Wealth by Design

Here's something you may not expect from a financial planning firm:
We don't believe every financial decision needs an immediate answer. 😱

Sometimes the best thing we can do is slow down. This means looking at the options, talking through the tradeoffs, and asking more questions. THEN decide.

Our planning process is designed around understanding your vision, values, goals, and objectives before jumping into solutions. We review alternatives, model different scenarios, and then prioritize what actually makes sense for you.

Because financial planning isn't supposed to be about making the most decisions. It's about making BETTER decisions.

More about our process: https://www.wealthbydesigngroup.com/our-process

Not every financial decision needs to be made today. Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a step back, look at the whole picture and ask:
Is this actually a problem that needs solving right now? Or are we reacting to a headline, a market move, or someone else’s idea of what we should be doing?

Good planning creates space for perspective. And sometimes, that perspective is exactly what you need before making your next move.

Your business may be your biggest asset. But is it actually part of your financial plan?

For many business owners, the answer is complicated. Your business can represent years of work, personal sacrifice, growth, and a significant portion of your net worth.

This means eventually you have to answer some difficult questions:
☞What is the business worth?
☞What happens if you want to sell?
☞Who could take over?
☞What happens if something unexpected happens to you?
☞And perhaps most importantly: How does your business exit strategy fit into the life you want after the business?

Business planning and personal financial planning shouldn't exist in separate worlds.

At WBD, we look at how the pieces fit together.
If you've built something valuable, let's make sure your plan accounts for it.

Learn more about our business planning services: https://www.wealthbydesigngroup.com/business-owner-planning

The end of September is here. And just like that, we're heading into the final quarter of 2026.

Before you rush into Q4, take a minute to look back.
• What changed this year?
• Did your income change?
• Did your business grow?
• Did your family situation change?
• Did you buy or sell something significant?
• Did your goals change?

Sometimes the biggest financial planning mistake isn't making a bad decision. It's continuing to follow an old plan after your life has changed. Your financial plan should evolve with you.

If it's been a while since you've taken a step back and looked at the big picture, maybe Q4 is a good time to do it.

Plan for tomorrow. Live for today.

The most successful people we work with tend to have something in common:
They're curious.

They ask questions, they challenge assumptions, but maybe most importantly they aren't afraid to say, “I don't know.” And they're willing to bring in people who know more about a particular area than they do.

Knowing when to ask for help isn't a weakness…it's good leadership.

Inflation doesn't have to be 10% to affect your financial plan. The latest CPI data showed consumer prices were up 3.4% over the 12 months ending July, while core inflation was up 2.5%.*

Those numbers may sound manageable compared with the inflation spikes we've experienced in recent years. But here's the part worth remembering:
3% inflation compounds, too.

For someone planning for a 20- or 30-year retirement, the purchasing power of a dollar today versus a dollar decades from now matters.

That's one reason retirement planning isn't simply about asking, “How much do I have?” It's also about asking:

• What will I need?
• How long will it need to last?
• What could change along the way?
• And how do we build flexibility into the plan?

Long-term planning means thinking beyond today's numbers.

*Source: https://bit.ly/4xRELUI

You don't have to be “retired” to start thinking like a retiree.

If you're a business owner or executive, your income today may look very different from what it will look like five, ten, or twenty years from now.

That's why retirement planning isn't just about picking a retirement date. It's about thinking through the transition from:

Accumulating → Preserving → Distributing

How will your income change? What happens to your business interests? How will you turn investments into income? What happens to your taxes, insurance, estate plan, and legacy goals?

The earlier you start asking these questions, the more options you typically have.

Want to see what your transition could look like? Let's talk.

Learn more about us and how we work: https://bit.ly/4AadKgX

Integrity doesn't usually make headlines. It's found in the small decisions. The seemingly "little" things like keeping your word, owning your mistakes, treating people with respect.

Those things may not show up on a balance sheet, but they matter. At WBD, we believe how you live matters just as much as what you accomplish.

This week, we have not one but TWO work anniversaries.

On Monday, Craig celebrated 31 years at Wealth by Design Group and Jason celebrated 19. As managing partners and financial planners of WBD, we often would feel lost without them!

Thirty one years and 19 years is quite a milestone. We’re grateful for all they’ve contributed over the years and, selfishly, hoping there are many more ahead. 😉

P.S. Never forget that Jason was once famous for a brief moment in time during the World Cup!