Traverse Capital Management

10/07/2026

🍂 The Long Island Fall Festival returns to Heckscher Park October 9 through 12, and admission is free.

The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce hosts the festival, and this year's lineup includes a carnival, live entertainment, a b**r and w**e pavilion, and 300 vendors.

A quick planning guide:

📍 Heckscher Park and the surrounding area, Huntington
🗓 Friday, Oct. 9, 5 – 10 p.m.
🗓 Saturday, Oct. 10 & Sunday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
🗓 Monday, Oct. 12, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Enjoy the weekend, Huntington! We're proud to be part of the Chamber that brings it to town.

10/05/2026

October is Financial Planning Month, so here's a quick self-check you can run on your own plan today.

1. Do you have a clear vision for retirement and your other goals, along with a specific plan to get you there?

2. When you last reviewed your progress, was it in writing, and did it include your probability of success?

3. Do you talk with your advisor often enough that the plan feels like something you're building together?

A "no" or "I'm not sure" on any of these is useful information. Each question points to a specific piece of work you can start on this month.

Let's look at where your plan stands: https://www.traversecm.com/contact

09/28/2026

The most tax-efficient way to give to charity usually isn't writing a check.

Donating appreciated stock lets you skip the capital gains tax you'd owe on a sale while still deducting the full value, which makes it one of the more efficient ways to give if you're holding positions that have grown.

A donor-advised fund offers a different advantage, letting you take the deduction in a high-income year while distributing to your causes over time.

For those 70½ and older, giving directly from an IRA keeps that money out of your taxable income entirely.

Each of these does more than a cash gift, and each one takes a little planning to set up.

Year-end giving gets rushed in December. Starting in the fall gives you room to do it well.

09/24/2026

Prices have leveled off, but the numbers many of us built our habits around never really came back. If your budget still runs on old assumptions, here's how to recalibrate for the economy we're living in right now. Link in the comments.

Practical ways to recalibrate your finances for a post-inflation spike economy. Michael Palma is the President of Traverse Capital Management in Huntington, NY.

09/21/2026

Over the summer, I danced in my daughter’s recital.

For the record, I was not the most talented performer on that stage. But she asked me to be up there with her, and that was the only qualification that mattered.

When I started Traverse Capital Management in 2019, I wanted to build a practice that left room for moments like this—one where I could take exceptional care of clients and still show up for the things my daughters will remember.

It reflects a conversation I have with clients all the time: a financial plan is not really about the portfolio.

It is about creating the clarity and confidence to say yes to what matters most, while knowing the rest is being thoughtfully managed.

I am grateful I got to be part of this one.

Talk to us about your plan. http://traversecm.com/contact

09/17/2026

A 401(k) self-directed brokerage account (SDBA) could supercharge your retirement strategy. This video shows you the basics. Watch now! https://www.traversecm.com/videos

09/14/2026

For executives with access to a non-qualified deferred compensation plan, the election you make this fall can shape your tax picture for years to come.

By deferring a portion of your income now, you push it into a future year, potentially one where your tax rate is lower. For someone in a high bracket during their peak earning years, that can be a smart way to manage the timing of income.

The structure deserves careful consideration. The distribution schedule, whether you take a lump sum or spread it out, and the year the money comes back to you are often set when you elect and difficult to undo.

There's also a risk factor that sets deferred comp apart from a 401(k): the deferred money is generally an unsecured claim against your employer until it's paid out, which means the financial health of the company matters.

Coordinating all of this with your equity compensation, your retirement accounts, and your overall tax strategy is what can turn a deferral election into a genuine planning decision.

09/09/2026

Trump Accounts launched on July 4, 2026. If you have children or grandchildren, here's what you need to know:

→ What it is: A new type of traditional IRA for children under 18 who are U.S. citizens with a valid Social Security number.

→ The $1,000 head start: Children born between 2025 and 2028 qualify for a one-time $1,000 federal contribution after filing Form 4547.

→ Contribution limits: Families can add up to $5,000 per year during the child's growth period, with as much as $2,500 potentially coming from an employer.

→ How it grows: Funds are invested and grow tax-deferred throughout childhood. At 18, the account begins following standard IRA rules.

These accounts sit alongside tools many families already use (like 529 plans and custodial accounts), each with its own rules around taxes, access, and how the money can eventually be used.

If you'd like to sort through whether a Trump Account fits in your family's plan, reach out at traversecm.com/contact.

09/07/2026

Behind every financial goal is a lot of hard work.

Today is a good day to step back from it. To rest, to enjoy the people around you, and to appreciate how far that effort has carried you.

Happy Labor Day from our team at Traverse Capital Management.

08/31/2026

The people closest to you will eventually need to navigate your financial picture. Have you prepared them for that?

The accounts, the investments, the intentions behind them, and the logistics of how everything fits together are details that matter deeply to the people in your life. A spouse who understands the full picture and adult children who know where things stand are better positioned to carry out your wishes and make informed decisions when it counts.

Introducing family members to your financial advisor proactively creates shared context, surfaces questions that need answers, and puts everyone on the same page.

Sooner is better than later. Let’s bring your family into the fold.