“When you look at bear markets and economic turmoil, markets get a little bit irrational, and sometimes do the opposite of what you expect,” Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer and president of First American Trust, said in an interview.” Learn more about the recent volatility roiling the markets in this Yahoo article. Read More›

“A lot of investors are looking at inflation to get guidance on what the Fed is going to do, to find the bottom in the market once the Fed pivots,” Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer and president of First American Trust..." Read more about how US stocks fell in reaction to a University of Michigan report in this Bloomberg article. Read More›

Join us for a CE course for estate planning attorneys and CPAs. Asset protection planning can greatly aid your clients and their family during vulnerable financial situations from aggressive creditors. As an Estate planner, you should strive to offer your clients the advantages and techniques to implement asset protection early in the estate ... Read More›

Higher mortgage rates have reduced affordability and cooled the housing market, while economic uncertainty has added to buyer hesitation. Watch Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation, discuss the state of the nation’s economy and housing market. This recorded session focuses on the health of the U.S. economy, ... Read More›

We’re looking forward to connecting with you at the 2022 ALTA ONE conference October 11-14 in San Diego, CA. Read More›

“We are very excited about the integration with SoftPro Select,” commented Sheri Olsen, First American Trust national director banking services. “This integration allows agents to manage daily banking responsibilities directly in their SoftPro platform creating efficiencies and cost savings. First American Trust is an expert in title and escrow ... Read More›

Jerry Braakman, president and chief investment officer of First American Trust in Santa Ana, Calif., said he is seeking safety in the U.S. Treasury bonds, cash and defensive stock sectors this year. He isn’t looking to add to his international equity exposure, such as in emerging markets, China, Japan and Europe in the near term, he added. Read ... Read More›

“They’re not so concerned about heading into a recession as they are in combating inflation—so that makes for a very dangerous setup,” said Jerry Braakman, president and chief investment officer of First American Trust in Santa Ana, California.” Read more about the anticipated interest-rate increases following Federal Chairman Jerome Powell’s ... Read More›

Join us for a CE course for estate planning attorneys and CPAs. A poorly conceived or sloppily designed estate plan can actually cause more problems than it solves. Fortunately, under the laws of most jurisdictions, various judicial and non-judicial options exist with which to remedy estate planning problems after-the-fact. A well-rounded estate ... Read More›

"…If you try to book an airline ticket, it's still quite expensive, and that's why it doesn't feel like a recession yet. Hopefully we don't get there. Technically, we may be in one, but it doesn't really feel like it because nominally things are still inflating ... and jobs levels are still quite healthy at 3.5%,” stated Jerry Braakman. Jerry ... Read More›

“What you don’t want to do is panic and harm your long-term finances by making portfolio moves driven by fear and emotion that will put you deeper in a hole. What’s past is past. Your job is to minimize the damage of the market downturn and look ahead. You want to position your portfolio for the market’s next phase,” says Jerry Braakman, president ... Read More›

Join us for a CE course for estate planning attorneys and CPAs. Outside the context of outright gifts of cash to a public charity, charitable giving can be complicated. Familiar examples of charitable giving techniques that can present challenges include charitable gift annuities, split-interest charitable trusts, farm or residence remainder ... Read More›