In this month's episode of Beyond the Advisor, Nina Breen, CFP®, RICP®, CPWA®, Senior Wealth Planner, and Micah Alsobrook, CPFA®, MBA, Retirement Plan Advisor, continue their fishbowl-style Q&A with a deep dive into the timing, tax strategies, and missed opportunities that quietly shape outcomes for business owners and executives.

From estate planning and step-up in basis to 401(k) plan design, business exit timing, donor-advised funds, and weathering market volatility—this episode unpacks the costly decisions that get delayed and the planning moves that change the trajectory.

Key Topics Include:

• Why estate planning is the most delayed financial decision—and the basics every adult needs
• A real client story on step-up in basis and concentrated employer stock
• When a will isn't enough: the case for a revocable trust
• Signs a 401(k) was designed to check a box vs. built strategically
• New comparability profit-sharing as a way to max out owner contributions
• Donor-advised funds as a tax play in big-income years (like the year you sell your business)
• How far in advance to plan a business exit (hint: 5–10 years)
• Vesting schedules as a key employee retention tool
• What NOT to do when markets get volatile (fear selling, loans, distributions)
• Fortress Gatewood: the cash + fixed income buffer strategy
• A real COVID retiree story on confidence in the plan, not the market
• Target date funds and the "evidence-based" investment lineup

In the first episode of Beyond the Advisor, Nina Breen, CFP®, RICP®, CPWA®, and Micah Alsobrook, CPFA®, MBA, unpack the planning and retirement questions that successful families and business owners often overlook.

They discuss cash reserve strategy, retirement plan timing, how concentrated business wealth can create blind spots, and why coordination between advisors, CPAs, and attorneys is so important. They also walk through Roth conversions, SIMPLE and SEP plans, safe harbor 401(k)s, and real-world examples of tax-sensitive planning decisions that can go wrong when timing is missed.

Key Topics Include:

• Cash reserve targets for households, retirees, and business owners
• Why starting a retirement plan earlier can matter more than people think
• Concentration risk for business owners
• How SIMPLE IRAs and SEP IRAs compare with 401(k)s
• Why financial, legal, and tax professionals need to coordinate
• Roth conversions explained in plain English
• Tax timing mistakes that can affect retirement plan contributions