Posts by W.A. Smith Financial

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just for Amazon’s Alexa anymore. Health care patients are starting to see more mainstream uses of AI-enabled tools, such as:1 Robot-assisted surgery Virtual nursing assistants that stay in contact with both patients and providers Connected health management devices that you can download on your smartphone, wear on your body or…

Today, more Americans are getting their life insurance through their employer rather than purchasing a policy on the individual market, according to LIMRA, an industry market research firm.1 At the same time, fewer employers are offering life insurance as a benefit. LIMRA research showed 23 percent fewer employers offered life insurance in 2017 compared with 2006.2…

These days people are more transient, less grounded by geographical roots and familial connections. Perhaps we have become more willing to move when life throws us lemons — choosing to make lemonade somewhere else. Economists track migration trends, and cities watch such data closely. One recent study by real estate brokerage Redfin revealed that the…

From the beginning, President Donald Trump’s economic policies have intended to put “America first.” Since the ultimate goal of such policies is to strengthen America’s economic growth, solve for domestic issues and make the nation more secure, it’s worth a review of how well policy changes are working toward those goals. According to the World…

General Motors recently announced the pending closure of three U.S. assembly plants and the discontinuation of six cars made at those plants. While large sedans are no longer big sellers in the United States, they remain popular in China, and GM will continue to manufacture them there.1 China is GM’s largest market; the automaker sells…

What’s the secret to Col. Sanders’ recipe for fried chicken? Is the reason Coca-Cola tastes different from Pepsi based on a formula locked up in a vault at corporate headquarters? For many companies, their trade secrets – also known as intellectual property (IP) – are a key differentiator and the primary reason for their success.…

By now, most of us know to check with our health insurance company to make sure our physician or specialist referral is covered by our health care plan and within the covered network. But what if you’re unconscious or in some other medical emergency? Say, for instance, you need to be airlifted to a medical…

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced federal income tax liability for some, but not all, Americans. Wealthy residents of California, New York and other high-tax states could face a higher tax bill when they file their 2018 return.1 While cutting tax rates on ordinary income, increasing the standard deduction and doubling the…

In the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), among gains for the United States is a new provision negotiated with Mexico related to auto products. Under the new terms, to qualify for tariff-free sales, 75 percent of automobile materials must be produced in the United States and…

Space: The final frontier. Or is it? The U.S. is again taking a serious look at space exploration, but there are many factors to consider. President Trump last summer called for the Department of Defense to move space operations to a sixth military branch, though funding such an effort would require congressional approval.1 The U.S.…