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At Granite Harbor Advisors, we value the educational process, giving our clients the knowledge to move forward with confidence.

Understanding Tax Thresholds
4 minutes read

Understanding Tax Thresholds

Authored by: Dale Shaw, CFP, RICP As your wealth grows, so does the complexity of your financial obligations. One of the most significant and often misunderstood aspects of financial planning is navigating tax thresholds. These thresholds, the income levels at which specific tax rates or rules apply, play a pivotal role in determining your overall tax liability. For high-net-worth individuals, business…
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How to Create a Strategic Giving Plan Aligned with Your Values
4 minutes read

How to Create a Strategic Giving Plan Aligned with Your Values

Contributed by: Timothy B. Smith, CFP® Strategic giving allows families, business owners, and executives to maximize the effectiveness of their contributions, create a lasting legacy, and experience the fulfillment of purposeful generosity. At Granite Harbor Advisors, we understand the complexities of wealth management and the unique considerations of high-net-worth individuals when it comes to charitable…
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Tax Loss Harvesting in a Positive Market
5 minutes read

Tax Loss Harvesting in a Positive Market

Contributed by: Nicholas M. Brown, CFA, CFP 2024 is shaping up to be another banner year for equity investors, with the S&P 500 up over 20% for the year at the time this article was written. To the extent those gains occur in accounts with capital gains exposure, a positive market could also create the possibility for significant tax liability. One way to address capital gains exposure is through…
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How to Pass on a Family Business to the Next Generation
4 minutes read

How to Pass on a Family Business to the Next Generation

Contributed by: Tom Kelley, MBA For many families, a business is not just a source of income; it is a legacy. Successfully passing on a family business to the next generation involves more than a handshake or an informal agreement. It requires intentional planning, strategic preparation, and a focus on preserving family harmony while ensuring the business remains strong and sustainable. At Granite…
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Building Liquidity into a High-Net-Worth Portfolio
5 minutes read

Building Liquidity into a High-Net-Worth Portfolio

Contributed by: Austin Manning, CFP® High-net-worth (HNW) individuals often face unique financial challenges. A key consideration among these is liquidity—ensuring access to cash or liquid assets when unexpected opportunities or emergencies arise. While a robust portfolio typically includes a mix of investments designed for growth, income, and preservation, building liquidity is essential for both…
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(eCLAT): Combining Philanthropy with Wealth Transfer Strategies
5 minutes read

(eCLAT): Combining Philanthropy with Wealth Transfer Strategies

Contributed by: Brian W. Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® For high-net-worth individuals seeking to balance charitable giving with strategic wealth transfer, the Enhanced Charitable Lead Annuity Trust (eCLAT) is a powerful tool. This sophisticated strategy enables donors to make substantial contributions to charity while preserving and growing wealth for their families. By incorporating life insurance into a…
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Understanding Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) for Oil & Gas Executives 
5 minutes read

Understanding Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) for Oil & Gas Executives 

Contributed by: Tom Kelley, MBA As an executive in the oil and gas industry, particularly for leading companies like ConocoPhillips, Exxon, or BP, strategic financial planning is essential to managing your wealth effectively. One powerful tool that may be available to you is Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA), a tax strategy that could significantly enhance your retirement distribution plans. In this…
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Navigating Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans: A Detailed Guide
3 minutes read

Navigating Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans: A Detailed Guide

Contributed by: Nicholas E. Gonzalez, CEPA®, CRPS® 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…
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The Power of Tax Diversified Investing: A Wealth Advisor's Perspective
4 minutes read

The Power of Tax Diversified Investing: A Wealth Advisor's Perspective

Contributed by: Caleb Christian CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” This famous quote from Benjamin Franklin emphasizes an often-overlooked aspect of investing: tax diversification. While many investors focus on traditional diversification strategies—spreading their assets across various stocks, bonds, and asset classes—it’s equally important to consider ways…
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Understanding the 83(b) Election: A Strategic Tax Move for Business Leaders
4 minutes read

Understanding the 83(b) Election: A Strategic Tax Move for Business Leaders

Contributed by: Nicholas E. Gonzalez, CEPA®, CRPS® The 83(b) election is an essential tax planning strategy that can significantly impact the financial outcomes of business owners, C-suite executives, and founders. This article dives into the specifics of what an 83(b) election is, its tax implications, how it pertains to stock awards, when it should be considered, and the potential outcomes of making…
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Integrating Public & Private Market Access

Integrating Public & Private Market Access

With the expansion of Private Markets, Granite Harbor recognizes the significance of offering effective exposure to a growing asset class in investment portfolios. Additionally, we believe that more investment opportunities are electing to stay in the private arena for longer than they previously were. This idea is supported by the fact that: Investment in Private Markets as measured by Assets Under Management accounted for $13.1 Trillion in 20231. This level of investment equates to approximately 30% of the total market capitalization of the S&P 5002. Growth in Private Market investment has increased exponentially in recent years. Since 2018, private market investment has grown by 20% per year1. In 2021, the average size of IPO as measured by market capitalization was $3.96 Billion. In 2010, the average market capitalization was only $545 million3. Sources https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-equity-and-principal-investors/our-insights/mckinseys-private-markets-annual-review#/ https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/#data https://site.warrington.ufl.edu/ritter/files/IPO-Statistics.pdf
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Understanding Tax-Loss Harvesting: A Guide for Investors
3 minutes read

Understanding Tax-Loss Harvesting: A Guide for Investors

Understanding Tax-Loss Harvesting: Tax-loss harvesting is a sophisticated investment strategy that involves the selling of securities at a loss to offset a corresponding gain. When applied effectively, this technique can reduce the taxable income and enhance the tax-efficiency of an investment portfolio. The essence of tax-loss harvesting lies in its capacity to lower the investor's current year's…
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Understanding Life Settlement: Recognizing the market value of your life insurance
4 minutes read

Understanding Life Settlement: Recognizing the market value of your life insurance

Many people think of life insurance in rather uninspired terms. They generally consider it a liability and an expense that shows up in cash flow projections, not a true asset. This is sometimes why investors will surrender a policy or let one lapse. But before doing either of those things, policyholders should consider a life settlement. When used strategically as part of a comprehensive financial…
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The Importance of Life Insurance in Retirement Planning During the Great Wealth Transfer
7 minutes read

The Importance of Life Insurance in Retirement Planning During the Great Wealth Transfer

The “Great Wealth Transfer” refers to the monumental shift of wealth from the Baby Boomer generation to its heirs. Over the next few decades, an estimated $84 trillion will be transferred to younger generations. This unprecedented movement of assets presents opportunities, but also challenges, for families seeking to secure their financial futures through the seamless transfer of wealth from one generation…
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Using Life Insurance to Transfer Wealth

Using Life Insurance to Transfer Wealth

Using Life Insurance to Transfer Wealth Life insurance can be a useful tool to accomplish many different planning goals. Specifically, if you are investing for a purpose that extends beyond your lifetime, like preserving wealth for generations to come, then life insurance can be a very attractive investment vehicle. Download our infographic to see how a well-designed life insurance strategy can be a tax-efficient way to transfer wealth and protect your legacy.
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Unraveling the Secrets of Cash Value Life Insurance
3 minutes read

Unraveling the Secrets of Cash Value Life Insurance

Cash Value Life Insurance, also known as permanent life insurance, combines a death benefit with an investment component called the cash value. In a cash value life insurance policy, part of each premium you pay is allocated towards insuring your life, while the remaining portion is dedicated to building up a cash value. The cash value portion of your policy grows tax-deferred, and if structured properly,…
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Understanding Premium Financing: A Strategic Approach to Wealth Building
2 minutes read

Understanding Premium Financing: A Strategic Approach to Wealth Building

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…
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How and Why Wealthy Families Use Life Insurance

How and Why Wealthy Families Use Life Insurance

A different approach to life insurance Many people think about life insurance as financial protection against premature death. The death benefit to be paid is a replacement for lost income and helps keep the family going. But most affluent families aren’t overly concerned with income replacement. Instead, wealthy families use life insurance to protect assets because of the specific tax benefits and ROI it can provide. Including insurance products in a well-diversified portfolio can help investors achieve financial goals for the current family while also protecting wealth for future generations. In essence, there are three major themes when it comes to how and why wealthy families use life insurance: wealth accumulation, leverage, and liquidity. This ebook will explore these themes and offer insights into how to use insurance strategies most effectively.
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