Hero Image

Learning Center

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

Navigating the Complexities of Medicare and the IRMAA Surcharge in 2024
3 minutes read

Navigating the Complexities of Medicare and the IRMAA Surcharge in 2024

Contributed by: Dale Shaw, CFP®, RICP® High-income earners face a pivotal aspect of their retirement planning—understanding and managing the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharge associated with Medicare. This surcharge, which can significantly increase Medicare costs, is a crucial consideration for those in higher income brackets. This article aims to demystify the nuances of…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
You've Agreed to Sell Your Business. What's Next?
5 minutes read

You've Agreed to Sell Your Business. What's Next?

By: Brian Sak CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Selling your business is a monumental milestone, often accompanied by a wave of emotions and critical financial decisions. For many exiting business owners, this moment represents both the culmination of years of hard work and the start of a new chapter. But what happens after you've shaken hands on the deal? In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential…
Read Article
Charitable Planning: A Strategic Avenue for Philanthropic Impact and Wealth Management
7 minutes read

Charitable Planning: A Strategic Avenue for Philanthropic Impact and Wealth Management

Contributed By: Timothy Smith, CFP Charitable planning stands as a cornerstone in the realm of wealth management, offering affluent individuals and families a pathway to leave a lasting impact on society while simultaneously optimizing their tax strategy. A charitable approach can provide substantial benefits, including tax relief, income generation, and most importantly, legacy preservation. Some…
Read Article
Mitigating Estate Tax: The Role of Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)
4 minutes read

Mitigating Estate Tax: The Role of Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)

Contributed by: Brian W. Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® In the complex world of estate planning, the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) can be an attractive strategy for married, high-net-worth couples looking to manage taxes, preserve wealth, and transfer assets across generations. Understanding a SLAT's benefits is crucial for those aiming to secure their family's financial future. This knowledge is vital…
Read Article
Understanding the Qualified Business Income Deduction
3 minutes read

Understanding the Qualified Business Income Deduction

What is the Qualified Business Income Deduction? The Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction is a tax provision introduced under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. This deduction, available under Section 199A, allows eligible taxpayers to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income from their taxable income. The purpose of this provision is to provide a tax break to small business…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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
Read eBook
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…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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.
Read eBook
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,…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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…
Read Article
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.
Read eBook

Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter

Sign up now to receive our monthly newsletter, featured podcast episode summaries, upcoming topics, and exclusive resources.
Join our community today!

Schedule a Consultation