FIN-LYT by EWA®

Receiving a 7-figure windfall can feel exciting, but it also raises a lot of questions. In this FIN-LYT conversation, Chris Pavcic and Ben Ruttenberg walk through how people often approach the first 30 to 90 days, including why the first decision may be what not to do. They discuss letting the dust settle before major purchases or lifestyle changes and thinking carefully about who you share the news with.

Not every windfall is taxed the same way. Chris and Ben explain how the source of the money changes the picture, including asset sales versus stock sales in a business sale, how inherited assets can receive a step up in basis, and how pre-tax retirement accounts are treated under the SECURE Act 10-year rule. They also touch on equity compensation like RSUs and ISOs, legal settlements, and lottery winnings, which are generally taxed as ordinary income.

The episode also looks at what to consider when building a team around a windfall. Chris and Ben discuss the roles a CPA, an estate attorney, a wealth advisor, and insurance and risk management professionals can play, and why coordination between them matters. From there, they outline four areas that often change after a windfall: tax management, debt and lifestyle, investment management, and estate planning.

Along the way, the conversation covers high interest debt and liquidity, dollar cost averaging versus lump sum investing, the risks of concentrating in a single investment, learning to say no, and reviewing an estate plan after a major life event. A recurring theme is that these planning conversations can start before a windfall happens rather than after.

If you found this episode helpful, please like and subscribe to FIN-LYT for more weekly financial education.

This content is for general educational purposes only and is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your own CPA, attorney, or financial professional about your situation.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

EWA's Q4 2026 Market and Portfolio Commentary is here.
Matt Blocki, Nick Stonesifer, and Jordan Fediaczko walk through what shaped markets in the third quarter and how EWA portfolios are shifting as we move into Q4. The takeaway: stay invested in our strongest convictions, but trim where risk has gotten stretched.

After a strong summer rally pushed several top performing positions to outsized weights, the team is trimming the equity overweight from 3% to 1%, easing both total and active risk while keeping the highest conviction exposures intact. This is not a bearish call. It is disciplined risk management: harvesting gains where concentration had built up and staying invested in the themes with the strongest earnings support.

This commentary covers:

• Why we trimmed equity overweight from 3% to 1% and kept our highest conviction AI and U.S. large cap growth exposure
• Increasing the U.S. overweight versus international stocks through more active country selection
• Why oil prices climbing from 65 to 95 dollars and the 10 year yield rising to 4.5 percent created a real tightening impulse
• The shift in Fed expectations from 2.5 rate cuts to one hike penciled in for 2026, and what that means for policy uncertainty
• Core PCE at 3.2 percent versus new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's preferred trimmed mean PCE at 2.4 percent
• Why earnings, not rising valuations, have powered this rally, with AI infrastructure 2027 EPS estimates up 32 percent year to date
• Introducing bond funded liquid alternatives as traditional bonds become a less reliable portfolio diversifier
• Why widening dispersion at the country level makes active selection more important than broad regional positioning

Throughout the video, we reaffirm EWA's core philosophy: stay disciplined, stay diversified, and manage risk without abandoning our highest conviction ideas.

If you're an EWA client and have questions about how these changes impact your portfolio or financial plan, please reach out to your advisor.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

This week on FIN-LYT by EWA, Ben Ruttenberg and Tyler Houston sit down to talk through ten signs that it might be time to have a conversation about switching financial advisors. If you find yourself nodding along to three or more of these, they suggest it's probably worth a second opinion.

Ben and Tyler cover the basics that a lot of people overlook: whether your advisor can explain their fee structure in one sentence, whether they ever ask to see your tax return, and whether your relationship feels proactive or like they only reach out when something's on sale. They also dig into what it looks like when an advisor coordinates with your CPA and attorney versus operating in a silo, and why that coordination (or lack of it) can end up costing you time and money.

The conversation also touches on some of the more subtle signs, like whether your meetings are dominated by performance updates instead of your actual financial plan, whether you feel talked at rather than worked with, and whether your advisor welcomes a second opinion or gets defensive when you ask for one. Ben and Tyler share what they look for in these situations and what a healthier advisor relationship can look like.

This episode is educational in nature and not personalized financial advice. If you enjoy the conversation, we'd appreciate a like and a subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

Deciding when to start claiming Social Security is a question Ben Ruttenberg and Tyler Houston hear often from high net worth clients, and in this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, they break down how to actually think it through.

Ben and Tyler walk through how Social Security works, from the full retirement age of 67 to the tradeoffs between claiming as early as 62 or waiting all the way until 70. They dig into the numbers behind that decision, including what the maximum monthly benefit can look like at each claiming age, and share the break-even math they've run for clients to show when a spouse who claims early and reinvests those proceeds might come out ahead of a spouse who waits for the larger check.

The conversation also covers the tax side of Social Security that can get overlooked, like how up to 85% of your benefit can be taxable, how that income can affect Medicare Part B and D premiums two years down the road, and why the timing of a Roth conversion or other taxable event might factor into when you claim. Ben and Tyler also touch on spousal claiming strategies, the earnings limit for those still working before full retirement age, and why for many high net worth households, this decision can matter more for peace of mind than for the bottom line.

If you're weighing when to start your own Social Security benefit, or coordinating that decision with a spouse, this episode gives you a framework to think it through. Like and subscribe for more conversations like this one.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

Most people Google "how much should I have saved by 40" and get back one generic number, but that number is almost always wrong, especially if you're a high earner. In this episode, Chris Pavcic and Tyler Houston move past the generic benchmark and break down real net worth targets for the top 10%, top 5%, and top 1% of earners at every age, showing why your spending, not your income, is what actually determines the right number for you.

Chris and Tyler introduce the concept of "money temperature," the idea that your lifestyle spending creeps up gradually as your income grows, often without you noticing, until there's a real mismatch between what you earn and what you're actually able to save. They walk through real after-tax take-home numbers at different income levels, then use the 4% withdrawal rule to show exactly how much you'd need saved by retirement to support different spending levels, from $140,000 a year up to $400,000 a year in retirement.

The conversation also covers the true cost of waiting to save. Starting at 30 versus waiting until 50 to hit the same $3.5 million goal can mean the difference between saving $2,100 a month and needing to save $11,000 a month, a gap that only gets more extreme the longer you wait. Chris and Tyler also unpack why not all net worth is created equal, breaking down the difference between liquid and illiquid assets, pre-tax versus Roth accounts, and why a $2 million IRA isn't really worth $2 million once taxes are factored in.

Whether you're just starting to build wealth or you're getting closer to retirement, this episode gives you real, data-backed targets instead of a generic rule of thumb, and a reminder that both under-saving and over-saving can leave you worse off in the long run.

Connect with EWA:

https://ewa-llc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/

https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/View

EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:

https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

Private foundations and donor-advised funds are two of the most common ways high-net-worth families structure their charitable giving, but the right choice depends on how much control, privacy, and involvement a family wants over time. In this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, Jamison Smith sits down with Kari Owens, who has integrated estate planning into the EWA experience, to break down how each vehicle works and when one may make more sense than the other.

Kari walks through what sparks these conversations in the first place, often a life event like watching a family member navigate a disability, losing a parent, or receiving a large inheritance, and how families translate that motivation into a formal giving strategy. From there, Jamison and Kari compare a donor-advised fund's simplicity (think of it as a charity account you can fund with cash or appreciated securities) against a private foundation's added flexibility, including the ability to give directly to individuals through scholarships or disaster relief.

The conversation also covers what it actually takes to run a private foundation year to year: setting a mission statement, filing articles of incorporation, appointing a board, meeting the annual 5% minimum distribution requirement, and staying compliant with self-dealing rules, including a real story about a family that accidentally mixed up their foundation's checkbook with their personal one. They also touch on the excise tax that applies to a foundation's investment income and roughly what ongoing administrative costs can look like.

Whether your family is just starting to think about a giving strategy or already has assets earmarked for charity, this episode lays out the practical differences so you can have an informed conversation with your own advisor. Like, subscribe, and share this episode if you found it helpful.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

View EWA Estate Planning Disclosures:
https://ewa-llc.com/estate-planning-disclosures/

In this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, Jamison Smith sits down with Tom Krahe and Andy Bianco, two industry experts in business transactions, M&A, and tax strategy, for a deep dive into Section 1202 of the tax code, better known as QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock). This strategy allows eligible business owners to shelter up to $15 million per shareholder, and potentially up to $75 million when stacked across a family, completely tax free on the sale of their company, if it's structured correctly well before a sale is on the table.

Tom and Andy walk through what actually qualifies a business for this treatment, from the "original issue shares" requirement to the $75 million asset ceiling at formation, and explain why waiting until you're ready to sell is almost always too late. They share a real example of a $15 million sale that went from a projected 45% tax hit down to zero, and break down how gifting shares to a spouse, kids, or trusts before a deal is signed can multiply the benefit across a family. They also cover the newer three, four, and five year holding period tiers introduced under the latest tax legislation, and how those timelines directly affect how much of the gain is excluded.

The conversation doesn't stop at the upside. Tom and Andy are candid about the risks, including what happens when a business becomes so focused on qualifying for this treatment that it loses sight of running the business itself, and why buyers often resist stock deals in the first place. They also touch on converting an LLC or S corp into a qualifying C corp, how private equity buyers typically view these structures, and which industries and ownership situations don't qualify at all.

Whether you're a business owner years away from a sale or already fielding offers, this episode lays out exactly what needs to be in place, and how early, to take advantage of one of the most significant tax planning opportunities available to business owners today.

Like, subscribe, and share if you found this episode valuable.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

In this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, Matt Blocki sits down with Kari Owens, EWA's newest team member and an estate planning attorney with over a decade of experience handling trust and estate work alongside the tax returns that support those plans. Kari joins the show to introduce herself to EWA's clients and listeners as the firm officially integrates estate planning into the EWA experience.

Kari walks through a common misconception she sees: the belief that everything automatically passes to a spouse when someone dies. In reality, dying without a will (intestate) can mean assets that aren't jointly owned get split in ways families never intended, sometimes leading to outcomes no one saw coming. She also breaks down why beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and other assets can override what a will says entirely, and why keeping those forms updated matters just as much as the will itself.

The conversation also covers how often an estate plan should actually be reviewed. Kari shares a simple rule of thumb tied to major life events like marriage, divorce, or a new child, alongside a general timeframe for people whose lives haven't changed much. Matt ties this back to why EWA integrated estate planning in the first place: so reviews happen naturally as part of a client's regular wealth management, financial planning, and tax work, rather than being a separate, easy-to-forget task.

If you've ever assumed your estate plan is "handled" because you signed some documents years ago, this episode is worth a watch.

Connect with EWA:

https://ewa-llc.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/

https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:

https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

View EWA Estate Planning Disclosures:

https://ewa-llc.com/estate-planning-disclosures/

In this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, Jamison Smith sits down with investment banking experts Tom Krahe and Andy Bianco to break down what actually happens when a business owner sells to a private equity group.

Most owners walk into a potential private equity sale with the same fear: that the buyer is looking for a loophole to exploit them once the deal is signed. Tom and Andy push back on that narrative directly, drawing on years of closing deals across industries to explain why reputation and repeat business keep most private equity groups honest, and why the real risks sit somewhere else entirely, in deal structure, employment expectations, and the fine print most sellers never think to ask about.

The conversation moves through the practical mechanics owners actually need to understand before they get an LOI in hand. That includes the difference between asset sales and stock sales, how F reorganizations and 338(h)(10) elections let a stock sale get tax treatment similar to an asset sale, why real estate usually stays out of the deal, and how rollover equity can signal whether a buyer truly believes in the business going forward. Tom and Andy also walk through why a quality of earnings analysis can shrink a seller's expected EBITDA overnight, using a real example where 10 million dollars in reported earnings was recast down to 7 million once addbacks like PPP loan forgiveness were removed.

Beyond the numbers, Jamison, Tom, and Andy talk candidly about what life actually looks like after the sale closes, how to vet a private equity buyer the same way that buyer is vetting the seller, and why understanding the post closing expectations matters just as much as the purchase price on day one.

If you found this episode helpful, please like and subscribe so you never miss an episode of the FIN-LYT Podcast.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977

In this episode of EWA's FIN-LYT Podcast, host Matt Blocki sits down with investment bankers Tom Krahe and Andy Bianco for a deep dive into one of the biggest financial decisions a business owner could ever make: when and why to bring in an investment banker to sell a company. Matt opens with a real story about a friend who sold his eight-figure business without professional representation, structured with a 50% earn-out tied to continued employment, and is now watching that relationship unravel just months before the earn-out period ends. It's the kind of situation Tom and Andy say they see far too often.

Tom and Andy break down what an investment banker actually does: creating a competitive market where one doesn't naturally exist for privately held businesses, and de-risking the terms of a deal, not just maximizing the headline valuation. They walk through the difference between a generalist and an industry-specific banker, why "knowing someone for 40 years" is never a substitute for a structured negotiation, and why qualitative goals, like protecting employees or preserving a family legacy, often matter as much to sellers as the dollar amount.

The conversation then moves into the mechanics of a real sell-side process: how expectations get set upfront, how a business gets valued using both historical and forecasted numbers, and why a controlled auction protects confidentiality while still creating competitive tension among buyers. Tom and Andy share what typically derails deals late in the process, including a story about a closing that nearly fell apart days before signing, and explain why cash at close matters far more than a high valuation propped up by risky earn-out terms.

Whether you're a business owner five years out from a sale or just starting to think about your exit, this episode lays out what a well-run process actually looks like, and what questions to ask before you ever pick an investment banker. Like and subscribe for more episodes breaking down the real financial decisions behind building, running, and exiting a business.

Connect with EWA:
https://ewa-llc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ewa.llc/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equilibrium-wealth-advisors/
https://www.facebook.com/EquilibriumWealthAdvisors/

View EWA Disclosures and Firm ADV:
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/308977