Austin Wealth Management

08/26/2026

Most business owners know they should have an exit strategy but keep putting it off. The problem is, buyers look at three to five years of financials when they evaluate a business. Decisions you make today affect your leverage later. AWM works with Austin-area business owners who are thinking ahead, even if a sale is years away. Connect with us: https://b.link/FB-Contact-AWM

For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.

08/25/2026

You've spent years building your business. But when you think about what eventually happens to it, do you have a clear picture? For most business owners, a sale or transition is the biggest financial event of their life. Starting the planning process early gives you real options. AWM's team helps business owners think through valuation, taxes, and timing so you're ready when the moment comes. Start the conversation: https://b.link/FB-AWM

For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.

10/11/2024

🎧 New Podcast Episode: Understanding Medicare Enrollment & Planning 🏥

Medicare can be overwhelming—especially with all the marketing materials that hit your mailbox when you turn 65!

Additionally, several recent issues with Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have raised concerns among enrollees and policymakers.

In our latest podcast, Manisha Gupta, CFP® talks with Medicare expert Dana Lasman to break down the complexities and help you make sense of your options.

In this episode, Dana covers:

📌 Medicare eligibility and how to enroll
📌 Unbiased resources to evaluate your Medicare choices
📌 The different parts of Medicare – A, B, C, D (and even N!)
📌 Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: Which is best for you?
📌 Understanding medical expenses—premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and max out-of-pocket costs.

🔗 Listen now: https://austinwealthmgmt.com/podcast/medicare-enrollment-options/

Medicare planning is complex, and people often receive a confusing flurry of insurance marketing material when they turn 65. In today's episode, we talk to Medi

09/27/2024

If you're like many parents who have diligently saved for your child’s education using a 529 plan, you might be wondering what happens to any leftover funds after the tuition bills are paid.

The good news: thanks to Congress and the SECURE 2.0 Act, unused 529 funds can now be rolled over into a Roth IRA for your beneficiary! 🎓➡️💼

Here are a few key rules to keep in mind:

✅ The 529 account must be open for at least 15 years.

✅ The Roth IRA must be in the name of the 529 beneficiary.

✅ Rollovers are subject to annual and lifetime limits, so planning is key.

Though it’s a great new option, navigating the rules can be tricky because there are also income requirements and annual rollover limits. But over the long term, this recent change represents a significant opportunity to enhance both education and retirement savings strategies for your adult children.

Read more tips in our blog by David Lowe, CFP® and reach out to our team for advice on making the most of this opportunity. ⬇️

A 529 account can be a great tool for saving for college. Investment growth is tax-free, and so are the withdrawals (if used for qualifying education expenses).

09/13/2024

📉 Dealing with Market Dips 📈

Investors get paid for taking risks, but when the market dips—like the recent sudden 7% drop between July and August—it can be unsettling.

These dips are inevitable, but predicting their timing and severity is nearly impossible. Instead of trying to outsmart the market, a more reliable approach is to stay the course and invest consistently over the long term.

Whether you're buying into a dip or at an all-time high, history shows that it's the time you stay invested that matters most!

For those with excess cash to invest, a gradual approach can help reduce risk while taking advantage of opportunities to buy at lower prices.

The key takeaway? Avoid reacting emotionally during market downturns, and remember that long-term commitment often leads to better outcomes.

Want more insights on how to handle market dips and optimize your investment strategy? Read our full blog post from Kevin X. Smith, CFA:

Employees get paid for doing work. Investors get paid for taking risk. Risk is the chance of losing value between the time of purchase and sale. We experienc

09/05/2024

🎙️ New Podcast Episode Alert! 🎙️

can be one of the most complicated parts of financial planning, especially when a big bonus, company stock vesting, or a profitable business year leaves you facing an unexpected tax bill.

In our latest podcast, we sit down with Joe Pachuca, CPA to talk about how proactive can help you avoid those unwelcome surprises from the IRS. Joe shared his insights about:

💼 Common reasons clients may face large tax bills

📅 The importance of proactive tax planning

💡 How estimated taxes work and when they’re due

💰 Deciding between paying taxes immediately or reserving funds in a high-yield savings account; and

🧮 How CPAs and qualified tax preparers help you calculate and anticipate estimated taxes.

https://austinwealthmgmt.com/podcast/ep-38-avoiding-surprise-tax-bills-august-2024/

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player! Search for the Can't Take It With You podcast, and add it to your favorites.🎧

It's great to earn a big bonus, receive a vesting of company stock, or achieve a profitable business year. Unfortunately, without good tax planning, extra incom

05/30/2024

📈 Using Dollar-Cost Averaging to Reduce Risk 📉

▶ Client: "I am sitting on this pile of cash in my account but I don't know the best time to put it into the market." 💰 😕 ⁉

Whether from the sale of a home or business, vested stock, an inheritance, or just disciplined savings, deciding how to move a lump sum of cash into the market can be daunting due to fluctuations -- but also behavioral psychology.

Enter dollar-cost averaging (DCA), a strategy that we use to help manage risk by spreading over time.

Here are some key benefits:

✴ Reduce timing risk: DCA spreads investments to avoid the risk of investing a lump sum right before a downturn. You invest a fixed amount at regular intervals, continuously adding to your portfolio.

✴ Take advantage of unpredictable market dips: Pre-scheduled investments mean buying more shares when prices drop periodically, boosting potential returns. We also use a "trigger schedule" to move additional cash into investment accounts during market declines to capitalize on lower prices.

✴ Encourage consistent investing: DCA offers a structured approach, eliminating the pressure of market timing and removing emotional biases that may discourage "getting into" the market.

For more about how we choose the right DCA model for clients and their situation, read our latest from Kevin X. Smith, CFA:

https://austinwealthmgmt.com/using-dollar-cost-averaging-to-reduce-risk/

Investing a large sum of money can be daunting, especially with the uncertainty of market fluctuations. Enter dollar-cost averaging (DCA), a strategy designed t

05/17/2024

If you're retired and considering charitable or philanthropic donations this year, there are strategic ways to support charitable causes while limiting the tax hit to your IRAs. One of these is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD).

QCDs can help you:

☑ Avoid high tax burdens: Once you hit your 70s, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from pre-tax IRAs become mandatory and are taxed as ordinary income. Amounts given via QCDs are excluded from your taxable income.

☑ Donate up to $105,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified charity -- or multiple charities! Qualified religious organizations, educational and nonprofit groups, and health care and research foundations can all accept QCDs.

☑ Lower your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), potentially reducing Medicare premiums and taxes on Social Security benefits. This is beneficial even if you don’t itemize deductions.

Learn more here, and see our case study showing significant tax savings for a couple with $1 million in pre-tax IRAs:

https://austinwealthmgmt.com/qualified-charitable-distribution-philanthropic-impact-meets-tax-savings/

Good news: Through hard work, savings and diligent investing, you retired with $1 million or more in pre-tax IRA funds! Bad news: The government wants its pi

05/06/2024

TFW when it's a perfect night on the Forty Acres and the Texas Exes names you one of the fastest-growing Longhorn businesses in the world, as part of the 2024 ! 🙌⭐️

This prestigious list identifies and celebrates the fastest-growing businesses founded, owned, or led by alumni of The University of Texas at Austin.🤘🏼

We're especially honored that Austin Wealth Management is the only financial planning and advising firm selected for the this year. This is a testament to our fantastic, talented team -- and our equally amazing client family.

For more information on the Longhorn 100 and to view the complete 2024 rankings, visit https://www.texasexes.org/longhorn100/2024