Traditional Wall Street firms have mastered the art of hiding their fees. But as your net worth scales to $5M, $10M, and beyond, the standard Assets Under Management (AUM) model acts more like a wealth tax than a service fee. Discover exactly what you’re paying and why sophisticated investors are abandoning AUM in favor of transparent, flat-fee wealth management.
Wealth Alone Won’t Sustain a Family
Most successful people spend decades focused on building wealth. Far fewer spend enough time thinking about how that wealth will change what their skillset will need to be for their family’s future prosperity. The truth is, assets are often the least important piece of a family’s long-term financial viability. Money matters, of course. But strong…
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What’s Matt Reading? (May 2026)
This month, we explore Elon Musk’s early history with Peter Thiel, the ongoing monetization debate surrounding AI, and the comforting fact that even Warren Buffett had moments of panic.
Top Questions Ultra-High Net Worth (UHNW) Families Ask Before Hiring an Advisor
For ultra-high-net-worth families, choosing a financial advisor is rarely just about investment performance. Families are often balancing complex priorities: preserving wealth across generations, minimizing taxes, coordinating estate plans, supporting charitable goals, and ensuring financial decisions align with family values. Before selecting an advisor, affluent families tend to ask deeper questions to make sure they are…
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What’s Matt Reading? (April 2026)
This month, we investigate the realistic pace of technological advancement, explore the strategic benefits of international stock diversification, and explain why complexity is often an investor’s worst enemy.
1Q 2026 Market Overview
The first quarter saw a 9% drawdown in U.S. stocks driven by the U.S. conflict with Iran. This marks the 32nd drawdown of 5+% for U.S. stocks since March 2009 (which averages out to roughly two drawdowns per year over the past 17 years). As we like to remind clients, volatility like we’ve experienced recently is the “price of admission” for owning stocks and should be expected with regularity.
