Pioneer Insights

retirement planning Nicole Renaux retirement planning Nicole Renaux

SEP IRA vs. Solo 401(k) vs. Traditional 401(k) vs. SIMPLE IRA vs. Cash Balance Plan: Which Retirement Plan Works Best for an S Corp Owner?

As a high-earning business owner, you've invested a lot to build a successful business. For many, the profits and earnings of the business become concentrated in the business. And often, the success of the business is directly tied to the owner's work. If the business isn’t worth much without the owner, it’s crucial to diversify your investments.

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Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP® Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP®

Why Today's Best Companies Stay Private Longer: What It Means for Investors

Since 2000, many of the world's fastest-growing companies have delayed going public, allowing private investors to capture more of their early growth. This shift is changing small-cap investing, market concentration, and how high-net-worth investors think about portfolio diversification. Understanding the evolution of public and private markets is increasingly important for long-term investment success.

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Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP® Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP®

Why Today's Stock Market Behaves So Differently Than It Did in 2000

Since 2000, the stock market has experienced dramatic structural changes. Passive investing now represents roughly half of U.S. equity fund assets, algorithmic trading dominates daily volume, commission-free brokerages have expanded investor participation, and investors have become increasingly conditioned to geopolitical and economic crises. These changes have improved market efficiency while introducing new risks related to valuation, concentration, and market structure.

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Blog Ian Tennant Blog Ian Tennant

The Secret Math of Your ESPP + H2O: Why a 15% Discount is Worth Way More Than 15% (And How This Relates to Event Bottled Water)

If your company offers an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), you’ve probably heard it described as a fantastic perk or "free money." If your plan includes a 15% discount and a lookback period, it isn’t just a good perk — it's a great one, and mathematically one of the highest-yielding, lowest-risk investment vehicles available to you.

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Insurance Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP® Insurance Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP®

The Growing Strain on Property Insurance in the American West

The growing hazard risks from fire, hurricanes, to other natural disasters are making it more expensive and more difficult to get good insurance coverage in many states including Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico. Places like the Texas coast, Austin, Boulder, Santa Fe, all bare their own challenges.

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Insurance April Busby Insurance April Busby

Lessons from the Trail: Budgeting for Success

Budgeting is a critical component of successful financial planning, whether you’re embarking on a long-distance Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike or remodeling your home. While these two projects differ significantly in nature—one being a physical and mental endurance challenge, the other a domestic investment—they share common financial planning principles. Both require clear budgeting, an understanding of potential cost overruns, and a well-considered contingency fund.

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Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP® Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP®

Cybersecurity Awareness Part I

Cybersecurity is extremely important in our world today. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help create a more secure system.

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Investment Job Change Retirement Taxes Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP® Investment Job Change Retirement Taxes Milad Taghehchian, CPA, CFP®

Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA): Pros, Cons, and When It Actually Saves Taxes

If you have employer stock inside a qualified retirement plan (most commonly a 401(k), profit-sharing plan, or ESOP), the Net Unrealized Appreciation (“NUA”) rules can let you shift part of what would otherwise be ordinary income into long-term capital gains. This sometimes producing meaningful lifetime tax savings. With that said, NUA is not always good. It’s a tax election with strict rules, cash-flow implications, and real portfolio risk. Below is a practical, decision-oriented overview, with specific IRS authority and two numeric examples.

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