivers of effective investment management. Learn how Cerity Partners constructs client portfolios.

Key Takeaways:

• Diversification continues to be a significant factor in long-term investment results.
• Fixed-income investments play a key role, despite the current low interest rate environment.
• Global investing is an important consideration in spite of the outperformance of U.S. equities over the past decade.

The Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy and the Markets

Jim Lebenthal, CFA® and Matt Olver, CFP®, Cerity Partners

A combination of fiscal and monetary policy is helping the economy recover from the pandemic. Learn about the potential long-term repercussions.

Key Takeaways:

• Despite headlines, volatility and uncertainty, the equity markets have made remarkable progress this year.
• Corporate and economic performance drive stock performance over the long-term.
• Our job is to help you prepare for the uncertainty and the variety of scenarios that may play out.

The Electoral College: Its History, Controversy and Influence

Dr. Robert Alexander, Ohio Northern University and Spencer Roule, Cerity Partners

Increase your understanding of this institution and the role it plays in presidential elections.

Key Takeaways:

• The Electoral College we have today is different from what the Framers created, mainly due to the emergence of political parties.
• The Electoral College isn’t one specific thing. It consists of a number of processes that are fragmented among the states and occur over a long period of time—including both before and after election day.
• While the Supreme Court sought to create some certainty with their ruling on faithless electors, they ultimately left the issue in the hands of the states.