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Beyond Your Finances, Investment Planning, Retirement, Taxes

Why High-Net-Worth Individuals and Families Need Specialized Wealth Advisors

Building wealth is a significant accomplishment. Managing it effectively can become increasingly complex. As wealth grows, so do the financial decisions that accompany it. Investment accounts, retirement plans, business interests, tax considerations, estate planning, charitable giving, and family legacy goals often become interconnected. A decision in one area can have consequences for several others. That…

Investment Planning, Retirement

Retirement Strategy: Total Return or Living off the Income

Why “Living Off the Income” Isn’t Always the Safest or Prudent Retirement Strategy One of the most common retirement strategies people ask about is the idea of “living off the income” generated by a portfolio or using dividends from stocks and interest from bonds or CDs while never touching principal. At first glance, the strategy…

Investment Planning, Taxes

Direct Indexing for High-Net-Worth Investors

What Is Direct Indexing—and When Does It Make Sense for High-Net-Worth Investors? Direct indexing has gained attention in recent years as technology, like automation and ample liquidity, has made it more accessible. It offers a way to combine passive investing with more flexible tax management and portfolio customization. That can sound appealing, but like most…

Investment Planning, Taxes

Equity Compensation Explained: RSUs, Stock Options, and Taxes

Many companies—both public and private—use equity compensation such as restricted stock and stock options to attract, reward, and retain employees. These awards can become a significant part of your net worth, which makes it essential to understand how they work, how they are taxed, and how they fit into your overall financial plan. Your equity…

Estate & Legacy, Investment Planning

Roth IRAs for Kids

Roth IRA for Kids: How Custodial Roth IRAs Work and When They Make Sense Summary: A Roth IRA for a child can be a useful planning tool when earned income exists, but it’s not a default strategy and should not replace education-focused accounts like 529 plans. Custodial Roth IRAs follow standard IRS rules, including earned income requirements and…

Investment Planning, Retirement

Capital Reserves: Our Time-Tested Approach to Retirement Peace of Mind

One of the most common concerns we hear from clients nearing retirement is, “Will I have enough?” Retirement isn’t just about building a nest egg; it’s about knowing your wealth can provide the life you want without the stress of daily market swings. At PDS Planning, we’ve developed a proven strategy over many years that…

Investment Planning, PDS Experience, PDS News

The Hidden Costs of Investing

Fees matter, especially when presented as 1% of your investment portfolio. Why the current advisor model is outdated. As seen in ColumbusCEO January 2025 American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Money often costs too much.” If you work with and pay an advisor whose advice is primarily focused on investments, you may…

Investment Planning, Taxes

Tax Efficient Investing – Capital Gain Distributions

It’s December and we find ourselves in the middle of one of the most tax inefficient times of every year – capital gain distribution season. Investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds is paramount to the success of a financial plan. The not-so-secret weapon that is compound interest can only happen when dollars…

Investment Planning

The Good Thing About High Interest Rates

Interest rates have increased at a historic pace to slow inflation and high interest rates remain a hot topic during any economic conversation. We tend to focus on how high interest rates impact people negatively, but forget one of the biggest positives; cash yields are now attractive. Money Market/High Yield Savings At the start of…

Investment Planning, Taxes

Finding Future Tax Savings…A Must Read

Loss Harvest Trades It’s business as usual at PDS this week. While we have been enjoying photos and stories of the newest PDS family members, Drew Potosky and Beth McCampbell’s newborn sons, we’ve also been meeting with clients and helping alleviate their concerns over inflation, stock market volatility, and how it affects their ability to…

Beyond Your Finances, Investment Planning, Market Commentary

Bitcoin: Blockchain, Mining, Energy

Bitcoin: Blockchain, Mining, Energy It’s no secret that Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general have gained significant popularity and notoriety over the last 12 months. Most notably because the return has been an astronomical 430% over the time period, but also due to companies such as Tesla, MicroStrategy, and Square investing a collective $3.9 billion earlier…

Investment Planning, Retirement, Risk Management

Open Enrollment is Here! Is an HSA Right for You?

Open Enrollment is Here! Is an HSA Right for You? Choosing a health plan to ensure adequate health coverage can be one of the most important decisions made all year. One option becoming more popular is the Health Savings Accounts. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax advantaged account available to any persons with…

Beyond Your Finances, Investment Planning, Retirement

Living a Rewarding Retirement: Put Some Things on Auto-Pilot

Readers of my previous blog posts know that since I retired more than 18 months ago, I don’t spend much time looking at the values of my investments. There are four main reasons for this. First, I spent more than 30 years watching the markets and client portfolio values on a daily basis. I…

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