Allen Harris

Investors are increasing their inflation expectations in anticipation of Trump’s pledged policies. This leads to the Federal Reserve setting interest rates.

If an investor expects to be in a higher tax bracket in the future—perhaps due to anticipated income increases, changes in tax law, or the sale of a business, which may include income—it may be advantageous to realize gains now at a lower tax rate.

A defined benefit retiredment plan, often overlooked in favor of defined contribution plans like 401(k)s, offers significant tax advantages and allows for substantial retirement savings.

I may not have an edge in timing when the good times will end with cryptocurrencies; however, relatively speaking, I do have an edge on artificial intelligence, not as an investor but as an early adopter who understands the technology and its current and eventual effect on corporations.

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I am always happy to converse about the things that excite, scare, or interest us the most—even if those feelings are sometimes just placeholders until the next latest thing buzzes in our ear and needs to be swatted away (or toward!) our investment portfolios.

But who judges the performance of the CEOs of the approximately 99 percent of U.S. companies that are privately held? What if you are the CEO, and things are going

Home Business CAPITAL IDEAS: What... CAPITAL IDEAS: What does my dad’s Christmas present tell us to expect from the stock market in 2025?

Handing off to the next generation a business that has defined you for decades is no small task. But if business owners cannot relinquish or share the rein, notes columnist Allen Harris, they risk depriving the next generation — and the company — of fresh ideas.

What do I consider when calculating that potential return of 15 percent or more? Corporate earnings? Interest rates? The second derivative of inflation? Animal spirits? Darts thrown by monkeys? I am not that sophisticated; I look at history.