Meristead Wealth

10/07/2026

Retirement confidence looks different for those with a financial plan versus those without one.

59% of Americans with a financial plan said they were confident they would have enough retirement savings to live comfortably, compared to 34% of those without one.*

In recognition of World Financial Planning Day, it’s worth considering what a holistic financial plan could do for you.

Your investments may be designed to help grow and protect your wealth. A financial plan helps connect that wealth to the rest of your financial life.

It brings together questions like:

• When can I comfortably retire?
• Where will my income come from once I stop working?
• How could taxes affect the wealth I’ve accumulated?
• Is my estate plan aligned with my wishes?
• How do charitable goals fit into the picture?
• What do I ultimately want my wealth to make possible for me and my family?

These decisions don’t exist in isolation. Your retirement income needs can affect your investment strategy. Tax considerations can influence how and when you draw from different accounts. Estate and charitable goals can shape how your wealth is structured and ultimately transferred.

Your investment portfolio helps answer: How can my wealth support my financial goals?

Your financial plan helps answer the bigger question: How do all the pieces of my financial life work together to support those goals?

At the end of the day, your wealth is there to support the life you want to live and the people and causes that matter most to you.

*Source: U.S. Bank 2025 Wealth Survey

10/05/2026

If your parents are approaching retirement or are already retired, there’s one conversation worth having sooner rather than later: their finances.

Not because you need to know every detail or take control, but because having a general understanding of their financial life can make it easier to help if the need ever arises.
Where are important documents kept? Who are their trusted financial professionals? What accounts, insurance policies, and estate plans are in place?

Creating a simple “financial map” can help families organize those answers before they’re needed.

In our latest blog, we share what that financial map could include and how to start the conversation with your parents.

Because the best time to have this conversation is when everyone is healthy and there’s time to plan, not in the middle of an emergency.

Read more: https://hubs.li/Q04z9tfh0

10/02/2026

We had a great time in Las Vegas at the 2026 Stansberry Research & Alliance Conference!

Our CIO Austin Root took the main stage to present “Evergreen Investing: Building Wealth That Endures” and explored the characteristics of a durable portfolio, built to last for generations.

Our Senior Wealth Manager Kimberley Threadgill, CFP®, CDFA®, also hosted “Her Perspective,” where she focused on preparing for life’s unexpected transitions. She was joined by special guests who led the conversation on the importance of having a plan in place if a loved one becomes ill or passes away. Kimberley also shared how proactive financial organization can help provide clarity and confidence during a difficult time.

Thank you to Stansberry Research for bringing this community of passionate and dedicated investors together. We always value opportunities to exchange ideas and strengthen relationships in-person!

10/01/2026

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month! 💻🔐

Americans reported nearly $21 billion in losses from cyber-enabled crime in 2025. With cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence making scams more convincing than ever, now is the time to take action to defend yourself against cybersecurity threats. To help, we’ve put together a few suggestions you can implement to better protect your assets.

Small habits can make a big difference when it comes to protecting your financial life. Stay alert and proactive.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 2026.

09/29/2026

In celebration of our 10-year anniversary, each month we're sharing one key lesson our firm has learned along the way. This month's key: Prepare the Next Generation Early.

Financial clarity can be one of the most meaningful gifts you give your family. You don’t have to share every financial detail, but starting conversations early can help younger or future heirs better understand your intentions and the responsibilities they may one day inherit.

Learn more below ⬇️

09/28/2026

Have you ever seen a market headline that made you question your investment strategy? 🤔

From market volatility and interest rates to geopolitical uncertainty, investors have faced no shortage of alarming and repetitive headlines this year. Over time, that constant stream of news can become exhausting, making it harder to separate developments that matter from the noise of the daily news cycle.

The danger comes when every headline starts to feel like a reason to act. Making investment decisions in response to short-term news can pull your attention away from the goals, time horizon, and strategy your wealth plan is built around.

That doesn’t mean tuning out the news entirely. Markets change, new risks emerge, and new information can absolutely warrant a response. The key is determining if a headline is likely to have a lasting impact on the markets and potentially on your investment portfolio.

At Meristead, our investment team continually evaluates market developments and current events to assess their potential impact on our investment strategies and whether adjustments may be appropriate.

09/25/2026

Gold has spent plenty of time in the headlines this year, reaching record highs and notable pullbacks. But what does that mean for its often-overlooked sibling, silver?

Meristead Deputy CIO, Michael Joseph, CFA, recently published an article in Kiplinger exploring why silver may be worth consideration.

What sets silver investments apart from gold? What forces are driving supply and demand - and creating a market that may be more complex than it appears? And what opportunities and drawbacks come with the diversified ways to invest in silver?

Michael explores these questions and more, including why silver’s recent weakness may give patient, risk-tolerant investors a reason to take a closer look.

Read the full article here: Silver Has Lost Its Shine — and That's Why I'm Interested | Meristead Wealth (https://hubs.li/Q04xZJvQ0)

Silver was riding high earlier this year, but interest has waned now that prices have pulled back. For the right investors, however, that's when the interesting opportunities emerge.

09/23/2026

Markets evolve. Your investment portfolio should be designed to evolve with them.

In our recent webinar, “Evergreen Investing: Building Wealth that Endures,” Meristead CIO Austin Root, and Deputy CIO Michael Joseph, CFA, explain what seasonal investing means to us and how it shapes our approach to active investment management.

While our name has changed, the principles that guide us have not. Seasonal investing is not a new strategy for our team, it’s a philosophy we have followed since the beginning.

Watch the full webinar for examples of how our team puts this philosophy into practice: https://hubs.li/Q04xZHq40

09/21/2026

Will you be in Las Vegas next week for the 2026 Stansberry Research Conference?

We’re excited to be a Gold Sponsor for this year’s event. Our team is looking forward to connecting with the attendees, talking about the markets, and sharing more about our approach to active investment management.

CIO Austin Root and Senior Wealth Manager Kimberley Threadgill will also be presenting at the conference. See below for their session titles and times.

And if you’ll be joining us in Las Vegas, we’d love to see you at our Meristead cocktail hour on night two. Leave a comment if you’d like to receive the details.

09/18/2026

Inflation isn’t going away. The real question is whether your portfolio is built to handle it.

In this highlight from our recent webinar, Deputy CIO, Michael Joseph, covers what a persistent-inflation, rising-debt world could mean for portfolios. He explains three ways we position investments with inflation in mind - focusing on preserving purchasing power and owning resilient companies that can grow above rising prices.

If you’re thinking about how inflation might affect your long-term goals, this clip offers a clear look at the framework we use every day.

To learn more, watch the full conversation here: https://hubs.li/Q04xHhFt0