You & Your Money

Fall is the last stretch of the year when you still have real options...

On this episode of the #YouAndYourMoney #podcast, Holly Wanegar, Associate Vice President & Wealth Advisor, shares how for retirees and pre-retirees, the last quarter of the year is when the most valuable planning decisions still have a door open. It all runs on a calendar-year clock, and most planning cannot be fixed in January. 

Here are the moves worth reviewing this fall, along with the figures that apply for 2026.

Read the companion blog post

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 IRS audits of high earners have dropped sharply but AI matching systems have not.. On this episode of the #YouAndYourMoney #podcast, Jonathan Mathews, CFP® shares what you need to know.

Read the companion blog post: https://whzwealth.com/blog/the-new-irs-fewer-auditors-smarter-algorithms-what-high-earners-need-to-know

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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the current federal tax brackets permanent — the top rate stays at 37% instead of jumping to 39.6%. For executives with bonuses, stock options, and deferred compensation agreements, that certainty changes the planning math.

In this episode of You & Your Money, Logan Lum, Associate Vice President, Lead Wealth Advisor at WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors, walks through a five-item checklist for making the most of the new rules.

What Logan covers:

• Deferred compensation — why knowing the rates makes deferral strategy easier to model, and the one risk people overlook: non-qualified deferred comp isn't protected if your company is acquired or goes bankrupt. Max out the protected vehicles first.
• Timing stock option exercises — in the top bracket, itemized deductions are worth about 35 cents on the dollar instead of 37. One mistimed exercise can push you into the top bracket, which starts at $640,600 for single filers and $768,700 for couples. Straddling an exercise across two years may be the better move.
• The SALT cap, and why it hits Connecticut hard — the state and local tax deduction cap rose to $40,400, but it phases out fast: 30 cents on every dollar of modified adjusted gross income above $505,000, landing you back at $10,000 by roughly $606,000. Stack Connecticut's 6.99% top rate and the highest property taxes in the country on top of that.
• The Social Security wage cap — once you pass $184,500 in compensation, you're no longer paying the 6.2% Social Security tax, which makes Q4 an opportune window to look at bonus timing and deferral.
• Old agreements — deferred comp arrangements written under the previous rules are worth a fresh review.

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The IRS is undergoing one of the most dramatic transformations in its history. Deep staffing and budget cuts have slashed the number of new audit starts for high-income individuals by more than 66% in fiscal year 2026 compared to the prior year — but that doesn't mean wealthy taxpayers are flying under the radar. The agency is aggressively pivoting to AI-driven automated matching systems and correspondence audits that flag discrepancies without a human examiner ever getting involved. For high-net-worth individuals, business owners, and those with complex returns involving partnerships, S-corporations, or significant investment income, the risk profile has shifted, not disappeared. Hear from Leisl Langevin of WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors on what the new audit math actually means for your return, and what's worth doing now, before a notice shows up in the mail. 

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Markets have continued to trend up, even despite inflation, geopolitical events, and other impacts. But is that trend likely to continue? Listen to our latest episode for the details on what’s happening in the markets from Jonathan Mathews, CFP®.

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Trump Accounts opened for contributions on the Fourth of July. Should you open one for your child?

On this week's You & Your Money, Jonathan Mathews, CFP® breaks down what a 530A account actually is, what every family should understand before opening one, and why he opened accounts for his own three children, even though none of them qualify for the $1,000.

Wondering how this fits your family's plan? Let's talk.
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Absolute Confidence. Unwavering Partnership. For Life.

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A Roth conversion can create years of tax-free growth, but the timing and tax consequences matter. Explore how OBBBA, income brackets, Medicare surcharges, and estate-planning goals can shape whether a conversion makes sense for you.

In this episode, Jim Zahansky, AWMA®, Senior Managing Partner & Chief Strategist at WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors, walks through the framework he uses with clients weighing a conversion.

Read the companion blog post >

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Over the next two decades, more than $84 trillion is expected to pass from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to their heirs. This is the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, and is being coined “The Great Wealth Transfer.” 

This is particularly significant for women because they are projected to receive and control the majority of those assets, whether as surviving spouses or as daughters and granddaughters inheriting wealth. By 2030, women in the United States are expected to control roughly $34 trillion in financial assets. 

In this episode, WHZ Managing Partner, Advisory Leisl L. Langevin, CFP® CDFA shares what women and their families can do now to prepare to make the most of this opportunity into the future.

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Get caught up on what's been happening in the financial markets over the last month, and what it could mean for you and your money, with WHZ Senior Managing Partner & Chief Strategist James Zahansky, AWMA.

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Estate planning just changed; your plan may need to as well. The OBBBA may ease federal estate tax pressure, but older wills, trusts, beneficiary forms, and healthcare directives can still create problems if they are outdated.

Hear about what to consider on our latest podcast with Jonathan Mathews, CFP®.

Read the companion blog post >

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