Wealth Management, Finance & Investing Blog

Incorporating philanthropy planning and giving into the family office structure is a powerful tool to help transform communities and create lasting legacies. For family offices, philanthropic giving has benefits beyond strictly financial. See how having a philanthropic vision for your family office can optimize resources while also creating a positive social impact and strengthening family bonds. Finding a Philanthropic Purpose Each family office will have their own reasons for giving, so estab

Congratulations on maxing out your 401(k)! You're well on your way to building a robust nest egg and are still motivated to continue growing your savings. The next challenge is deciding where to allocate your money for maximum benefit. Here are some smart strategies to consider once you’ve reached your 401(k)-contribution limit. Build or Replenish Your Emergency Fund An emergency fund is an account that holds three to six months of essential living expenses such as rent or mortgage, utilities,

Purpose The Wealthspire Advisors Financial Planning Committee has recently received several questions regarding RMD rules in a post-SECURE Act world. Questions remain about the RMD rules for non-spousal beneficiaries subject to annual RMDs during the 10-year distribution period because those regulations have not yet been finalized. The purpose of this piece is to outline what our team believes to be best practices regarding these unfinalized regulations. This memo will also provide a quick revi

Written by 2024 Summer Wealth Management Intern Greta Panke My name is Greta Panke, and I am a rising senior at Connecticut College, majoring in economics and minoring in finance and psychology. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in Wealthspire’s 8-week internship program. Here are some of my reflections on this experience. My technical skills and financial acumen have flourished in this environment, as well as my soft skills essential for success in the corporate world.

When it comes to managing substantial wealth, especially across multiple generations, the complexity of financial needs and objectives increases significantly. Ultra-high net worth (UHNW) families often explore various strategies to ensure their wealth is preserved, grown, and transitioned smoothly. Two common structures in this realm are traditional family offices and family office services offered by wealth management firms. Understanding the differences between these can help families make i

RSUs are a form of compensation issued by employers to employees in the form of company equity, or shares. RSUs tend to be most common among mature public companies, particularly in tech and healthcare, given the relative convenience and popularity of them with employees. In addition, while startups and earlier-stage private companies tend to use incentive stock options (ISOs) and restricted stock, public companies often find these to be too expensive to offer to rank-and-file employees. RSUs a

Content adapted from an article originally published by, and used with permission from, Fiducient Advisors LLC.1 Fiduciaries to nonprofit organizations play an instrumental role in managing an organization’s interests while furthering its important mission. However, the role of a fiduciary involves much more than attendance at meetings. Fiduciaries must exercise integrity, thoughtfulness, and prudence in decision-making, all while being proactively engaged and asking the right questions. It’s c

Each year, our Investment Team undertakes a comprehensive review of our capital market assumptions (CMAs) across asset classes. CMAs serve as the foundation of our portfolio construction process because they represent our forecasts for how different asset classes (such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and alternative investments) may perform going forward. The data is then used to approximate the efficient frontier and evaluate tradeoffs between allocating to different types of investments. As pa

When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) went into effect in December 2017, it enacted several major changes, including an increase in the estate tax exemption amounts and decreases in both individual and corporate tax rates. Now, many provisions of the Act are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress makes them a permanent part of the tax code. Given the impact to your taxes and estate planning strategies, now is the time to start preparing for these anticipated changes. In this post, we’

The following is a brief summary of the changes to the estate, gift, and GST exemptions that will occur due to the sunset of provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Our team outlines some of the timely implications on tax planning and estate planning that should be considered. For a broader overview of the tax law changes expected in 2026, read this blog post. Introduction The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was a major tax reform that, amongst other changes, doubled the estate, gi

Reprinted with permission from Randy Kaufman. Randykaufman.com© with research assistance from Dustin Lowman, Guitar & Pen What is a wealth advisor’s greatest asset? To the uninitiated, it might seem like the answer is raw intelligence — IQ. To many people, a wealth advisor’s primary objective should be to structure an investment portfolio that achieves an optimal risk-adjusted return. More is more, more is better, and mastery of the stock market trumps all. IQ certainly has a place in wealt

The landscape of amateur athletics underwent a significant shift with the implementation of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy, which has allowed college athletes to monetize their personal brands for the first time. Very quickly over the past few years, young athletes have been able to create substantial followings resulting in fame and significant wealth; however, the transition to professional sports requires planning and strategy to ensure they avoid financial missteps. Similar to a