Articles Library

Authored by: Dale Shaw, CFP®, RICP® A portfolio that earns ten percent in a given year may appear to outperform one that earns eight percent. On paper, the comparison seems straightforward. But for many successful investors, the more important question is not how much the portfolio earned. It is how much they kept after taxes. Taxes are one of the few factors that can consistently reduce investment…

What to do with Your 401(k) after Leaving a Job: Key Considerations & Advanced Tax Strategies When navigating a job transition, whether entering retirement or an unexpected layoff, one crucial aspect that requires careful consideration is what to do with your 401(k) plan. Making informed choices is of utmost importance to safeguard your financial future. By taking stock of your existing plan and…

Granite Harbor Managing Partner Brian W. Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, has been recognized as one of the 2026 Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals, earning a place among the Top 50 professionals nationwide. In addition, Brian was one of only two professionals selected by Forbes for an exclusive feature profile highlighting his approach to helping clients make confident financial decisions. Read Brian's…

Authored by: Tom Kelley, MBA For many investors, portfolio success is often measured by account growth or annual returns. Perhaps a more meaningful goal is whether a portfolio can maintain the purchasing power necessary to support long term goals, lifestyle needs, and family legacy. Inflation may appear manageable in any single year, but over decades its cumulative effect can materially reduce the…

Contributed by: Dale Shaw, CFP®, RICP® In today’s digital world, wealth extends far beyond traditional bank accounts, investment portfolios, and physical property. Much of our financial life, personal history, and valuable information now exists online. From cryptocurrency wallets and cloud storage to online banking credentials and social media accounts, digital assets have become an essential part…

Authored by: Brian W. Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® For decades, retirement planning centered around a relatively straightforward question: “Will I have enough?” For today’s affluent families, that question has evolved into something far more nuanced. The modern retirement challenge is no longer simply about accumulating assets. It is about preserving autonomy, flexibility, and family harmony during what…

Authored by: Derek J. Taylor From the Limited Partner (LP) Perspective For limited partner investors, the structure of a private multi-asset fund is not just about diversification—it is a powerful driver of after-tax return optimization. Through partnership taxation, strategic income blending, and timing flexibility, LPs can benefit from a range of tax efficiencies that are difficult to replicate in…

Authored by: Nicholas M. Brown, CFA, CFP® I will admit, I love watching the TV show Billions. It is compelling television, full of sharp dialogue and larger than life personalities. If you have never seen it, the show mainly follows the back-and-forth of a hedge fund manager named Bobby Axelrod and a series of ongoing antagonists. He is the quintessential financial genius, recognizing patterns where…

Authored by: Brian W. Sak, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® What if the traditional approach to retirement planning—accumulate assets, shift to bonds, and draw income—misses a meaningful part of the opportunity set? For many high-income families and business owners, retirement is not simply about replacing income. It is about sustaining a lifestyle, preserving optionality, managing taxes, and ultimately transferring…