Smart Money With Sam

10/16/2026

Asking the wrong Roth question? 👀 This one matters more.

Everyone gets stuck debating whether to do a Roth conversion at all. But that's actually not the most important question.

The question worth asking is: has anything about your situation changed since the last time you reviewed this?

Your income may have shifted. Tax laws may have changed. Your account balances look different. And your time horizon is shorter today than it was last year by definition.

A conversion that made sense before might not fit anymore. Or it might make even more sense now.

The only way to know is to take five minutes and actually look.

That quick check costs nothing and could change your answer entirely, even if you end up in the same place you started.

If it's been a while since you've revisited this before year-end, that's worth a real conversation.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

10/16/2026

An ILIT could play a role in your estate strategy.

Irrevocable life insurance trusts can be important tools that may accomplish a number of estate objectives.

10/15/2026

Children with special needs may need ongoing help after their parents are gone.

Planning for a child with special needs can be complicated, confusing, and even overwhelming.

10/14/2026

Writing a check to your favorite charity isn't always the smartest tax move.

If charitable giving is already part of your year-end plans, the mechanism you use can matter just as much as the amount.

Two strategies worth knowing before December 31:

A Qualified Charitable Distribution lets you transfer funds directly from your IRA to a qualified charity. Done correctly, that amount may never appear as taxable income.

A Donor-Advised Fund lets you contribute now, capture the tax benefit this year, and then decide which organizations receive grants later. No rush, no deadline on where the money ultimately lands.

Neither approach is about giving more. They're about whether the way you're already planning to give is the approach that makes the most sense for your tax situation.

Follow along because we'll be breaking down both of these in more detail later this month.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Foundation Wealth Partners is a financial advisor serving Achievers and Pre-Retirees between 45 and 65.

10/14/2026

Valuation is important for business succession, estate taxes and even qualifying for a loan.

Ascertaining the value of your business is important for a variety of reasons.

10/13/2026

No straight answer? There is a reason for that.

When it comes to Roth conversions, the advice you find online tends to land in one of two camps: "everyone should convert" or "nobody should." Neither holds up once you look at an actual situation.

Whether a conversion makes sense for you comes down to four things:

Your time horizon. The longer your money has to grow after conversion, the more a tax-free Roth can work in your favor.

Your current bracket vs. your future bracket. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket later, paying taxes now may be worth it. If you are in peak earning years, it may not be.

Whether you can pay the conversion tax without touching the converted funds. Dipping into the converted amount to cover the tax bill changes the math significantly.

What you want to leave behind. Heirs who inherit a Roth IRA receive it tax-free, which can matter a great deal depending on your legacy goals.

None of these factors automatically outweigh the others. They only point in a clear direction once you run your own numbers.

Watch the full breakdown to see which of these four factors applies most to your situation.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Foundation Wealth Partners is a financial advisor serving The Achiever and The Pre-Retiree.

10/13/2026

Do you know what all those emojis you keep seeing in your text messages mean? Here's a handy guide.

Do you understand these common mobile slang terms?

10/12/2026

Most people skip this in a Roth conversion decision.

Before you touch tax brackets, before you decide on an amount to convert, one question should come first: how many years will pass before you actually need that money?

A Roth conversion is a trade. You pay taxes now in exchange for tax-free growth and withdrawals down the road. How much that trade is worth depends almost entirely on the time the money has before it's needed.

The longer the runway, generally the more room there is for the math to work in your favor, though every situation is different.

This is the first of four factors covered in the full breakdown, and it tends to be the one that determines whether the rest of the conversation is even worth having.

It also happens to be the factor people skip most often, because it feels too obvious to bother with. Until they actually sit down and run the numbers.

If you haven't seen the full breakdown yet, it's worth the ten minutes.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Foundation Wealth Partners is a financial advisor serving achievers and pre-retirees between the ages of 45 and 65.

10/12/2026

Have a kid heading off to college? Here are a few tips.

Dropping off your child is loaded with emotions; here are a few tips for a smoother experience.

10/09/2026

Did you hear about Aretha Franklin’s handwritten will? How did Frank Sinatra keep his family from contesting his \$100m estate? The examples of famous celebrities underline the need for a clear estate strategy.

The examples of famous celebrities underline the need for a clear estate strategy.