In honor of the wonderful animals in our lives, we are sharing a photo album of Legacy Trust members and their beloved pets:                                       

As the summer winds down, we approach what many of us in Michigan call “the dog days of summer.” A time to bask in the warm sunshine, reflect on the summer activities and start planning for the fall and winter seasons ahead. For some, it’s also a time to assess their personal financial situation –…

In the mid-1700s, two ministers of the Church of Scotland caused a major change within their church community; the impact of which still reverberates even today. The two men did not create any new branches of theology, although “Acts of God” would fall under the umbrella of their work. What these two ministers created was…

How much do I need to have saved to comfortably retire? What could I do right now to increase my chance of a successful retirement? If I die tomorrow, what kind of (financial) legacy will I leave? Should I pay down my mortgage or set aside more money into an investment account? Whether expressed directly…

With the recent trend of political turmoil boiling over into our everyday lives and the increasing threat of inflation withering away at the purchasing power of our dollar, gold has become a topic of conversation recently. It is the asset that is classically associated with protection against both uncertain times (picture someone’s basement stocked with…

In April, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a long-awaited rule that would hold brokers and investment advisors to a “fiduciary standard” for the investment of IRA and 401(k) accounts. The basic focus of the rule was to move the brokers and other investment advisors from the “suitability standard” to the higher “fiduciary standard”,…

2017 marks the 13th anniversary of the formation of Legacy Trust.  As we begin this year I wanted to offer that number in quick financial/life tips and ideas to hopefully provoke some thoughts and actions. Increase your 401k contribution percentage (even if that increase is by one percent, it can certainly add up over time).…

Do you own your own business?  Do you work in a field where you are at a high risk of being sued (ex. doctors, nurses, lawyers)?  Do you worry about protecting your assets from potential creditors?  Michigan passed a law in early December that can help, and it will take effect in March 2017.  The…

My name is Tracey Hornbeck and I joined Legacy Trust just 8 weeks ago as Chief Operating Officer and CFO. After 20 years in the industry with a larger institution, it was time to make a change. I carefully thought through what was most important to me in my next career move as well as…