Contributed by: Nicholas E. Gonzalez, CEPA, CRPS, CDMA Investing in the education of future generations is one of the most impactful legacies a family can create. For many affluent families, this means going beyond standard savings plans and exploring sophisticated strategies that ensure educational goals are met while maintaining financial stability. Granite Harbor Advisors understands the unique…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The Power of a Holistic Approach to Public and Private Equity Markets for Accredited Investors When it comes to growing and preserving wealth, accredited investors have a unique advantage in harnessing the often-underestimated synergy between public and private equity markets. By utilizing a comprehensive strategy that integrates both markets, investors can optimize their returns and build a robust…

Maximizing Real Estate Returns in Texas: Investment Strategies & Ownership With Texas's changing property tax landscape, real estate is becoming an increasingly attractive asset class. Discover if and how real estate may fit within your investment portfolio. Governor Abbott recently signed one of the most significant property tax cuts in American history, officially using $18 billion of the state’s…

Private equity investments offer the potential for significant returns, but they also carry a considerable amount of risk. Therefore, conducting a thorough due diligence process is crucial to evaluate the viability and suitability of these opportunities. We have constructed a robust infrastructure that allows us to bring private equity opportunities directly to you, ensuring a more transparent and…

Private equity investments can be an attractive option for investors looking to diversify their portfolios and potentially earn higher returns. However, before jumping into this type of investment, it's critical to consider whether it's the right choice for your individual financial goals and risk tolerance. What are the pros of private equity investing? Higher potential returns: Private equity investments…

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…

The recent collapses of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank (Signature) resulted in two of the three biggest bank collapses in U.S. history, behind the 2008 collapse of Washington Mutual. This has created uncertainty over the stability and liquidity of all banks, especially for those with over $250,000 FDIC limits in a single institution—including many small businesses needing liquidity for…

Many investors use the average rate of returns as one of their primary metrics for assessing portfolio performance. In your earning years, the average rate is a useful benchmark because most people are focused on total wealth accumulation. But when you enter retirement, the order in which you experience those returns becomes much more important. A bad year or two at the start of retirement could have…

Inflation is a hot topic these days with many experts and financial institutions offering predictions about the short- and long-term outlook. The truth is, no one can tell the future, and trying to guess our way around what will or will not happen is poor financial planning. Instead, let us take an objective look at the risks associated with inflation, the right mentality for approaching the issue,…

As covered in our 401(k) – Super Roth article, a Roth IRA offers an attractive tax benefit. But, what do you do if you do not have a 401(k) or your 401(k) does not allow post-tax contributions? The answer is the Backdoor Roth which is the conversion from a Traditional to a Roth IRA. Both the Super Roth and Back Door options are for people who exceed the income limits (single filers that make over $139,000…

In the 21st century, endless information is accessible in the palm of our hands. With a few clicks, we can find the basic information we need to make financial decisions quickly and easily. But for some of us, basic information is not enough. Additionally, we tend to have limited amounts of time for researching, implementing, and monitoring financial decisions. If you find yourself thinking about some…

At Granite Harbor Advisors, we believe in helping our clients better understand all of their options so they can make the best decision for their families. To that end, here is a more detailed look at what net unrealized appreciation is and how you can use it to advance your financial goals. What is net unrealized appreciation (NUA)? Net unrealized appreciation is simply the difference in value between…

Have you ever been faced with a difficult decision? Not sure which way to go because you didn’t fully understand the risks involved? Much like playing cards, there are times where we need to fold, and move on, and there are times where we should stay in the game based on anticipated risks and rewards. When evaluating risk associated with financial planning, there are some risks that we are willing…