Are "alternative investments" like Private Equity and Venture Capital the secret to building wealth, or are they just complicated hype?

In this episode, we break down everything you actually need to know. We ditch the "alternative" label and re-categorize these investments by the job they do for your portfolio: driving growth or providing diversification.

We also debunk the biggest myth in investing: the idea that private assets have low risk. We'll show you why that "low volatility" is a statistical illusion and why assets like private equity carry just as much risk as the stock market.

Join us as we cover:

The "J-Curve": Why you lose money before you make it.

Manager Selection: The massive (and critical) difference between a top-tier manager and an average one.

The Liquidity Trap: The truth about new "liquid" interval funds.

401(k)s: Should you really hold these in your retirement plan?

Capital Stewards is a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor in headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama serving clients throughout the southeast.

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Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Tax time is NOW, not in March of next year. Once we turn the page to next year, your ability to reduce your taxes and take advantage of some of these strategies will be gone! In our year end planning tips episode, I breakdown 10 strategies for you to consider before we close out 2025.

1) Why you need Tax Projections

2) Retirement Account Planning and Contributions for IRAs and 401(s)

3) ROTH Conversions

4) Flex Spending Accounts

5) Saving Taxes with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

6) Avoiding Mutual Fund Distributions / "Phantom" Distributions

7) Tax Loss Harvesting

8) Income Planning

9) Charitable Giving Strategies

10) Portfolio Rebalancing – Avoiding a big drawdown.

Start A Conversion with Capital Stewards: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

There are a lot of questions on the minds of investors. Usually after a big market gains like we experienced over the summer, everyone is happy and thinks things are going great. But I hear a lot of concerns from folks on a regular basis this time around. I think that’s warranted because we are living in a world with two different economies running simultaneously. One is in a recession. The other is partying like it’s 1999. How we invest wisely based on what’s really happening is going to be very important over the next few months and into 2026.

In this outlook, we’re going to talk about the gains we have seen so far this year and whether we are in a market bubble. I’m also going to help you resolve the difference between your feelings about the economy and what you are seeing in your portfolio – because what you feel may not be what you’re experiencing in your investments. As always, I will share my views on the stock market, interest rates, the Fed, inflation, real estate and other assets like Gold.

Would you like to connect?

https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Today we’re diving deep into one of the most important—and often misunderstood—pillars of retirement planning: Social Security.

Whether you’re a few years from retirement or already mapping out your retirement income strategy, understanding how Social Security works—and how to optimize it—can make a six-figure difference over your lifetime. We’ll cover everything from when to claim to spousal benefits to tax implications. So Lets Dive in.

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned  is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed

Are we in a stock market bubble? The market certainly “feels” overvalued relative to our experiences in the economy day in and day out. The phrase "stock market bubble" is in the media a lot and many of our clients and friends have asked me the magic question – are we in a stock market bubble? Is this irrational exuberance or is it rational growth? So on this episode we will talk about where things stand relative to past bubbles, and I’ll answer the questions no one seems to want to answer on the record – are we in a bubble?

Have Questions? Want to Talk?

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Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

It’s back-to-school time at our house so this episode is all about education planning and paying for college. I hear so many question about college planning:

How do I guide my kids to choose the right school? Or no school at all? Is college worth it?

How do I save money for college? How should I pay for college once they enroll in their dream school?

In this episode I cover the framework you should consider using to make smart choices about college. Then we dive into tax smart college savings strategies and the nuts and bolts of paying for college. Plus, in 2025, there are a lot of changes for education funding, 529s, and student loans in the One Big Beautiful Bill. So it’s a great time to make an education plan or reevaluate your existing financial plan for education.

Have questions or want to connect to discuss?

https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

It’s all about the One Big Beautiful Bill on this episode of the Capital Stewards Podcast. Some would say it’s the hugest, most beautiful bill ever. Well, we will talk about that. Will it be good for the economy? What about the deficit? Is it $4 Trillion in deficit spending or something less? In the second half of the episode, I’ll cover what the Big Beautiful Bill means for your taxes and what tax planning steps you should be thinking about before we head into 2026.

© 2025 Capital Stewards, LLC. Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Welcome to our mid-year outlook on the economy and investment markets. We will talk about tariffs, the conflict in the middle east, whether or not we see a recession brewing, the “big beautiful tax bill” and of course the outlook for stocks, bonds, gold, real estate and other investment assets.

01:38 - What's Happened So Far This Year

04:37 - U.S. Economic Outlook

11:47 - Tariff War Outcomes

17:21 - Iran - Israel Conflict

19:09 - One Big Beautiful Bill's Economic Impact

27:00 - Stock Market Outlook

31:00 - Interest Rates and Bond Outlook

36:00 - Gold Outlook

37:20 - Housing Market and Conclusions

Connect with Capital Stewards: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Trump’s trade policy has been sort of like a summer road trip. We started off at home in April, ventured to an unknown and uncertain land, and now we have returned home, at least mostly. I wanted to share a few thoughts on the economy and markets since our last update happened right on the heels of “liberation day” and we have now journeyed quite a ways in a short period of time.

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Market volatility and drops make us want to close our eyes and stop watching our portfolios. Challenging markets are not the time to run away and hide. It’s time to go on offense to save future taxes, transfer assets and get ready to take advantage of the next market cycle.

In this episode I’m going to cover 5 things you should be thinking about now so that you can be prepared to take advantage of market declines as we go through the rest of 2025.

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.