The Distillery Newsletter
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Legacy Is More Than a Will
In every conversation we have about estate planning, two things come up. First, the structural piece: wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations. Second, the relational piece: what you want your family to know, believe, and carry forward.
Most families have given more thought to the structural piece. The relational piece is where the more important work usually lives.
The Mid-Year Family Financial Conversation
Most families have one financial conversation a year. It usually happens in March or April, around tax time. It is short, transactional, and centered on numbers.
There is a different conversation worth having in May. It is not about numbers first. It is about what the numbers are for.
Deferred Compensation Is a Long-Term Decision in Disguise
Most deferred compensation elections happen in October or November. By the time the paperwork hits your inbox, you have about three weeks to make a decision that will lock in for years.
That is the wrong window for serious thinking. May is the right window. Here is why.
April 2026 The Distillery Newsletter
April 15 is a finish line for most people. For our clients, it's a starting line.
5 Post-Tax Season Moves for Houston Families (Before Hurricane Season Hits)
Tax season is over. You've filed (or extended), and now you're ready to forget about finances until next year. We get it.
But April is actually one of the best times to make moves that save you money, reduce stress, and set your family up for a stronger second half of the year. Here are five things we recommend to every family we work with across the Houston metro area.
2026 RSU Vesting Calendars: What Houston’s Energy Professionals Need to Know
If you're an energy professional at Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, or one of the independents along Houston’s Energy Corridor, you may have significant compensation in newly vested RSUs. And if you're like most professionals we work with your first instinct maybe to do nothing with them, which is understandable when you’re busy and unfamiliar with your options. Doing nothing may seem like the default, but it’s an active choice. And perhaps, not a good one.
Spring Cleaning for Your Finances
A little organization now pays dividends throughout the year. Your future self will thank you for the time you invest in this spring financial refresh. Download our spring refresh checklist to get started.
Working with Your CPA: A Team Approach to Tax Planning
The most effective financial planning happens when your advisory team works together, not in silos. When your financial advisor and CPA coordinate throughout the year, not just at tax time, you benefit from strategies that neither could implement alone
Preparing for Tax Season: A Family Guide
Tax season doesn't have to feel like a scramble. With a bit of organization now, you can transform what many families dread into a smooth process that might even reveal opportunities you hadn't considered.
Trust Structures Explained: A Family Guide
Learn which trust structure is right for your family. Compare revocable vs irrevocable trusts, understand tax benefits, and protect generational wealth.