Private Foundations vs. Donor-Advised Funds
By: Alex Weiss CFP® | President & Wealth Manager As we enter the new year, some of our clients are looking ahead at significant income events such as selling a business. Whatever the cause, the expected income comes with a hefty tax bill if no creative action is taken. Two common charitable giving options often…
The Perfect Bite
As we approach one of my favorite times of the year, Thanksgiving, into the holiday season, I constantly have flash back memories of those holiday traditions as a kid. Depending on what house and what holiday, we had the ‘kids’ table all the way through being young adults. The conversations and the food seemed to…
Do I Trust My Trustee?
By: Alex Weiss CFP® | President & Wealth Manager One of the fundamental rules of wealth preservation is to avoid the biggest mistakes. To be more specific, we sometimes refer to these as single points of failure in a financial plan. For high-net-worth families, designating your trustees might be one of the most often overlooked…
How Alternative Investments Fit Into Estate Plans
By Alex Weiss CFP® | President & Wealth Advisor Alternative investments can create friction in the conversation about estate planning. When someone is looking to fund their estate plan, we need to consider how tax liabilities will be funded. Now take alternative investments like privately held businesses, and you encounter a number of variables that…
Bring Me Bach
It is a joyous time of year as the crisp fall weather encroaches on New England. Windows down in the car as we try and skip around to find the songs that match our mood. For those who didn’t know, I have quite a few musical bones in my body. My mother went to Boston…
Opening Financial Conversations with Aging Parents
When it comes to discussing finances with aging parents, it’s often a child, niece, or nephew who broaches the topic. This person is usually comparatively successful, organized, or deeply concerned. More often than not, they also witnessed estate planning or long-term care play out poorly in someone else’s life. Now, their parents are starting to…
Adjusting to Life Post-Income
You might be surprised how often wealthy families experience anxiety when they exit their businesses or careers. It centers around a shift away from income to living off of assets. We have clients who have been earning an income since they were 14 working a paper route. Looking forward to the next paycheck is all…
Summer Rewind
As we rolled through the unofficial last days of summer, we looked around each morning and saw the yellow school buses pick up the neighborhood kids with brand new backpacks and clean sneakers. I can remember being anxious about heading back to school. What class would I be in, what was my teacher like, ……
What We Really Mean When We Ask, “How Am I Doing?”
By: Alex Weiss CFP® | President & Wealth Manager When someone asks their financial advisor, “How am I doing?” They usually mean, “How’s my portfolio doing?” I understand why that’s the case. Financial advisors have put much effort into being known as the investment people. Unfortunately, it also means a disproportionate amount of their conversations…
Fun Day at the Carnival
Summer is in full swing, which means the local town carnivals are starting to pop up and my inner childhood rollercoaster-junkie is filling with nostalgic excitement. I remember growing up in the 90’s when my dad worked for Stop & Shop Technology, and much to my delight they had a summer Employee Appreciation Day at…