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:
Senate Democrat’s New Tax Proposal Could Change Paychecks for Millions
Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced a bill to eliminate federal income tax for individuals earning up to $46,000 and married couples earning up to $92,000, potentially covering nearly half of U.S. workers. The measure would raise the number of taxpayers paying nothing from about 37 million to roughly 66 million. To fund the cuts, the proposal adds a surcharge on incomes above $1 million, projected to generate $1.5 trillion over ten years. Analysts warn the plan faces steep odds in a Republican‑controlled Senate.
3 Large-Cap Value Funds to Protect Your Portfolio Amid High Inflation
Wholesale prices surged in January, with the producer price index rising 0.5% month‑over‑month and core PPI up 0.8%, keeping inflation well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal. The Fed left rates unchanged at 3.25%‑3.5%, but the data dampens expectations for...
Washington ‘Millionaires Tax’ Headed for Passage as Governor Says He’ll Sign It
Washington is poised to enact a 9.9% income tax on earnings above $1 million, projected to generate about $4 billion annually. Governor Bob Ferguson announced he will sign the revised bill, which allocates 5% of proceeds to child‑care and early‑learning accounts and...
Wealth Blueprint: Invest, Spend Smart, Upskill for Income
Things to focus on to build wealth: - invest wisely (tax advantageous accounts, low cost index funds, consistently) - spend wisely (especially big $$ expenses like cars) - acquire new skills to make more $$$ (certifications, degrees with good ROI) This is the blueprint.
Once Burned, Twice Shy
The article reflects on Fidelity’s Magellan Fund’s disappointing decade after Peter Lynch retired, contrasting it with the Contrafund’s stellar 35‑year run under Will Danoff. Danoff’s 14.04% annualized return outperformed the S&P 500 by nearly 3 points, a rarity for a...
Demystifying 351 ETF Exchanges
Section 351 of the U.S. tax code permits investors to contribute appreciated stocks, bonds or ETFs into a newly created ETF without triggering immediate capital‑gains tax, effectively seeding the fund at original cost basis. To qualify, no single security may exceed...
Royal London: 80% of Funds Beat Benchmarks
Royal London reported that 80% of its actively managed funds outperformed three‑year benchmarks on an equally weighted basis, and 51% beat benchmarks when weighted by assets under management. Operating profit rose 18% in 2025, driven by strong performance in pensions,...
Kids Saver: Securing AUM in the Great Wealth Transfer
The article highlights the imminent multitrillion‑dollar wealth transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations and warns that wealth managers risk losing assets under management (AUM) if they fail to engage heirs. Kidbrooke proposes a "kids saver" framework that turns a...
How Robinhood’s Venture Fund Listing Could Impact Fundrise Venture
Robinhood is launching Robinhood Venture Fund I (RVI) on the NYSE with an anticipated $25 share price, offering retail investors a closed‑end fund that mirrors private‑market exposure. The fund will charge a 2% annual management fee, reduced to 1% for...
Blend DCA and Trading: 70/30 for Wealth and Skill
Saw this on r/Bitcoin and had some thoughts: The best traders I know also DCA quietly in the background. Trading is a skill game. DCA is a math game. You need both. One good strategy: -Keep 65–70% of your crypto capital in a...
Lyn Alden Tips Bitcoin Outperforming Gold over Next ‘Two to Three Years’
Lyn Alden, a macroeconomist, predicts Bitcoin will outperform gold through 2029, despite gold’s recent all‑time high and euphoric sentiment. She characterizes gold’s rally as not a bubble and notes Bitcoin’s price is down 44% from its October peak, facing extreme...
Start at 40: $1k/Month Builds $1M by 65
If you're 40 and start investing $1,000/month earning an 8% avg return: Age 45: $73,477 Age 55: $346,038 Age 65: $951,026 Add social security and you've got a better retirement than never investing at all.
Same Advisor, Different Decisions, Hundred‑Thousand Dollar Gap
March 2020. COVID panic. Markets collapsed overnight. Two clients. Same portfolio. Same allocation. Same advisor. What they did next created a gap worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It will probably never close.
Berkshire Hathaway 2025 Annual Shareholder Letter by Greg Abel
Greg Abel authored Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 shareholder letter, marking the first full‑year communication since Warren Buffett stepped back as CEO. The letter reiterates the conglomerate’s core culture—honesty, decentralized autonomy, and a long‑term ownership mindset—while confirming that Buffett will still be...
Invest for Few Big Winners, Sell the Rest
During a lifetime you will have 10-20 big winners and hundreds or thousands that didn’t live up to your expectations. Long-term investing success is capturing those 10-20 monsters while also understanding 95% of what you own will deserve to be...
Invest Enough, and Your Portfolio Funds Housing Forever
I want to gently point out that most people do not understand that if you invest enough, your portfolio can pay your housing costs in perpetuity So when I say "renting can be cheaper," they are bewildered "Yes but how will you...
The Debt Snowball Vs. Avalanche: Which One Actually Gets You Out of Credit Card Debt Faster?
The debt snowball and debt avalanche are two common repayment strategies for credit‑card debt. Snowball focuses on eliminating the smallest balances first, while avalanche targets the highest‑interest balances. The article illustrates both methods with a $20,000 three‑card example, showing that...
Homeownership Isn't the Only Path to Millennial Wealth
If you’re a millennial, you need to stop believing that owning a home is the ONLY way to build wealth. It is just one part of the puzzle and an optional one at that. If you can’t own a house,...
The Boeing Company (BA): Our Calculation of Intrinsic Value
Each week we run a DCF model on Boeing, arriving at an intrinsic share price of roughly $85, far below the current market level near $230. The analysis uses a 10% discount rate, 2.5% terminal growth, and forecasts free cash...
ETF Roundup: 3 New ETF Launches in February to Watch
February 2026 saw over 50 new ETF launches, highlighted by three niche funds. VanEck introduced the Communication Services TruSector ETF (TRUC) with a 14‑basis‑point fee, actively selecting leading media and telecom firms. ALPS launched the SMR, Nuclear & Technology ETF...
Chris Davis on Navigating AI & Index Concentration
Chris Davis warned advisors that soaring valuations and mega‑cap concentration mask hidden risk, urging a shift from short‑term market calls to durable working assumptions. He outlined a five‑category AI framework—platform winners, enablers, users, indifferent firms, and the walking dead—to guide...
The Suze Orman Rule You Should Probably Break
Suze Orman advises cutting up all credit cards when you’re in debt to force reliance on cash and stop accruing high‑interest balances. The article argues that this blanket rule can backfire, as eliminating cards may damage credit scores, erase rewards,...
Leverage Kills: Margin Calls Trigger Violent Unwind
Korean retail investors had record margin debt. Bought the AI chip story with 30-40% down payments. Then oil spiked. Margin calls hit. Forced selling cascaded. This is the disposition effect in reverse. When everyone holds losers too long, the unwind is violent. The lesson:...
Leverage Broadcom Guidance Beat and Nvidia OpenAI Strategy
Broadcom posted a fiscal Q1 earnings beat with $2.05 EPS and $19.31 billion revenue, then raised Q2 guidance to about $22 billion, surpassing analyst forecasts. Nvidia announced a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, likely its last pre‑IPO funding, reinforcing its hardware dominance in...
Fund the Trust, or Probate Defeats It
My biggest estate planning tip when it comes to trusts? Fund the trust. So someone can pay thousands of dollars to draft a beautiful trust document and still end up with a full probate estate. Creating a trust is only half...
Advisors Must Master AI Prompting and Verification
I've long-held that one of the most important skills for an advisor to develop is to become an excellent "Google-er." With the advances in AI over the past few years, I've started to reframe that concept to becoming more of...
IRS Proposes Rules for Electronic 1099-A Statements
The IRS and Treasury have issued proposed regulations allowing cryptocurrency brokers to deliver the new Form 1099‑DA electronically starting Jan. 1, 2027. Brokers would need customer consent and must meet enhanced electronic notice and access requirements, but they would no longer have to...
Best Student Loan Refinance Rates for March 5, 2026: Credible Leads At 3.67%
Student loan refinance rates slipped further this week, with variable APRs as low as 3.67% and fixed APRs starting at 3.71% as of March 5, 2026. Credible leads the market on variable rates, while Earnest offers the cheapest fixed rate. The rate...
How Vibe Coding Is Filling the White Spaces in Advisor Tech Stacks
Vibe coding lets financial advisors generate custom applications by prompting AI models, bypassing traditional programming. Tim Witham’s $100‑per‑month Claude subscription produced a portfolio‑analysis tool that replaces YCharts and adds thousands of dollars in value. Advisors like Shaun Melby are building...
What Is the Credit for Other Dependents?
The Credit for Other Dependents (ODC) provides a $500 nonrefundable tax credit for each qualifying dependent age 17 or older, including adult children, elderly parents, and other relatives who meet IRS support and residency tests. The credit is claimed on...
What the Iran War Market Turmoil Means for Those Nearing Retirement
The escalating conflict in Iran has jolted markets, prompting a sharp S&P 500 swing and renewed inflation worries. Financial advisors warn that while long‑term investors can stay the course, those approaching retirement should treat the volatility as a signal to review...
Start Investing: Prioritize 401k Match, HSA, Then Roth IRA
"I'm a new investor. How do I start?" 1. Sign up for a 401k/403b. Select Vanguard/Fidelity funds with low expense ratio. Contribute at least up to the match. 2. Open and max out HSA, if eligible 3. Roth IRA/max out the 401k/403b This is the...
IRS Alerts: New Tax Scams Evolving Beyond Phishing
From phishing emails to bogus tax credits, the IRS warns that scammers keep changing tactics. Here’s what you should know about the most common tax scams now. https://t.co/0ciX8gUJKy
SEC Is Pushing Back Against New Wave of High-Leverage ETF Plans
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has warned leveraged‑ETF issuers to pause the effective dates of new high‑leverage funds, citing concerns over compliance with Rule 18f‑4. The agency’s Division of Investment Management used a brief group call to signal that proposed...
Wealth Tax Could Generate $4.4 Trillion for Social Programs
Backers project, based on Forbes’ billionaires list, that a new wealth tax would raise $4.4 trillion over 10 years for childcare, housing, and a $ 3,000-per-person check for many Americans. https://t.co/6EYBhzxmZP
Bipartisan Bill Targets Bad Tax Preparers, Stops Short of Regulation
Most paid preparers aren’t subject to any licensing or competency standards. A new bipartisan bill would tighten enforcement against bad preparers, but it stops short of regulating the industry. https://t.co/J8Bz2tVSPF
Self-Custody Startup Bron Adds Inheritance Flow Built Around Guardians and MPC
Bron, a self‑custody wallet provider, introduced a Digital Inheritance feature that lets heirs access a deceased owner’s crypto after a mandatory six‑month delay. The system relies on pre‑selected Guardians who verify recipients and uses multi‑party computation (MPC) to reconstruct lost...
Small‑cap Surge Signals Regime Shift Away From Growth
S&P 600 up 9% YTD. S&P 500 flat. Tech lagging. Energy leading. Value crushing growth. This isn't a head fake. This is a regime change. The small-cap rotation is real and it's getting started. https://t.co/AYVusIGbRd
Exploring SpaceX IPO, Covid Legacy, iPod's Music Revolution
✍️ Longform links: a look at a potential SpaceX IPO, the long-term health impacts of Covid, and how the iPod changed our relationship with music. https://t.co/6bSrheJuzD image: https://t.co/vMSvzVUcJK https://t.co/8bTwTklNAR
3 Solar Stocks to Watch Amid Policy and Tariff Headwinds
U.S. solar demand stays robust as utilities, businesses and households adopt solar‑plus‑storage solutions, but the sector now faces near‑term policy and tariff headwinds. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act curtails Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and adds Foreign Entity of Concern rules, creating procurement...
US Stocks Maintain Record 15-Year Outperformance Stretch
Over the past 14 months, International stocks have outperformed US stocks by 27%, the widest margin since 1993-94. But zoom out. On a rolling 5-year basis, US stocks have outperformed for 15 years running. This is by far the longest stretch of US...
True Quality Endures Beyond Changing Conditions
Quality is an idea, a piece of artwork, a business, a relationship, or even a book that keeps working (providing value) even after conditions change over time. Quality is an interesting topic because it’s one of the most overused terms...
Garry Marr: Why Your House Is Still Costing You, Even if You've Paid It Off
Garry Marr argues that a paid‑off Canadian home still costs money because the equity tied up could earn a risk‑free return, while owners also face maintenance, taxes and opportunity costs. The Greater Toronto Area saw average resale prices fall 4.7%...
How Is the Estate Taxed when the Last Spouse Dies?
When a Canadian spouse dies, most assets transfer to the surviving partner through a spousal rollover, deferring capital‑gain tax until the survivor either sells the assets or dies. The deceased’s original cost base carries over, so no gain is realized...
Bear of the Day: Autohome (ATHM)
Autohome (ATHM) is confronting structural headwinds as its revenue has slipped roughly 30% from the 2020 peak and analyst earnings forecasts continue to be trimmed. The slowdown in China’s automotive market and heightened competition among online auto platforms have eroded...
Buy These 3 Top-Ranked Putnam Mutual Funds for Steady Gains
Putnam Investments, now owned by Franklin Resources after a 2024 acquisition, manages roughly $162.3 billion in assets. The firm’s three Zacks‑ranked mutual funds—Putnam U.S. Research (PLJMX), Strategic Intermediate Municipal Fund (PPNAX) and Core Bond Fund (PTREX)—have posted strong three‑year returns of...
Bond Traders See Increasing Chance Of No Fed Cuts This Year
Bond options traders are increasingly betting the Federal Reserve will not cut rates this year. The probability of a no‑cut scenario rose to 25% by Wednesday, up from 17% before the Iran‑Israel conflict escalated. Higher oil prices from the Middle‑East...
Robinhood's Exit Fee Demands 4× Referral Revenue
Interesting highlight in this article about the new Robinhood Advisor Network (custodial referral program via TradePMR that pays a 25%-of-fees rev-share for the referral): "For an RIA that ends participation in the program, they will also pay a one-time fee...
From Tesla to Your 401(k): How to Invest in the Elon Musk Stock Without Wrecking Your Retirement
Tesla’s meteoric rise has sparked FOMO, but piling into the stock isn’t prudent for retirement savers. A diversified, long‑term portfolio—often an S&P 500 index fund—already provides indirect exposure to Musk’s companies. Investors should audit their holdings, cap any single‑stock position (commonly...
Trump Says ‘401(k)s Are Way up’ — but Workers Are Tapping Them at Record Rates
President Donald Trump highlighted that 401(k) balances have risen, a claim supported by Fidelity data showing an 11% jump to $146,400 in 2025. However, the same year saw record‑high hardship withdrawals and a rise in 401(k) loans, signaling underlying financial...