PRINCETON, N.J. – WithumSmith+Brown PC (Withum), a top-30 audit, tax and advisory firm, has announced the establishment of its “Trumponomics Think Tank,” a group of industry thought leaders specializing in the President-elect’s proposed tax, international business, energy, insurance, healthcare reform and energy policies. Withum’s highly credentialed Think Tank team can provide expert commentary/projections regarding the latest developments in these and other related areas of specialization pre- and post-inauguration.
Different Times, Different Thinking:
Members of the media are welcome to contact the following individuals directly, however please copy carin@cmmstrategic.com on all correspondence to ensure a timely response.
- “It’s a bit early at this point to estimate the impact of a Trump presidency on the economy as we try and understand where campaign rhetoric and reality intersect. With that said, there is reason to be optimistic that proposed tax reform and infrastructure investment (if well thought out) would be positive for the economy over the medium and long term. How things play out with respect to trade is also something we will be watching closely,” said Jason Kunkel, CFA, CBE, FRM, Withum’s certified business economist who analyzes economic data to develop forecasts on a wide variety of issues, including energy costs, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, business cycles, taxes, and employment levels. Contact: jkunkel@withum.com
- “We expect the combination of a firming labor market and a pro-growth, pro-business agenda will likely lead to a steady increase in the cost of money. Unlike yields in Europe and Japan, which have been negative for some time, U.S. interest rates remain positive and are moving higher. Furthermore, we would not be surprised to see negative real-rate differentials that currently exist to rapidly decline by late 2017/early 2018 as short-term rates catch up to the rate of inflation,” said Jim Ferrare, CFA, CPA, president of PWM Advisory Services, the firm’s investment advisory affiliate, which manages over $300M in assets on behalf of high-net-worth clients and $3B overall. He is an innovative thinker with an original perspective on investment trends and the stock market. Contact: jferrare@pwm-nj.com
- “Although I do expect changes to the Affordable Care Act, I don’t believe the Act will be repealed in its entirety. Certain provisions will likely be repealed while others, such as pre-existing conditions or coverage of dependents to age 26, are anticipated to remain intact. If the new administration does repeal provisions of the Act, it will likely be done gradually and not overnight,” said Tony Panico, CPA, Withum partner and practice leader of the firm’s Healthcare Reform Advisory Services. He can address how employers will be affected by changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Contact: apanico@withum.com
Other Members of Withum’s “Think Tank:”
- Bill Hagaman, CPA, CGMA, Withum’s managing partner and CEO, who specializes in merger and acquisitions and international business. Contact: bhagaman@withum.com
- Tony Nitti, CPA, MST, Withum tax partner and a highly regarded Forbes.com columnist covering tax policy and key court decisions. Nitti also is a nationally recognized author and educator of tax policy who was a member of a collaborative engagement team to review candidates’ tax returns and tax plans on behalf of Bloomberg. Contact: anitti@withum.com
- Dave Springsteen, CPA, CGMA, MBA, a Withum tax partner and practice leader of the firm’s National Tax Services Group. In this role he oversees all federal, state, local and international tax matters for business entities, individuals, trusts and estates at the firm. Springsteen has affiliations with finance leaders around the globe who can offer thoughts on changes to international policy. Contact: dspringsteen@withum.com
- Tony Sardis, JD, LLM, president of Withum Insurance Advisory Services, the insurance affiliate of the firm. He possesses deep expertise in insurance strategy development for employers of all sizes as well as high-net-worth individuals. Contact: asardis@withum.com
About: Established in 1974, Withum is an accounting, audit, tax and advisory firm committed to providing quality services and innovative solutions to businesses, non-profits, individuals and communities. The firm, through its 14 national and international-based offices, provides clients with the benefits of a larger organization without compromising the attention and personal service associated with a local business. Ranked among the nation’s 30 largest public accounting and consulting firms, Withum is a member of HLB International, a worldwide network of independent professional accounting firms and business advisors committed to assisting clients build and expand globally.
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