Today's Wealth Management Pulse
Asian families shift inheritance from land to equity portfolios
A slowdown in real‑estate values and tighter credit are prompting wealthy Asian families to move away from traditional property inheritance toward diversified financial assets, with parents like South Korea’s Choi Nam‑joon gifting shares of Samsung Electronics to their children for long‑term growth.
A Big Refund Feels Good, but Getting More of Your Money Throughout the Year May Feel Better
The interview with Mike Meese, president of Armed Forces Mutual, emphasizes that large tax refunds often signal over‑withholding and should be treated as missed cash flow rather than a windfall. He advises using refunds to eliminate high‑interest credit‑card debt, build an emergency fund, or follow a two‑thirds‑one‑third rule that places most of the money into retirement or tax‑advantaged accounts and spends the remainder. Meese also recommends recalculating withholding with the IRS calculator to keep money throughout the year. Finally, he outlines education benefits for military families, including the Post‑9/11 GI Bill, state tuition programs, and 529 plans.
Identify and Overcome 3 Biases Sabotaging Your Returns
👋 Hey, I am speaking IN PERSON in Charlotte, NC next month, but I want to know what you think about this topic. The 3 Enemies Secretly Hurting Your Investing Returns Description: Your brain is working against you as an...
Strategic Tax Planning Saves Over $260K Annually
If I did no tax planning or strategy, I'd give up $260K+/year to federal, state, and self-employment taxes. Here's every move I have mapped out for 2026 and why:
The ’24-Hour Rule’ That Keeps Retirees From Blowing Their Savings on Impulse Buys
Impulse buying remains a pervasive habit, with 89% of shoppers admitting to spur‑of‑the‑moment purchases and the average consumer spending $282 per month on such items in 2024. Retirees, who rely on fixed incomes and savings, are especially vulnerable; a modest...
Boost Your Portfolio with Stocks Offering Sustainable Dividends, Bank of America Says
Bank of America advises investors to chase sustainable dividend yields above the S&P 500’s modest 1.1% to improve total‑return performance amid stagflation risks. Using a Russell 1000 screen focused on the second quintile of trailing yields, the bank highlighted PepsiCo (3.6% yield)...
Adding Bitcoin Alongside Gold to Your Portfolio Juiced Returns and Didn't Raise Risk, Study Shows
Citi’s ten‑year study finds that adding both gold and bitcoin to a traditional bond‑and‑equity mix lifts portfolio efficiency without adding measurable risk. A modest 5% exposure to gold already improves returns, and splitting that slice between gold and bitcoin generates...
Adjust Withholding to Keep Money Year‑Round, Not Refunds
I’ve been pretty critical of the Treasury Secretary but what he is saying here makes sense. There have been tax cuts that are generating bigger refunds, rather than waiting to file taxes to get a refund check, reduce your withholding...
Trust Planning for Washington High Earners: ING, NING, and DING Trusts Under ESSB 6346
Washington will launch a state income tax on residents whose AGI exceeds $1 million in 2028. High‑earning Washingtoners can use non‑grantor trusts—often called ING, NING, or DING—sited in Nevada, South Dakota, or Delaware to shift portfolio and passive investment income out...
The Marriage Penalty in ESSB 6346: Why Two Unmarried Washington Earners Can Save $40,000 a Year
Washington's ESSB 6346 imposes a 9.9% tax on household income exceeding $1 million, creating a built‑in marriage penalty for dual‑high‑earner couples. A pair earning $700,000 each would pay roughly $39,600 annually, or nearly $600,000 over a 15‑year career, solely because they...
How I Actually Decide to Put Real Money Into an Investment
The author outlines an eight‑step framework for turning investment ideas into real capital allocations, emphasizing disciplined position sizing over mere idea generation. Early screening focuses on low EV/EBIT, price‑to‑book and cash‑flow metrics, while quick‑kill criteria weed out unclear or risky...
Free Cash Earns Interest, but 1.5% Fee Erodes Returns
𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗛 That's any uninvested Rand sitting in your ZAR or TFSA account. It accrues daily and gets credited on the first business day of the following month. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝘀 (𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 -𝟯.𝟱%). They...
Even a Rigged Market, I’ll Still Chase Wealth
We all know the stock market’s rigged. I’m still gonna get my piece of it though cause our options for building wealth in this capitalistic hellscape are limited.
Fidelity Study Finds Sun Belt Retirement Costs May Outpace Savings
Fidelity Investments released a cost‑of‑living study that warns retirees moving to Sun Belt states may face higher insurance premiums, property taxes and home prices than anticipated. The analysis, based on data for roughly 300,000 annual retirees, shows Florida’s combined homeowners...
Understanding Trend Following: A Strategic Diversifier for Modern Portfolios
The Meketa Investment Group’s December 2025 whitepaper examines trend‑following strategies over the 2000‑mid‑2025 period, reporting an annualized 4.9% return with 13.4% volatility—positioned between U.S. bonds and global equities. The research highlights “crisis alpha,” showing positive gains during the dot‑com bust,...
Live Deep Dive: Profiting From Sharp Equity Drawdowns
Join us on 4/23 for a live deep dive into the Alpha Architect Tail Risk ETF, our answer to fast equity crashes. We’ll discuss how $CAOS seeks to gain from sharp equity drawdowns, how it may fit in portfolios, and how...
J.P. Morgan AISS’ Pulkit Sharma on How REITs Play Complementary Role in Diversified Portfolios
Pulkit Sharma, head of J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Alternatives Investment Strategy and Solutions, highlighted how public REITs and private real‑estate assets can be combined to boost portfolio performance. He cited a data‑driven framework, co‑authored with GIC Singapore, that recommends 20‑40%...
Invest Under $100: ETFs Offer Broad Market Exposure
You don’t need thousands to start investing. There are solid ETFs you can buy for under $100 a share—and they still give you exposure to hundreds (or even thousands) of companies. Here are a few strong options: • SCHD → focused on dividend-paying...
The Overlooked Truth: Estate Planning Is a Family Law Issue
Estate planning is fundamentally a family law matter, intertwining asset distribution with marriage, divorce, remarriage, and child guardianship. Major life events require timely updates to wills, trusts, and power‑of‑attorney documents to reflect new priorities. Clear, legally‑verified instructions prevent probate disputes,...
LSDI Fees Often Outweigh Tax-Loss Harvest Savings
"For a typical investor, the fees paid to a leveraged long/short direct indexing (LSDI) tax-loss harvesting manager eat up most of the tax savings. In our base case, the investor pays more than half as much in fees as the...
Maxing Custodial Contributions Turns Son Into Future Millionaire
By far the most rewarding part about creating my own path in life is the ability to max out the annual contribution to my son's custodial account. By the time he inherits the account, he will be a millionaire thanks...
35% of Gen Z Homebuyers Are Single Women, Research Shows. Here’s Why They Need an Estate Plan
A National Association of Realtors report shows 35% of Gen Z homebuyers are single women, up from 30% a year earlier and the highest share among age groups. These buyers, aged 18‑26, often purchase their largest asset without an estate plan—60%...
How the Wealthy Are Planning to Cut Their 2026 Tax Bills
Wealthy Americans are reshaping their 2026 tax strategies after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made many 2025 provisions permanent. With the estate‑tax exemption now $15 million, advisors are focusing on capital‑gains mitigation through long‑short tax‑loss harvesting and renewed bonus depreciation. Clients are also...
Social Security Survivor Benefits for Spouses
Social Security survivor benefits are distinct from spousal benefits and can provide up to 100% of the deceased worker’s entitlement, whereas spousal benefits are capped at 50% of the worker’s full retirement amount. To qualify, a current spouse must have...
SigFig Wealth Management Sells $37 Million USXF Stake, Trims ESG Exposure
SigFig Wealth Management, LLC sold 640,667 shares of the iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA ETF (USXF) for an estimated $37.4 million, leaving a residual 29,588 shares worth about $1.6 million. The move, disclosed in an April 14 filing, reflects a strategic rebalance after...
Suze Orman Urges Taxpayers to Channel Record $3,571 Refunds Into Savings and Debt Payoff
Suze Orman warns that the average 2026 federal tax refund of $3,571—10.9% higher than last year—should be used to strengthen financial security, not fund impulse purchases. She outlines six concrete steps, from emergency savings to car maintenance, as households face...
Damian Stancombe: Why IFAs Need a New Framework for Retirement Advice
Defined‑contribution pensions in the UK have reached a tipping point, with nearly half of 55‑64‑year‑olds holding only a DC pot built for accumulation rather than drawdown. The 2015 Pension Freedoms amplified the mismatch, leaving retirees uncertain about how long their...
4 Reasons UK Homeowners Over 60 Are Choosing Lifetime Mortgages in 2026 (and 3 Reasons Others Are Walking Away)
In 2026 UK homeowners aged over 60 are increasingly turning to lifetime mortgages, a form of equity release that provides tax‑free cash without mandatory monthly repayments. Uptake has risen as interest rates have steadied around 3.3% and traditional refinancing options...
Do You Want a Plan or a Crisis? Connecting the Older and Younger Generation in Farm Transition
In this Real Agriculture episode recorded at the Advancing Women’s Conference, senior wealth advisor Sandra Misenko‑Merkley discusses the critical importance of financial succession planning for farm families. She emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary team—including accountants, lawyers, and insurance strategists—to...
Navigate the New Financial Landscape With BCFN
Baron Capital’s Baron Financials ETF (BCFN) offers an actively managed, high‑conviction portfolio of roughly 40 technology‑focused financial companies. Managed by Josh Saltman, the fund seeks firms that leverage data, digital payments and AI to capture growth beyond traditional banking. BCFN...
4 Retirement Planning Lessons I Learned From 'Everesting'
Lincoln Financial’s Tim Seifert draws parallels between "Everesting" climbs and retirement planning, urging advisors to visualize a client’s retirement summit, break the journey into small, repeatable steps, and act as a supportive community. He highlights the looming "Peak 65" wave as...
TaxStatus Expands on Integration with Advice.ai
TaxStatus, an IRS account‑monitoring service, has deepened its partnership with Advice.ai, adding twelve AI‑generated tax‑planning strategies to its platform at no cost. The integration leverages up to 13 years of IRS data and Advice.ai’s knowledge base to automatically generate personalized...
How Bond Optimizers Can Work More Optimally—And Why It Matters
Bond optimizers are evolving from simple allocation tools into fully integrated digital platforms that combine market data, detailed bond analytics, and portfolio managers' research insights. By digitizing core scores, scenario risk ratings, and liquidity metrics, these systems can rank thousands...
Buy 3 Neuberger Berman Mutual Funds for a Strong Portfolio
Neuberger Berman, managing $567 billion, recommends three mutual funds—mid‑cap growth (NMANX), large‑cap value (NPRTX) and intrinsic value (NINAX)—each holding a Zacks #1 Strong Buy rating. The funds deliver 3‑year annualized returns between 11% and 12.1% and feature expense ratios from 0.74% to...
The Remarkable Liquidity Of Financial Advisory Firms When Planning Your Own Advisor Retirement: Kitces & Carl 188
Advisors nearing retirement must translate firm value into a reliable exit asset while preserving client continuity. Kitces and Carl Richards explain that buyers focus on free cash flow, client retention and transferability rather than top‑line revenue. The podcast contrasts internal...
Fewer Decisions, More Conviction Drive Real Success
It's easy to conflate activity with progress 76% of family offices expect to make ten transactions or fewer each year Warren Buffett famously told business school students to imagine a punch card with only 20 slots, representing every investment decision they'd be...
Saturday 11am: Anchor Portfolio Deep Dive & Diversification
11 am on Saturday, folks. Our pms has the anchor portfolio presentation and a deeper look at getting a more diversified approach.
3 Top-Ranked MFS Mutual Funds for Strong Returns
MFS, a Boston‑based asset manager with $645.3 billion AUM, highlighted three of its blended research equity funds that have posted strong three‑year returns. The large‑cap BRUHX returned 12.3% annually, the mid‑cap BMSYX posted 12.2% with a low 0.49% expense ratio, and...
Next‑Gen Investors Transform Southeast Asia Family Offices
How next-gen investors are reshaping #familyoffices in #SoutheastAsia: Increased use of external managers, technology, and formal investment committees is reshaping how family capital is allocated and managed. @CFAinstitute: https://t.co/CoGlTf7MNQ #WealthManagement https://t.co/7zz8gKxijd
Choosing Investing or Debt Payoff Depends on Family Priorities
This is a good example of every family is different. Investing vs paying off debt is a very personal decision that’s not solely based on numbers
STR Search Launches Turnkey Short‑Term Rental Service for High‑Income Investors
STR Search introduced a technology‑enabled, done‑for‑you short‑term rental acquisition service aimed at investors earning $200,000 to $1 million plus. Backed by a $50,000 tax‑savings guarantee and a $5,000 happiness guarantee, the platform promises to cut 500‑1,000 hours of work per deal.
File Now—Penalty for Not Filing Beats Penalty for Not Paying
Missed Tax Day? File anyway. Failure-to-file penalties > failure-to-pay penalties. Even if you can’t pay yet, filing today can save you money.
Pimco Goes Overweight on European Sovereign Debt After War‑Driven Selloff
Pimco has shifted its stance to overweight European sovereign debt, adding exposure across its global bond funds after a sharp selloff sparked by the Middle East conflict. Chief Investment Officer Andrew Balls says the war‑driven unwind created a pricing gap...
Lifetime Income Seen as ‘Missing Link’ in Retirement Security as Policymakers Face Mounting Pressure
Prudential Financial and the Global Aging Institute released new research highlighting a critical gap in retirement systems: the lack of reliable lifetime‑income options. The study warns that the global shift to defined‑contribution plans leaves retirees exposed to longevity risk and...
Old Annuities Contain Untapped Potential for Clients and Advisers: Here's Why
Recent Federal Reserve rate hikes drove a surge in annuity payouts during 2022‑23, but subsequent rate cuts and the prospect of another rise have left many older contracts underperforming. Advisors are urged to conduct formal annuity reviews every 12‑24 months,...
Tech Has Simplified Direct Indexing, and That's Not the Only Reason Financial Advisers Should Make the Leap
Advances in technology have removed many of the operational hurdles that once limited direct indexing, giving financial advisers a viable alternative to traditional ETFs and mutual funds. Pooled vehicles suffer from opaque holdings, hidden overlap, limited tax‑loss harvesting, portfolio drift,...
Middle East Conflict Driving Wealth Flows Back Toward Europe, Says Pictet
The Iran conflict is prompting high‑net‑worth investors to move capital from Gulf hubs toward Europe, especially Switzerland, seeking political stability and diversification. Pictet managing partner Laurent Ramsey told Bloomberg that clients are spreading custody across multiple jurisdictions to reduce concentration...
I'm Paying 0.75% on a $2M Portfolio. How Can I Tell If It's Worth the Cost?
Paying a 0.75% annual fee on a $2 million portfolio translates to $15,000 per year. The rate sits in the middle of the industry range, with robo‑advisors often charging 0.25%‑0.5% and traditional advisors up to 2% for smaller accounts. Evaluating whether...
Build Enduring Assets in a Short‑attention World
"How do you build a 40-year asset in a world with a ten-minute attention span?"
Citi and Endowus Expand Partnership with Credit Card Offering
Citi Hong Kong and digital wealth platform Endowus have launched a joint credit‑card promotion, offering eligible Endowus clients a HK$4,000 (≈ $512) cash reward when they obtain a new Citi Prestige Card. The initiative builds on Citi Ventures’ 2023 investment in...
4 Alternative Investments for Accredited Investors
Accredited investors—those meeting SEC income or net‑worth thresholds—can tap into alternative assets such as private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate, and hedge funds. These options promise higher return potential and portfolio diversification but often involve illiquidity, higher fees,...