RIA organic growth systems | Fully-managed digital marketing/lead gen | Turnkey talent/software/design/ad spend/web dev/content = dead simple | Compliance focused |🗓️Secure Your Free Exec Workshop Below ⬇️

For decades, Advisories and Wealth Management Firms have been shuttered from marketing online properly. Shackled by regulation and blinded to the true essence of a great online presence:

Activities and assets that leverage the fundamentals and align with your principles.

Your industry has been tirelessly digging for gold - sweat-riddled and panic stricken - when it was never buried to begin with.

This has birthed a strange, twisted obsession with weird silver bullets; wacky, unsustainable shiny objects; online RIA directories that only represent a competitive parity; and digital marketing fads that only burn your goodwill alive.

Ironic, given that your principles are to: 
✅ ensure comprehensive fundamentals are in place
✅ respond to market activity with equanimity
✅ leverage the magic of compounding
✅ plan over long-term horizons

Yet when it comes to digital marketing and trying to grow AUM online?

Raise your hand if you've been on a roller coaster of crackpot, digital marketing tom-foolery for two decades🎢😱

Your firm deserves to market online using a diverse array of rock-solid tools and tactics, built upon a foundation of ABSOLUTELY NAILED FUNDAMENTALS.

Without the fundamentals nailed (warning: they are actually quite boring and mundane), you're running a race against Olympians with lead in your sneakers.

I'm here to pull back the wool, and show you the "secrets" that have been hiding in plain sight all along. They are no less principled than your approach to advising your clients. 

For too long, the SEC's tight grip on marketing rules was unfair, restricting you from using the most powerful, effective, and persuasive tools in the marketing toolbelt.

In 2022, the SEC officially rolled out the new marketing rule...

...but the industry is still hypnotized by shiny objects and silver bullets, having never truly understood the fundamentals of a great online presence.

So if you're ready to finally take those marketing training wheels off... 

If you're ready to stop posting links to vanilla Broadridge articles on LinkedIn that only get punished by the algorithm and drive zero engagement...

If you're ready to quit the weird silver bullets, lackluster directories, and 3rd party lead gen and appointment setters...

If you're sick of your website's "book a free consultation" button that never gets clicked...

And if you're ready to FINALLY take your own advice and build something comprehensive and diversified, to build a better future, just like you inspire and assist so many others in doing...

DM me "fundamentals".

John Swystun

We out here. #FIS26 #FearlessInvestingSummit

Growth Systems for RIAs & WealthTech | Fully-managed digital marketing/lead gen | Turnkey talent/software/design/ad spend/web dev/content​ = dead simple | Compliance focused |🗓️Secure Your Free Exec Workshop Below ⬇️

We've heard a lot of the lore around Nitrogen's Fearless Investing Summit.

How this is a conference where the mega fans come out of the woodwork to ooze satisfaction and collaborate with leadership in real time.

How the culture this organization has built stands squarely on two feet, with a twinkle in its eye, while raising a hearty toast.

How an industry-leading, scratch that, business-leading NPS score pales in comparison to the energy and enthusiasm that fills these halls.

But now, we believe it.

We know it to be true.

We've seen, felt, and heard it in the flesh.

And we too, are beyond satisfied. 

And supremely appreciative.

Thank you so very much to everyone at Nitrogen who made this happen. The sponsors and the partners. And anyone who has spent time with us, our lenses, and our microphones this week.

Special shout outs to Callie Devaney, Rachel Cameron, Regan Murray, Bridgette Olek, Dan Zitting, Nicholas Harding, MBA, Aaron Klein and so many others.

And we ain't done yet! 

Day 3 LET'S GO!

#FIS26 #FearlessInvestingSummit

PAGING ALL SNOWBOARDERS (Alright, alright, two-plankers welcome also).

Who wants to spin some laps!?

Yes, we'll be out there at Nitrogen Fearless Investing Summit, cameras in hand.

Chasing you down with a microphone. Bustin' our butts to put your hot takes in the can.

Just be ready though, because after we get the shot? I'ma be asking you:

Wanna go? Wanna go?

Duck out quick to spin some night laps at Echo? Or Keystone?

So if you're lookin' for a boardin' buddy. Or Skiier-tolerant activity compatriot.

I'm your guy. 

Let's do this 👊

Autobots assemble!

(Decepticons get nervous when Wasif Haseeb and I hit the scene!)

Fearless Investing Summit starts today.

And I keep coming back to the name Nitrogen chose for the conference.

What the heck does it mean to be fearless?

What are the tools you need?
Who are the folks you should surround yourself with?
And what should your philosophical bedrock be?

I love it. The name calls to me.

Not that I'm sure how to be fearless.

But I know what you need to arm yourself with in order to try.

And it's the trying that really matters.

Now, the agenda this week reflects the theme perfectly - talk about the people and ideas you want to be around!

Michael Kitces on what actually drives adviser productivity, not in theory, in practice.

Aaron Klein asking a simple question with uncomfortable implications: we’ve got to start meeting like this.

Joshua Brown Brown making the case that after all the noise, the human advisor is still the point of the spear.

And an AI panel moderated by Craig Iskowitz with Eric Clarke, Dan Zitting, Parker Ence, and Mark Gilbert, digging into the real issue: where automation helps, and where the human signal cannot be outsourced.

Fearless, in other words, is just competence under pressure.

We’ll be around all week.

And after the indoor experiments… we’re going to go test gravity for real.

HMU if you wanna do some snow slidin' after the big show!

I’m 5’4 on a good day.
Small man syndrome? Never heard of it.

When you’re the smallest guy in the room, you learn early:
you can disappear,
or grow teeth.

I chose the latter. Let's just say the elementary school bullies did not enjoy me.

Twelve years ago I spent a summer in Estevan, Saskatchewan working overhaul at a coal power plant.

12 hour days.
12 on, 2 off, repeat.

Most of the BC snowboard crowd got "observation".
Easy summer cash to fund the season.
Sit, read, count boilermakers in and out.

Someone saw my construction and concrete resume.
They put me on "heavy maintenance" instead.

Turbine casing top half removed.
Half joint gets descaled by hand. No machines.
That was me, honing steel for 12 hours a day.

I slept in my RV.
In the trailer park.
Posted up in front of my friends trailer.

The days off land on Canada Day.

Big dance at the community center.
Then a trailer park after party.
Across the street from my RV.

Around 2 AM, a posse of local boilermakers rolls in.
Big guys. Home turf.

Well known they weren't thrilled about the BC crew making summer cash in their town.

As they arrive, the hosts start a wet towel fight in their underwear.

Hilarious.

The ringleader doesn’t think so.

So he starts:
“Homos.”
“Some kind of gay thing?”
“Faggots.”

That’s when the teeth show up.
5'4" or 6'3", doesn't matter.
The wiring trips.

Like a breaker.

So I let it carry.
All the way to the back of the trailer.

I diagnose the motive for the tease…
...likely repressed sexual tendencies.

In an instant,
the towels didn’t matter.
Crosshairs on me.

We chirped a while.
Kitchen to deck. Deck to railing.
Him puffing up. Me barely looking up,
while sliding razors under his nails.

Finally:
“Cut it out, you’re going to get punched.”

I guess I didn’t cut it out.

Haymaker to the dome.

I stumble back. Deck goes quiet.
Rub my jaw, look up at him and say,
“Did you just throw a muffin at me?”

Like a match to a jerry can.

Tackles me into the railing.
Knees on my shoulders. 
Fist like a hammer on my forehead.
Expecting blood. Tears...

...Instead, I start laughing. Hysterically.

Not because it didn’t hurt.
Because the outcome he sought was simply not available.

He jumps off and storms to the kitchen.
Drawers flying. Metal clanking.
We all knew what he was looking for.

That was my cue. Outtie 9000.

I disappear into the trailer park and let the night cool off.

Next morning, proper shiner.

I ask around who he is.
Everyone thinks I’m hunting.

I’m not. I want to apologize.

Later that day, smoke break.
He walks out. We lock eyes.

“Yo.”

He comes over.
“Yeah, I heard you were looking for me.”

We sit.

I apologize for egging him on.
He apologizes for being so aggressive.
Turns out he’s from Brandon. My home province.

We chat. Finish the smokes.

“Alright. Back to work."

Teeth matter.

So does knowing when to sit on the bench the next day.

Financial planning and education (without the jargon) I Creating blueprints for high-earning sales executives and business owners

I left the financial industry because I saw a problem.

People wanted to work with a planner, but they ended up becoming a number on a spreadsheet.

I had to leave to start something new.

And now?

I'm a fee-only planner who helps salespeople & equity compensated employees under 45 give a purpose to their paycheck.

I left the large financial institutions to start my own independent company. I did it so people could pay for real planning and not just an agenda to sell a hidden product. 

As a true fiduciary, Pashman Financial, LLC was built on that promise by focusing on you and you only.

🔵 Why people hire me? 

Well, people have come to me with the following problems:

- They want peace of mind with their money
- Their old advisor barely communicates with them
- They want an answer tailored to them, not from Google
- They felt pressured to buy a product that wasn't a right fit
- They are great at making money but struggle to keep it
- They want a simple plan that's easy to understand
- They want someone to hold them accountable
- They want someone they can trust

🔵 What are my services?

I help identify your goals, craft a financial blueprint that lays out action items to hit them, and monitor your progress. 

💵 Cash Flow Management  
📈 Equity Compensation
🏡 Real Estate Planning
📊 Investment Planning
📍 Retirement Planning
🛡 Insurance Planning
📚 Education Planning
💲 Tax Management
💳 Debt Repayment
📃 Estate Planning

🔵 Who do I serve?

Age: Individuals and families between 30-50 years old
Target: Sales pros, tech employees, other millennial families
Location: Virtually anywhere in the U.S.

But I love working with people that are driven to make a change. So even if you don’t fit these criteria, feel free to reach out. Your personality is everything. 

🔵 Why I'm different?

1) My model is primarily a flat fee service. No time trap. 

2) I do not require you to hand over your investments nor require a minimum to work with. Managing your assets is optional and I'll still assist you if you do it yourself. My focus is ongoing financial planning. 

3) I focus on how to increase your cash flow, not just your assets. I work with you to ensure your systems are set and consistently educate you on how your finances work. I get paid to truly keep you accountable over time.

You can find my pricing in my "featured" section on the website. 

Stop delaying action. Shoot me a message to schedule a complimentary intro.

Max Pashman, CFP®

50% of people have no idea what tax bracket they're in.

And most think more taxes mean less income. WRONG.

It's not a flat rate. 

The US tax system works at a progressive rate. 

In other words, each level of income is taxed at different rates. 

As new income is included, it is taxed at a higher rate. 

BUT that doesn't mean all of the income is taxed at that rate. 

The highest tax rate is called the "marginal rate". 

The overall tax rate (taxes divided by taxable income) is called the "effective rate". 

Big difference!

Helping Founders and Executives Plan for Early Retirement and Exit

You could skip your annual $7,500 vacation with your family.

Instead, you could contribute to a Roth IRA.

At an average 7% return, over 30 years, that $7,500 annual could grow to about $708,000.

By skipping it, you’d be closer to your retirement.

But there’s one problem.

You traded moments with your family for a bigger portfolio.

Your children will be yours forever.

But they also won’t be kids forever.

For some families, prioritizing these moments matters more.

Because what good is a retirement if it means sacrificing the life you care about along the way?

Most people focus on return on investment (ROI).

We try to focus on something else.

Return on life.

ROL.

The worst financial advice I've seen online: 
 
- Renting is a waste of money 
- Pay all debt first before investing 
- Spend everything now cause YOLO 
- Index Universal Life is better than a 401(k) 
- Don't increase your income so you can avoid more taxes 
- Buy [insert expense] solely because you can write it off 
- Index funds are bad because they are boring 
- Use your credit card as your e-fund 
- Never buy or lease a new car 
- Invest your e-fund 
- 401(k)s are a scam 
- All debt is bad 
 
These can either be challenged, too extreme, or just plain wrong. 
 
What might work for one person might not for another. 

What are some bad ones you've heard?

undefined undefined

pashman-financial-llc

schooloffinances

Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments
Your RSUs are income not investments

There's a reason it has "compensation" in equity compensation. 

It's because they are treated just like your cash. 

Don't believe me?

When they vest, check out your W2. 

It's listed right there next to your salary (your cash compensation).

They may be withheld differently, but it's taxed just the same as income when it comes to tax season.

If you leave it as is, sure it's equity that be treated as an investment. 

But the moment you get it? May as well be just like your cash compensation.

So if you don't know what to do, answer one question instead:

"If this was cash instead of equity, what would you do with it"?

Would you save it?
Would you spend it?
Would you invest it?
If you invested, where?

Your answer really dictates how you should reallocate it.

Especially based on...drum roll please*.... your goals! 

You're already taxed on it when it's fully vested.

Your choice of what to do from there.

Capital gains taxes can be your biggest ally or your worst enemy.

Here’s everything you need to know how they can affect your tax bill:

What is a Capital Gain?

It’s a tax applied when you sell an asset for a profit.

These assets can include:

-Stocks
-Crypto
-Real estate
-Businesses
-Personal property

There are two types of capital gains:

Short Term (STCG):

-> Assets held less than 1 year
-> Taxed as ordinary income

Long Term (LTCG):

-> Assets held more than 1 year
-> Taxed at preferential capital gains rates, separate from income taxes

Here’s a breakdown of the federal long-term capital gains rates for 2026:

Single:

-0%: $0–$49,450
-15%: $49,451–$545,500
-20%: $545,501+

Married Filing Jointly:

-0%: $0–$98,900
-15%: $98,901–$613,700
-20%: $613,701+

Relative to income brackets, you can see the immediate difference.

For Example (Single):

If you earned $200k and had $10k in STCG, it’s taxed as ordinary income.

Assuming a 32% marginal tax rate:

$10,000 × 32% = $3,200 in federal taxes

For $10k in LTCG, it’s taxed at the capital gains rate:

$10,000 × 15% = $1,500 in federal taxes

A huge difference!

But here’s where people mess this up:

Your capital gains rate depends on your total taxable income.

“Taxable income” is your adjusted gross income (AGI) minus below-the-line deductions (standard or itemized).

Which means those ranges include both your income AND your capital gains.

Example #1: Single, $50,000 Income, $10,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $60,000
This puts all LTCG in the 15% bracket.
Tax:
$10,000 × 15% = $1,500 (Federal)

Example #2: Single, $30,000 Income, $10,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $40,000
This falls entirely within the 0% bracket.
Tax:
$10,000 × 0% = $0 (Federal)

Example #3: Single, $30,000 Income, $20,000 LTCG

Total taxable income: $50,000
The income takes up the first $30,000.
Leaving $19,450 left in the 0% bracket.
$19,450 × 0% = $0

The remaining capital gains spill into the next bracket:
$550 × 15% = $82.50
-> Total LTCG tax: $82.50 (Federal)

This is why being strategic about when you realize capital gains matters.

By spreading gains over multiple years, you may take advantage of lower brackets.

Finally, remember:

Capital gains are not taxed inside tax-advantaged accounts
(e.g., 401(k)s, Roth IRAs).

That’s why most tax-loss harvesting opportunities live in taxable brokerage accounts.

Disclaimer: This is for financial education purposes only and not financial or tax advice.

"W2 employees never become millionaires."

Bulls***. I've consulted with 100s entering early retirement. 

Many were W2 employees, never actually owning a business. 

Or at least use it as a primary means of accomplishing millionaire status

They've crossed that point using the following methods:

- High savings rate towards stocks and real estate
- Equity compensation (More commonly via ISOs)

Owning a business is a massive opportunity to get there. 

And we've seen people retire early thanks to it too.

But it's not the ONLY method to create wealth.

Gotta pick that path that aligns with you.

But what do they all share in common?

Not sitting on the sidelines. 

They let investing take action. 

You earned hard for your paycheck. 

Now make it work harder for you.

Most have no clue what a write-off does.

Here's a quick breakdown of what it is:

A write-off is merely a deduction.

So use the example:

→ You get a $20,000 expense to write off
 → If your income starts at $200,000?
 → It gets lowered to $180,000
 → So what does that mean?

Here's what it does not mean:

IT DOES NOT MEAN $20,000 LESS TAXES.

A deduction does one thing:
Reduces income taxable.

In this case, a single person in 2025:
(Using only federal taxes in this example)

→ The entire $20,000 is in the 32% bracket
 → The amount taxed? $6,400 federal
 → So with the taxes saved?
 → You netted - $13,600

So yes, you saved more in taxes.

But you still spent money in the end.

It's not a dollar-for-dollar save.

It's a reduction in income taxed.

Big difference!

Note: Post is purely educational and not financial or tax advice*

You don’t need a financial planner if you’re HNW.

You just need to do the following:

- Investment planning
- Portfolio construction
- Asset allocation modeling
- Rebalancing across taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts
- Tax-aware asset location
- Capital gains management
- Tax-loss harvesting (and not violating wash sale rules)
- Multi-year tax projections
- Roth conversion timing and sizing
- AMT modeling
- Net investment income tax planning
- Equity compensation analysis (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, ESPPs)
- 83(b) election decision modeling
- ISO AMT exposure tracking
- Concentration risk analysis
- Diversification strategy for concentrated stock
- Trading windows and blackout period planning
- Liquidity planning for large tax events
- Cash flow modeling across good and bad years
- Emergency fund optimization
- Opportunity cost analysis of excess cash
- Life insurance needs analysis
- Disability insurance review
- Umbrella liability coverage review
- ACA subsidy modeling
- Medicare planning
- Early retirement feasibility modeling
- Sequence-of-returns risk management
- Withdrawal strategy optimization
- Tax-efficient withdrawal order
- Guardrails vs fixed spending analysis
- Social Security claiming strategy
- Survivor benefit analysis
- Longevity risk modeling
- Estate planning coordination
- Beneficiary review across all accounts
- Annual exclusion tracking
- Lifetime exemption modeling
- Charitable giving strategy
- Entity structure planning considerations
- Reasonable compensation analysis
- Backdoor and Mega Backdoor Roth execution
- Exit planning scenarios
- Real estate analysis 
- Rent vs sell decision analysis
- 1031 exchange considerations
- Stress testing everything above
- Updating all of this every year
- And not panicking during market drawdowns
- And explaining it clearly to your spouse
- And actually implementing it correctly
- And staying compliant

Good luck!

A 👏 401k 👏 IS 👏 NOT 👏 A 👏 SCAM 👏

Here are some interesting facts about it:

- Has higher contribution limits than an IRA
- Provides a match via an employer
- Does not have income limitations
- Can offer a Roth component
- Can provide a Mega Back Door Roth

But you're probably thinking...

"My money is trapped in here forever!"

Not really. 

Why you won't generally get penalized until you are 59 1/2, there are exceptions to this:

But there are exceptions to getting funds out early penalty-free:

- Roth Conversion Ladder
- 72(t) Withdrawals (SEPP)
- Financial hardship (if allowed)
- Qualified Reservist Distributions
- Medical expenses
- Rule of 55
- Disability
- Death
- Etc.

In other words, you can take your money out with exceptions and specific strategies.

It can be an excellent vehicle for financial independence. 

Do you have a 401k?

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Your child could get $1,000 free in a new account.

If your child was born 2025-2028, listen up:

Unofficially called the "Trump Account", here’s what we know so far:

- It’s a custodial Traditional IRA under section 408(a), with modifications
- Created for kids under age 18, with a valid SSN, when elected by a parent or grandparent
- Contribution limit = $5,000/year per child, adjusted for inflation after 2027
- Employers can also contribute up to $2,500 per child as part of a written plan
- Contributions are not tax-deductible
- Investments must track an index, have no leverage, and expense ratios under 0.1%
- Withdrawals not allowed until the child turns 18
- Contributions are treated as basis and not taxed again upon withdrawal
- Earnings are taxed as ordinary income
- 10% penalty applies to early withdrawals before age 59½ unless an exception under IRC Sec. 72 applies

But here is where the value is:

There’s also a pilot program starting in 2026:

Children born between 2025–2028 may be eligible for a $1,000 government-funded contribution if elected by their parents.

This account is new and the rules are still unfolding.

It shares similarities with other accounts like Traditional IRAs, 529s, and Roths, but has its own limitations and planning quirks.

The way to do this is by either:

1) Filing out Form 4547 here: https://trumpaccounts.gov./

2) Or filling out that same form with your tax preparer

These accounts are not expected to be funded before July 4th. 

If you file your 2025 return before that date without signing up on the website, you may have to wait until you file your 2026 return to receive the funds.

More to come as additional guidance is released!

Would you open one for your child?

I love it when LinkedIn Influencers are like "the new algo is hurting my reach" and I will look at their content and think yeah it's definitely not the algo bro...

Them: We're looking to get a home.

Lender: How much were you looking to borrow?

Them: Well, how much can we?

Lender: 28% of your gross income. 

Them: Awesome. Let's do it. 

......

Them: We need help. How come it feels like we are stuck? We make really good income! 

Advisor: Let's take a look at your finances.

checks it*

Advisor: Well, I've found the problem. Your mortgage is 50% of your net income.

... 

Affording a down payment doesn't mean you can afford a property.

There's more to owning than just the price:

The costs you see. 

The costs you don't see. 

Don't lose sight of them.

40% of business owners aren’t sure they picked the right entity.

Here's what you need to know about entity structure:

When choosing a tax entity, you gotta choose with what aligns with you.

Some of the characteristics include:

→ What legal protection is provided
→ Is the income earned a pass-through
→ Are there self-employment taxes 
→ How much admin is there
→ What are the tax impacts 
→ Is there double taxation
→ How much does it cost

And so on. 

Consulting with the combo between a CPA and CFP is a great way to make sure you are on the right path here!

What kind of business do you currently have?

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If your ESPP has a "look back", you're stting on a wealth hack. 

Here's the opportunity sitting in front of you. 

ESPPs are relatively simple. 

- You set aside your paycheck on a monthly basis for a period of time
- You buy your company stock at the end of the period
- Company let's you buy at a discount (usually 15%)
- The discount puts you at an immediate gain 

There some things to look out for like taxation, liquidity, and blackout periods to see how the ESPP works for you. 

But some have a provision called a "look back" period. 

The discount is applied either at the lower of the enrollment date or purchase date. 

For example:

If the enrollment price was $100 and $50 at the purchase price, the 15% is applied at the purchase price. 

If the enrollment price was $50 and $100 at the purchase price, the 15% is applied at the enrollment price. 

If the latter occurs you are looking at not only at 15% discount, but appreciation already of $50 between the $50 and $100! 

It's one of those great perks that can increase your wealth via your employer benefits. 

Don't discount the value of your company discount!

There’s a more tax-efficient way to own an index.

But is it worth it? Here’s a breakdown of direct indexing:

What is direct indexing?

It’s still passive investing.

But instead of owning an index fund, you own the individual stocks that make up the index.

Same market exposure.
Different implementation.

The goal isn’t higher returns.
The goal is tax efficiency.
Index funds are already very tax-efficient, especially ETFs.

But there’s one thing they can’t do:
They can’t pass individual stock losses to investors.

Losses inside a fund stay inside the fund.
With direct indexing, you own each stock directly.

That allows for:

Ongoing tax-loss harvesting
Offsetting capital gains
Deferring taxes while staying invested

Over time, this can increase after-tax wealth even if pre-tax returns are similar.

Some studies suggest direct indexing can add incremental after-tax value over long periods (often cited at 1%–2%), but results vary widely based on volatility, tax bracket, cash flows, and implementation.

Important tradeoffs to understand.
This strategy is not a free lunch.

Here’s what actually matters.

1) Cost

Most platforms charge roughly 0.10%–0.20%.
But additional costs may include:

Trading costs
Cash drag
Tracking error
Etc.

These reduce the net benefit and must be weighed against expected tax savings.

2) New money works best

Selling existing index funds to switch strategies often creates taxes that wipe out the benefit.

Direct indexing tends to work best with new dollars, such as:

Income
Liquidity events
Sale or acquisition proceeds
Using fresh capital avoids unnecessary tax friction.

3) Tax benefits depend on markets

The biggest advantage comes from harvesting losses, which requires volatility.

In prolonged bull markets:
Losses become harder to find
Unrealized gains accumulate

Tax benefits shift from harvesting losses to deferring gains, and eventually decline.

4) Wash sale coordination matters

Loss harvesting must be coordinated across taxable accounts, spousal accounts, and any index funds held elsewhere.

Poor coordination can reduce or eliminate the benefit.

5) You need an exit strategy

Deferred taxes eventually come due unless there’s a plan.

Is this money for retirement, charity, heirs (step-up in basis), or future liquidity?

Direct indexing works best when paired with broader tax and estate planning.

6) Benefits skew toward higher earners

The tax alpha is largest when tax rates and taxable balances are high.

For lower brackets or smaller portfolios, added cost and complexity may outweigh the benefit.

Bottom line

Direct indexing isn’t a magic upgrade.
It’s a tax optimization tool.

For the right investor, at the right time, with the right plan, it can add meaningful after-tax value.

For others, a low-cost index fund may be the better answer.

That’s why this should be a planning decision, not a product pitch.

If you’re exploring it, talk with a fee-only planner to see if it actually fits your situation.

I feel like I've seen these phases with early reitrees:

Stage 1: They fire their advisor cause they don't like performance or service
Stage 2: They do it themself and are happy with it
Stage 3: The more they research, the more they realize there's more to just investing
Stage 4: They keep getting conflicting answers to from thousands of voices online, but unsure which applies to them
Stage 5: They hire a financial planner for a second-hand opinion 

And guess what?

That new advisor is not the person trying to sell them some fancy product or performance.

It's the advisor who:

- Looks at their whole picture
- A structure to implement it
- Has an incentive to do so

I love it when people are able to handle finances on their own. 

But once you need some help?

You know where to find us.

Joe w/ $50K wants as much as Mia making $100K. 
 
Mia w/ $100K wants as much as Bob making $200K. 
 
Bob w/ $200K wants as much as Zoe making $400K. 
 
The problem? 
 
Income levels don't have a ceiling. 
 
And there are 8 billion people on this planet. 
 
So it's inevitable someone will be making more than you. 
 
Do yourself a favor and use a fair benchmark to compare to: 
 
Joe with $50K should aim to make more than Joe. 
 
Mia with $100k should aim to make more than Mia. 
 
Bob with $200K should aim to make more than Bob. 
 
Zoe with $400k shound aim to make more than Zoe. 
 
Stop basing your progress on someone else's. 
 
Want a better measurement to use? 
 
Grab a mirror and stick with it.

Most people don’t actually know the tax status of their accounts.

Quick refresher 👇

Taxable Accounts:

- Individual Brokerage
- Joint Brokerage
- UTMA / UGMA

Pre-Tax Accounts:

- Traditional IRA
- SIMPLE IRA
- SEP IRA
- 403(b)
- 401(k)
- 457

Post-Tax Accounts:

- Roth IRA
- Roth 457
- Roth 401(k)
- Roth 403(b)
- Roth SEP IRA
- 529 (Could have a state deduction)

Triple-Tax:

- HSA (One of a kind)

Before worrying about returns?

Make sure you know how your money is taxed.

Which of these are you using?

If the recent 4,000 employees laid off by Block caught your attention, this is your wake-up call to revisit your emergency fund. 

Not your retirement accounts.
Not your brokerage accounts.
Not your company equity.

Your cash. 

Yeah, the boring cash loses to inflation over the long run.

But in the short run:

- Easily accessible
- Removed from market volatility
- Not taxed when withdrawn or liquidated

How much to fund is how you answer this question:

"How long can I reasonably live off my essential expenses?"

Just understand this about the stock market. 

It carries a risk of losing money, no matter how long you park it for.

But the longer you have it, the chances of that are cut significantly.

Not "eliminated", but the risk of losing money is statistically lower. 

That risk is put on full max if you need it now. 

The S&P 500 is not a viable fund in the near term. 

The asset that remains fixed near term is. 

Adjust accordingly!

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Max Pashman, CFP®

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The Battle

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Max Pashman, CFP®

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