Learning Center

Authored by: Derek J. Taylor For high net worth investors, portfolio construction extends well beyond traditional public markets. While public equities and fixed income remain foundational, they are increasingly insufficient on their own to address the complexity of modern wealth objectives—capital preservation, long-term growth, income generation, and downside resilience across market cycles. At Granite…

Contributed by: Timothy B. Smith, CFP® For many affluent families, philanthropy is not simply an act of generosity; it is a reflection of purpose, legacy, and responsibility. As wealth grows and financial priorities evolve, traditional charitable giving alone often feels insufficient. Increasingly, investors are turning toward impact investing — the pursuit of measurable social and environmental outcomes…

Getting Started with Private Markets as part of a Comprehensive Investment Strategy for Accredited Investors. Private Market Investing has become increasingly popular over the years as investors seek higher returns in a low-interest-rate environment and an alternative to the daily volatility of the public markets1. Private Markets can be a profitable venture for the right investor. While investing…

Contributed by: Sam Gagne As 2025 draws to a close, many successful business owners are turning their attention to year-end financials; finalizing tax positions, assessing profitability, and preparing reports for key stakeholders. Amidst the routine financial housekeeping, there lies a more strategic and often overlooked priority: business succession planning. Succession planning is not a once in a…

Contributed by: Dale Shaw, CFP®, RICP® As the final quarter of 2025 draws to a close, households with significant income face a familiar but often underused opportunity: proactive year-end tax planning. While the demands of business, family, and holiday schedules can understandably take center stage, those in higher tax brackets often stand to benefit the most from timely financial decisions made before…

Getting Started with Private Markets as part of a Comprehensive Investment Strategy for Accredited Investors. Private Market Investing has become increasingly popular over the years as investors seek higher returns in a low-interest-rate environment and an alternative to the daily volatility of the public markets1. Private Markets can be a profitable venture for the right investor. While investing…

Contributed by: Brian Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® At this point in the year, most families with significant wealth are focused on charitable gifts, tax-loss harvesting, and preparing for year-end distributions. But amidst the flurry of financial activity, one critical area often goes unchecked: your trusts. For wealthy families, business owners, and executives—particularly those with complex estate plans—trusts…

Contributed by: Sam Gagne As 2025 draws to a close, many successful business owners are turning their attention to year-end financials; finalizing tax positions, assessing profitability, and preparing reports for key stakeholders. Amidst the routine financial housekeeping, there lies a more strategic and often overlooked priority: business succession planning. Succession planning is not a once in a…

Contributed by: Dale Shaw, CFP®, RICP® As the final quarter of 2025 draws to a close, households with significant income face a familiar but often underused opportunity: proactive year-end tax planning. While the demands of business, family, and holiday schedules can understandably take center stage, those in higher tax brackets often stand to benefit the most from timely financial decisions made before…

Contributed by: Austin Manning, CFP® Why Early Year-End Planning Matters for High-Net-Worth Families The most effective year-end planning does not begin in December. It starts weeks earlier, when families still have the space to evaluate their financial picture in a thoughtful and coordinated way. Affluent families, business owners, and corporate executives understand that their financial lives are…

Authored by: Derek J. Taylor For high net worth investors, portfolio construction extends well beyond traditional public markets. While public equities and fixed income remain foundational, they are increasingly insufficient on their own to address the complexity of modern wealth objectives—capital preservation, long-term growth, income generation, and downside resilience across market cycles. At Granite…

Getting Started with Private Markets as part of a Comprehensive Investment Strategy for Accredited Investors. Private Market Investing has become increasingly popular over the years as investors seek higher returns in a low-interest-rate environment and an alternative to the daily volatility of the public markets1. Private Markets can be a profitable venture for the right investor. While investing…

Ensuring compliance while managing personal investments is a significant challenge for senior executives and directors of public companies. Company trading policies often impose restrictions to prevent conflicts of interest and insider trading, making it difficult for executives to sell shares. However, Rule 10b5-1 trading plans offer a solution. This article provides an in-depth look at these plans,…

Contributed by: Austin Manning, CFP® In periods of market uncertainty or exuberance, investors often find themselves tempted to adjust their portfolios in reaction to short-term movements. It’s a natural impulse—markets are dynamic, news cycles are constant, and the pace of change can be dizzying. But this raises an important question for any serious investor: what is the right way to position a portfolio…

Contributed by: Timothy Smith, CFP® In the world of wealth planning, quiet legislative changes often have an outsized impact on how families and business owners structure their estates, minimize taxes, and leave a legacy. The “Big Beautiful Bill” is a prime example. Though its title may sound casual, the potential implications for charitable legacy planning are anything but. Designed to modernize and…

Understanding Premium Financing Premium Financing represents a sophisticated financial strategy that involves the procurement of a bank loan to pay for insurance premiums. This approach is particularly advantageous for high-net-worth individuals seeking to preserve their use of capital in other areas, while securing desired life insurance coverage for liquidity planning. The Mechanics of Premium Financing Premium…

As you prepare for retirement with confidence, we wanted to share key findings from Ernst & Young's newly released 2025 study, 'Holistic Planning: Integrating Insurance Products for Better Outcomes in Retirement' The 2025 study by Ernst & Young on incorporating life insurance and guaranteed income strategies into a holistic financial plan expands on its 2021 study and further validates that…

Contributed by: Austin Manning, CFP Retirement planning for corporate executives involves far more than deciding when to exit the workforce. With deferred compensation packages, concentrated stock positions, non-qualified plans, and golden parachutes in the mix, the path to financial independence is layered with complexity. One often overlooked tool in managing this transition is the annuity – a word…

Contributed by: Caleb Christian, CFP, CLU, ChFC Reconsidering Life Insurance: Seven Misunderstandings Wealthy Families Should Avoid Among individuals with significant wealth, life insurance is often viewed as unnecessary. With assets sufficient to cover family needs, taxes, and liabilities, the assumption is that life insurance serves little purpose. Yet this view overlooks how insurance can function…