Tableaux Wealth Insights
Guidance, views, and commentary to help you make better financial decisions.
Leaning into the Hard Conversations: Why Financial Planning Should Include Your Beneficiaries
Effective estate planning does not just cleanly dispose of assets. It can provide context and peace of mind and set appropriate expectations for all involved. The case for involving your children and other beneficiaries in financial planning boils down transparency and efficiency.
The Tableaux Grab, May 2026
This month, we’ve been listening to “The Ezra Klein Show” and the “Conversations with Tyler” podcast.
Charitable Thoughts: Practical Advice if You’re Planning to Give
Thinking about donating stock? Art? Want your name on the building—or would you rather give anonymously? Some very practical insights on charitable giving, from a panel of experts hosted by Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida.
Advisor, Planner, Wealth Manager—What’s the Difference?
I repeatedly hear one question from clients: “What’s the difference between all the titles in the wealth management industry?” There are financial planners, advisers and wealth managers. What are they?
Still Don’t Understand Cryptocurrency? Start Here.
Part One: What Is Money?
A lot of people I talk to don’t really understand what cryptocurrency is. I don’t blame them—most explanations are too technical. Instead, I’d like you to think about crypto as a shift toward a new kind of money.
The Hidden Risks of Playing it Safe
Many people think they’re avoiding risk by keeping their money in safe CDs. In reality, they are exposing themselves to a new set of risks.
On Cars and Finance
According to a recent forecast from J.D. Power, nearly one in three car buyers are underwater on their trade-ins. That means they owe more on the loan than the car is worth at the time they want to sell or trade it in. It’s a much more common problem than it used to be. And the reason is not mysterious.
Painting a Fuller Picture of Risk
While it can be helpful to an advisor to know how you’d rate your risk tolerance on a scale of 1 to 10, this simplistic question merely scratches the surface of the very large and deep subject of investment risk. A good conversation with your advisor about risk can truly open the door to a deeper understanding of what motivates, scares, or gratifies you.
Fear and Opportunity
What I’m hearing from investors is a lot of fear. This is totally justifiable. It’s the perfect time to remember the words of legendary investor Warren Buffett: “Be greedy when others are fearful.”
First-Quarter 2026 Review
Global stock markets have been ugly since the start of the war in Iran. One of the major reasons for the market downturn in the first quarter is what we call a “growth scare”…
Financial Planning and AI
I've just returned from a financial advisor conference whose central theme was artificial intelligence. This is how I now believe AI may reshape financial planning for retirement savers.
Outsource or DIY?
We all face countless decisions about whether to pay someone to do something for us. For example, as tax season is upon us, do we choose to file our own taxes or hire a professional to take care of it? The decision is about more than just our ability.
Paint by Numbers: AI Optimism for the Rest of Us
Will AI wreak havoc on our economy and on humanity? Or is Silicon Valley’s unbridled optimism for AI justified? We take a more measured view—with visuals.
How Much Can I Give?
Many people ask this question meaning, “how much can I afford to give while not running out of money?” For those lucky enough to have a sturdy financial plan with excess assets, this question can also mean, “how much can I give without triggering taxes?” I’ll answer both questions.
Is it Safe? Keeping Your Passwords Secure
We can obsess about investing accounts and what’s inside them. But what about the personal information all of us use to get into those accounts—our digital passwords? Are they as safe and secure as they should be? Shouldn’t we give an hour’s attention to the keys that unlock a lifetime of saving?
Why Investment Fees Still Matter
As financial advisors, we spend a great deal of time talking about asset allocation, tax efficiency, withdrawal strategies, and risk management. But controlling fees may be one of the simplest and most powerful planning decisions an investor can make.
Creating a Nest Egg Before Leaving the Roost
We all know that the sooner in your career you start investing for retirement, the better. But what’s better still? Saving money before even beginning a career.
Don’t Get Kicked by the K-Shaped Economy
Billionaires are wealthier than they’ve ever been, while average people are feeling generally lousy about their financial situation. That’s the K-Shaped economy. But there’s a cure for the K-Shaped blues: own the assets.
Gold Prices Gone Bananas
The many factors still driving up the price of gold are still in force, whether the price of gold is at an all-time high or whether it has just declined by 10 percent in a matter of hours. The question is, does gold still belong in diversified portfolios?
Stop Me Before I Open Another Account
I’m just as guilty as anyone else of having too many accounts. But a bloat of accounts—credit cards, bank accounts, loans, brokerage and retirement accounts—makes it very hard to get a clear picture of your finances. So allow me to make a brief pitch for simplifying your financial life.