ClearGuide Wealth - Andrew Erickson

A retired couple came to us with $10 million and a broker who was doing his job. That was the problem. They are in their early sixties, one year into retirement. Roughly $10 million in net worth: about $3 million in a traditional IRA,...

The Cost of Not Planning

RSUs can be a powerful compensation benefit—but vesting creates decisions that deserve a plan. 🧾

Factors to consider:
• Tax withholding so you’re not surprised
• Whether “sell-to-cover” is a default—or the right move
• If the share price is higher at vesting, taxable income can rise—and your marginal tax rate may, too
• Concentration risk as company stock stacks up

Let’s set a clear process and execute it. 🧭

For qualifying dispositions, an ESPP may realize two types of taxable income and losses, but it won't be reported until the year of the sale. For disqualifying dispositions, the seller must count the difference between the closing and discounted price as ordinary income.

Incentive stock options can create opportunity, but timing the exercise can be complicated.

Exercising ISOs may trigger alternative minimum tax, even if you have not sold the shares or received any cash.

That means the “right” exercise strategy should consider:

Your cash flow needs
Your AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) exposure
Holding period requirements for preferential tax treatment
Company stock concentration
Future capital gains treatment
Your broader tax picture

ClearGuide Wealth helps clients evaluate ISO exercise decisions before taxes, liquidity, and concentration risk collide.

The goal is not just to reduce taxes. It is to make a more informed decision with fewer surprises.

The Treasury Department in January said more than a million people have signed up for Trump accounts. Are you eligible?

AI bubble?

Recent worries about AI capital expenditures have generated increased volatility in the stock market. The increased anxiety coincides with Mag 7 companies increasingly funding projects with debt in lieu of cash flow.

This type of rapid investment cycle can cut two ways.

On the risk side, heavy borrowing to fund long horizon AI infrastructure can create pressure if revenue growth slows, if adoption takes longer than expected, or if the cost of capital rises. Debt financed build outs that depend on unproven monetization can unwind quickly if sentiment shifts. Markets have seen this pattern before across multiple industries when credit outpaced real earnings. If expectations reset, investors could see a meaningful correction as firms are forced to scale back spending or refinance at higher rates.

On the opportunity side, the scale and speed of today’s investment wave could produce significant long term gains if the underlying technologies deliver on their promise. Expanding compute power, smarter automation, and new enterprise tools can create durable new profit pools. Firms that invest aggressively and successfully may widen their competitive advantage and compound returns over time. What feels like overspending today could later look like early positioning for a multi decade transformation.

As with any period of rapid innovation, the truth will likely fall somewhere between excessive caution and runaway optimism. Monitoring the balance between real earnings, sustainable financing, and tangible adoption will be critical for navigating both the risks and the potential rewards.

If you are wondering whether your portfolio is taking the right amount of risk in this environment, now is the time to review it before the market does it for you.

The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, signed in 2025, introduces several new provisions that may shape charitable giving in the years ahead:
▪️Beginning in 2026, non-itemizers may deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for couples) for cash donations to qualified charities.

Some limits apply, so it may be a good time to discuss the changes with your tax, legal, or accounting professional.

Policy Giving Impact

Charitable giving has ripple effects across communities. Nearly 1 in 3 donors say they'd give more if their employer offered a match, and 84% say they're more likely to give when matching is available. Awareness can make all the difference.

Impact Gifts Support

Giving doesn't just come from institutions. In 2023, individuals accounted for 67% of all charitable contributions—over $374 billion. Small acts of generosity may add up to something much larger.

Impact Back

Corporate giving plays a major role. About 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer matching gift programs, yet between $6–$10 billion in eligible matching funds go unclaimed each year. That means donor generosity may go further than many realize.

Giving Gifts Giving