Today's Wealth Management Pulse
SmartAsset outlines a three‑step wealth‑building plan for early‑30s earners
Financial planners recommend that workers first capture any employer‑matched retirement contributions, then set aside 10‑20% of gross pay for savings, and finally eliminate debt with rates above roughly 10%. They also advise establishing a 3‑6‑month emergency fund in a high‑yield account to ensure liquidity.
Also developing:
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Understanding Section 1250: Taxation of Depreciated Real Property
Section 1250 of the Internal Revenue Code forces ordinary‑income tax on gains from the sale of real property when accelerated depreciation exceeds what straight‑line depreciation would have allowed. The rule applies mainly to commercial and residential assets that were depreciated using accelerated methods, though the IRS now mandates straight‑line depreciation for properties placed in service after 1986, making recapture uncommon. Exceptions include transfers by gift, death, or like‑kind exchange, which are not subject to Section 1250. The regulation caps ordinary‑income recapture at the actual gain realized on the sale.
AI‑Powered ALM Tool Cuts Planning to 10 Minutes
I spent a lot of 2025 using a clunky version of GPT to build a pretty sophisticated 3 stage asset-liability matching tool. *TODAY* I took the framework of that tool and used Claude to reconfigure it into a single stage...
Endure the Silence, Reap Decades of 20% Returns
The hardest part of value investing isn't the math. It's the silence. Silence when your portfolio lags the index for 18 months. Silence when your group says you're wrong. Munger tolerated that silence. That's why he compounded at 20%+ for decades.
Grey Owl Capital Management Posts 1.7% Q1 Gain as Markets Falter
Grey Owl Capital Management released its Q1 2026 client letter, showing the All-Season Strategy posted a 1.7% return despite a 4.4% drop in U.S. equities and a 13% plunge in the Nasdaq‑100. The letter details how commodities rallied 39.9% and...
BlackRock’s Spring 2026 Investment Directions Calls for AI‑Heavy, Large‑Cap Equity Tilt
BlackRock released its Spring 2026 Investment Directions, recommending a stronger bias toward AI‑focused large‑cap equities, emerging‑market stocks and a diversified basket of alternatives. The commentary comes as oil supply shocks and Middle‑East tensions keep volatility high, prompting the firm to...
Schwab’s SCHE ETF Lures Investors with 0.07% Fees and 2.7% Yield
Schwab’s Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SCHE) is gaining traction after analysts highlighted its ultra‑low 0.07% expense ratio and 2.7% distribution yield, making it the cheapest high‑yield EM fund. The ETF’s 2,200‑plus holdings and sector tilt toward technology and finance position...
Private‑Bank Tools Go Mainstream in 2026
Trust structures. Premium financing. Credit lines. Multi-currency custody. For most of the last 30 years, these instruments lived mainly inside a private bank. The shelf looks different in 2026.
Investing Fundamentals: A Simple Guide for Beginners
The article breaks down investing fundamentals for beginners, stressing that cash left in savings loses value to inflation and that owning shares or diversified index funds can preserve purchasing power. It explains how stocks are bought through brokerages and why...
ETFs: Steady Long-Term Wealth Builders, Not Hot Picks
ETFs aren’t the next "hot stock" but they'll build wealth for you over the long term
4 Ways to Leave Money to Your Grandchildren
Grandparents have four primary tools to transfer wealth to grandchildren: annual tax‑free gifts, 529 college savings plans, custodial UGMA/UTMA accounts, and tailored trusts. The IRS permits $19,000 per recipient each year without gift tax, while 529 plans allow five‑year front‑loading...
This 'Sleep Like a Baby' Portfolio Strategy Is Having Its Best Year in Nearly a Century, BofA's Hartnett Says
Bank of America chief investment strategist Michael Hartnett promotes a “sleep like a baby” portfolio that allocates equally to stocks, bonds, cash and commodities. The mix posted its strongest annual gain since 1933 and ranks the third‑best outperformance versus the...
New Online IRS Tax Debt Tool Helps Taxpayers Find the Best Way to Pay
The Internal Revenue Service has introduced a new online Tax Debt Help tool on its Get Help With Tax Debt page. The interactive questionnaire asks six financial‑status questions and then recommends the most suitable resolution, such as a temporary collection...
Valuation: Pay for Proven Earnings, Not Future Guesswork
Most people think valuation means guessing the future. It doesn't. It means buying proven earning power cheap. Here's the difference: 1️⃣ Forecasting asks: what will this earn? 2️⃣ Valuation asks: what has this already earned, and what am I paying for it? 3️⃣ One is...
Advisors Highlight NFL 401(k) for Standout 200 Percent Match
Financial advisors are spotlighting the NFL’s Second Career Savings Plan, a 401(k) that provides a 200% employer match—two dollars for every player‑contributed dollar. Rookie contracts range from $16 million to $55 million, and players can contribute up to $24,500 in 2026, potentially...
How to Use IRS Form 843: Refund Claims and Tax Abatements
IRS Form 843 is the dedicated request vehicle for taxpayers seeking refunds of overpaid taxes, or abatements of penalties and interest. It is used for first‑time penalty relief, reasonable‑cause claims, and corrections of erroneous IRS written advice, but not for...
Alphabet’s Investment Engine Beats Buffett‑Style Value Play, Delivering $900 M SpaceX Gain
Alphabet’s strategic portfolio, highlighted by a $900 million early stake in SpaceX and a 48% surge in Google Cloud sales, is delivering returns that outpace classic value‑investing benchmarks. The tech giant’s approach is prompting wealth managers to rethink long‑term allocation models...
Empower Unveils Five-Block Blueprint to Combat $246 Billion Financial Illiteracy Gap
Empower introduced a five‑building‑block financial‑literacy framework, citing that U.S. adults collectively lost $948 per person in 2025—more than $246 billion—due to knowledge gaps. The plan targets budgeting, saving, investing, credit management, and goal setting to lift the average 2025 FICO score...
Fintech Bytes: Advisor360 Embeds Financial Planning via Conquest
Advisor360 partnered with Conquest Planning to embed a native, hybrid goals‑ and cash‑flow‑based planning engine directly into its platform, allowing advisors to create and manage plans without leaving the household context. 55ip added custom T. Rowe Price model portfolios with its ActiveTax...
Family Office Advisor: Client Services and Examples
Family office advisors act as a single point of contact for ultra‑wealthy families, coordinating investment, tax, estate, insurance, philanthropy, and lifestyle services. They operate through three models—single‑family, multi‑family, and outsourced—each with different asset minimums ranging from roughly $5 million to over...
Real Assets Guided Chart Pack
Orion Portfolio Solutions has released a Real Assets Guided Chart Pack that evaluates infrastructure, real estate, commodities and natural resources as portfolio diversifiers. The guide emphasizes inflation‑hedging potential, low correlation with equities and bonds, and durable income streams that can...
Caution: Record‑High Markets May Not Be Wise Investment
Should we invest when the stock markets are at record highs? The UK government and big investment platforms have launched a campaign helped by a Savvy squirrel 🐿️ but the Bank of England says financial markets are too high....
Tax Planning as the Backbone of a Durable Retirement Income Plan
A durable retirement income plan hinges on proactive tax planning, not just cash‑flow generation. While tax preparation reports past liabilities, tax planning strategically shapes withdrawals, Roth conversions, and Social Security timing to manage taxable income over decades. Without coordination, retirees...
How to Have Hard Talks with Overspending Clients
Advisors warn that retirees often splurge on cars, boats, second homes and frequent dining, which can erode portfolio longevity. Emotional motivations drive roughly 70% of these purchasing decisions, making candid conversations essential. Tools such as spending simulations, regular check‑ins and...
Active ETFs Blend Professional Management With Tax Efficiency
Actively managed ETFs have surged after a 2019 regulatory reform that streamlined their launch, now outnumbering passive ETFs in product count despite assets remaining largely passive. Asset managers are repackaging proven mutual‑fund strategies into ETF wrappers, offering investors professional oversight...
Rethink 60/40: Adopt 60/20/20 with Uncorrelated Assets
With bonds and stocks once again positively correlated (per the chart below), the current/recent market episode served as another reminder to look beyond the 60/40 for that balance between returns and risk. Since 2022 I have been advocating for a 60/20/20...
Estate Planning for Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) increasingly comprises a sizable portion of creators' net worth, demanding estate plans that go beyond traditional assets. Effective planning starts with a detailed inventory of trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets and any licensing agreements. Because IP can...
Ultra‑rich Wealth Surge Fuels Market Resilience, Analysts Miss
WSJ: "There are about 430,000 U.S. households worth $30 million or more, according to an analysis of Federal Reserve data by Zidar. Within that, there are about 74,000 worth $100 million or more. Over the past few decades, the growth...
Social Security Announces 2.8% COLA, Yet Retirees Still Feel Inflation Pinch
Social Security revealed a 2.8% cost‑of‑living adjustment for 2026, boosting monthly checks but leaving many retirees short after Medicare Part B premium hikes and a 20% erosion of purchasing power since 2010.
Goldwise Launches to Shake up Precious Metals Investing
Goldwise, a UK fintech founded by ex‑Royal Mint executives, has unveiled a mobile platform that lets savers buy, manage and sell fractional physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium. The service uses the proprietary Goldwise Engine to handle onboarding, pricing, payments,...
Ramsey Expert George Kamel Unveils Four Wealth-Building Strategies for 2026
Ramsey Solutions personality George Kamel released a TikTok video detailing four wealth‑building tactics for 2026, urging Americans to live below their means, eliminate all debt, adopt a 50‑30‑20 budget, and automate savings. His advice comes as U.S. workers face rising...
AA Financial Adds $7.8 M of Dimensional Global Ex‑US Bond ETF to Portfolio
AA Financial Advisors, LLC disclosed a new $7.81 million position in Dimensional Global ex‑US Core Fixed Income ETF (DFGX), acquiring 147,515 shares that now represent about 1.1% of its reportable AUM. The move, alongside an $8.3 million stake in Dimensional Global Core...
Add Health Care Planning to Your Firm’s Services
Financial advisors are increasingly expected to guide clients on health‑insurance and Medicare, yet a stark gap remains. A 2021 Spectrem Group study shows 65% of affluent investors want health‑care advice, but only 4% receive it from their advisors. Caribou, led...
Wealth Specialists Warn of Risks to Estate Planning as IHT Receipts Reach Record £8.5bn
Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts rose to £8.5 billion (about $10.8 billion) in the 2025‑26 tax year, marking a fifth straight record. The surge stems from the freeze on the £325,000 nil‑rate band and the £175,000 residence nil‑rate band until 2031, combined with...
Dynasty Teams with Ester for AI‑Powered Estate Tax Insights
Dynasty Embeds https://t.co/33aR1yzWFH's Ester to Deliver AI Estate and Tax Intelligence to Advisors First external partner contributing dedicated agent to Dynasty's AI suite. Ester analyzes estate plans, accounts, documents, notes, emails, CRM data → generates tax + trust insights for advisors....
Ask Tom Anything - April 2026
Thomas A. Gorczynski’s April 2026 "Ask Tom Anything" post launches a subscriber‑only tax Q&A series. The tax specialist invites paid readers to submit questions on filing, strategy, or practice management, noting he may not answer every query. The article includes a...
StockTA's Steuer: Market's Rally Has It Due for a Pause, Awaiting Clarity
The episode explores why the recent market rally may be pausing, with Kevin Stewart of StockTA citing heightened geopolitical risks, oil price volatility, and inflation concerns that have pushed him out of equities more than any time since COVID. Guests...
Fiduciary Management, Inc.’s Q1 2026 Investor Letter
Fiduciary Management, Inc. (FMI) released its Q1 2026 investor letter, noting that the Iran war triggered a sharp sell‑off in global equities. The S&P 500 fell 4.33% and MSCI World dropped 3.57%, while the Russell 2000 and MSCI EAFE slipped 0.89% and 1.24% respectively....
Five Tax‑Smart Accounts to Grow Your Child’s Wealth
5 ways to build wealth for your kid: 1. 529 plan. Get tax deduction for contributing in many states. Grows tax free and withdrawals are tax free for education. 2. UTMA account. Taxable account that child owns. Reduces financial aid. 3. Trump account....
DIY Investing Surge in Canada Sparks Investor Risk Concerns
A sharp increase in self‑directed investing among Canadians is prompting industry experts to warn that many newcomers may be making costly errors. The trend reflects the appeal of low‑cost platforms, but regulators and wealth managers say the lack of professional...
Pre‑tax Contributions Still Win Despite Future Tax Hikes
While the idea that we currently live in an anomalously low-tax environment that will inevitably reverse course has its appeal, basing one's tax planning decisions around that assumption is still risky. Because even if taxes do creep up nationally, individuals...
Gold, Powell, and Oil Shock Shape Portfolio Strategies
I was on Kitco today with @JeremySzafron. We talked gold, Powell, portfolio construction, and the dynamics of this oil shock. Great show, Jeremy. https://t.co/OikyF9Y4SE via @YouTube
3 Top Refining & Marketing MLPs to Buy for Growth Ahead
Zacks highlights three refining and marketing master limited partnerships—Global Partners LP, Suburban Propane LP, and CrossAmerica Partners LP—as top growth picks. The sector enjoys diversified revenue streams, essential fuel demand, and a Zacks Industry Rank in the top 10% of...
Court Ruling May Void COVID IRS Penalties, Claim Refund
A court ruling (Kwong) could mean that COVID-era IRS deadlines were paused, some penalties/interest may not have been valid & you may be able to claim a refund. ⏰ Deadline: 07/10/26 ⚠️ Likely appeal—consider filing a protective claim Worth a look: https://t.co/gOvV9Lmucl
Advisors Boost Value by Tailoring Client Tax Withholdings
Our #WeekendReading this week includes a timely trio of articles on tax planning, including one on how advisors can offer value to clients by working with them to adjust their withholdings and receive the tax refund (or payment) they desire...
Advisers Seek Co-Manufactured MPS to Better Meet Client Goals
Advisers are increasingly demanding co‑manufactured managed portfolio services (MPS) that align with client objectives, with 91% valuing a strategic partner for such solutions, according to Charles Stanley of Raymond James Wealth Management. The survey highlights that alignment with target‑market suitability (34%), ability...
AI Tools Can Streamline Your Retirement Planning
Want to use #AI to plan your retirement? Here’s how to proceed by Betsy Vereckey @MITSloan Learn more: https://t.co/950iah57tk #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #ML https://t.co/NGJF9uqj4l
Retiring at 55 Requires More Than $1M Savings
45 year old (+wife & 2 kids) has $1 million saved Spends $12k/month Saves $130k/year Wants to retire at age 55 b/c he hates his job Can he retire early? How much does he need? https://t.co/18Hm2FUrJG https://t.co/GEsbZqyuqw
Retirees Are Thinking of Annuities the Wrong Way — and It May Trip Them up, Advisors Say
Annuity sales are rising as retirees seek guaranteed lifetime income, but most buyers gravitate toward variable and indexed annuities instead of the lower‑cost, higher‑payout options like single‑premium immediate annuities (SPIAs) and deferred income annuities (DIAs). In 2025, consumers purchased roughly...
Investing Made Fun: A Must-Read for All Levels
Been reading my early copy of @awealthofcs’s new book. Ben’s got a gift for taking important but often dry investing lessons and making them accessible and entertaining. Great for novice investors looking to avoid mistakes as well as experienced investors...
Top 3 Balanced Funds to Navigate Market Volatility
U.S. markets remain volatile, driven by geopolitical headlines and oil prices above $100 per barrel, but have rebounded as tensions ease. Economic data show mixed inflation signals, resilient consumer demand, and a strong labor market. Analysts recommend three balanced mutual...