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Government Shutdowns, Markets, and the Power of Planning
I’d been debating what to cover in this quarter’s market update for clients, but when I woke up this morning Washington made the choice...
5 days ago5 min read
Getting Ready to Retire at 60: What Needs to Work Together
Retiring at 60 can be a powerful financial and lifestyle decision. It gives you time freedom while you're still healthy and active, but...
Sep 193 min read
High-Yield, Lower-Resilience: Why Income Strategies Can Break When You Need Them Most
There is nothing wrong with capturing yield, just don't rely on it as a bullet proof income strategy. Yield investing has an emotional...
Sep 105 min read
Where Are All the Customers’ Yachts? A Timeless Reminder for Advisors and Investors
“Where Are All the Customers’ Yachts?” is one of those rare books that remains as relevant today as when Fred Schwed Jr. penned it in...
Sep 35 min read
Altruist Wealth Management Quoted in Investopedia’s ETF Debate
Quoted in Investopedia: Rethinking the Active vs. Passive ETF Debate I was recently featured in an Investopedia article exploring how...
Aug 291 min read
Optimization Is Personal: The Math vs the Mind in Financial Planning
Financial planning is both science and art, a steady balance between math and psychology. You’ll often hear financial advisors talk about...
Aug 294 min read
We Got a Landline. My Kid is Thrilled. My Wife Was Right.
No apps. No FaceTime. Just voice, and, sadly for him, no giant curly cord. We Got a Landline. Yes… a landline. For our home. Not because...
Aug 282 min read
A Million Seconds Is 12 Days. A Billion Seconds Is 31 Years. Let That Sink In.
You Think You Understand a Billion Dollars. But Have You Reflected on the Difference? Most people think they understand large numbers,...
Aug 143 min read
Carson McLean Quoted in Investopedia ETF Investing Feature
Carson McLean Quoted in Investopedia’s ETF Investing Feature How to Help Your Clients Build Confidence With ETF Investing — Investopedia...
Aug 121 min read
How Much Do Fisher and Edelman Really Charge? The SEC Filings Say It All.
Most investors will never actually read an ADV Part 2. But they should. ADV Part 2 is the legal filing where Registered Investment...
Jul 302 min read
Media Mention: Overpaying for Financial Advice? A Financial Planner's Guide to Fees
We’re proud to share that Carson McLean, CFP®, founder of Altruist Wealth Management, was featured in Kiplinger Personal Finance to...
Jul 231 min read
Quoted: How Advisors Use Risk, Time Horizon, and Goals to Build Better Plans
Link: 3 Key Factors Financial Advisors Use to Build Your Plan — ComparisonAdviser Published: July 15, 2025 This article highlights the...
Jul 171 min read
How to Transition from Concentrated Positions to a Diversified Portfolio (Without Getting Hammered by Taxes)
I see this question all the time (from clients, prospects, and across financial forums): “How do I unwind concentrated positions in my...
Jul 175 min read
What the “Big Beautiful Bill” Means for Your Taxes
Congress just passed major tax legislation on July 4th, and it will affect nearly every taxpayer starting in 2025. Here’s a...
Jul 75 min read
Cold Plunge vs. Warm Bath: A reflection on a sprint triathlon, a cold plunge, and a surprising realization.
Recently, a friend talked me into doing my first sprint triathlon. With only a few weeks’ notice and no real training, I somehow placed...
Jul 23 min read
Buffered ETFs Explained: The Real Costs Behind the “Protection”
Buffered ETFs promise to solve investing’s oldest problem: how to participate in market gains while avoiding market pain. The pitch is...
Jul 24 min read
Money Talks: The Risks of Always Playing It Safe—As a Parent and an Investor
"Kids need to be safe as necessary, not safe as possible." — Dr. Emilie Beaulieu My wife shared this quote with me, and it stuck....
Jun 303 min read
Quoted: Carson McLean on finding a "safe" time to invest in GoBankingRates
Recently, Carson McLeanI was quoted in a GOBankingRates article addressing a common fear among investors: "Should I wait to invest until...
Jun 131 min read
Is Gold Really a Safe Haven? Comparing Gold vs. S&P 500 Annual Returns (1970–2024)
Gold is back in the headlines—up 25% year-to-date (as of May 2025) and 41% over the past 12 months. But before you chase the latest...
Jun 101 min read
Why Most Investors Would Fire God as Their Investment Advisor – The Challenge of Long-Term Investing
What the “God Portfolio” Teaches Us About Investing One of my all-time favorite classic articles is "Even God Would Get Fired as an...
May 221 min read
Quoted: Carson McLean on AUM Fees in ComparisonAdviser
Recently, I was quoted in a ComparisonAdviser article exploring the question: Is a 1% financial advisor fee still worth it as your...
May 91 min read
Money Talks: When Financial Planning Turns Into Overthinking
"Too little information and you’re blind. Too much and you're blinded." – Stuart Turton, The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle This isn't...
Apr 293 min read
What Do My Kid's Hot Wheels, and Your Investment Portfolio Have in Common?
You don’t need a launch ramp this steep to succeed—you just need to hit the right velocity and stay the course. The Loop That Sparked...
Apr 152 min read
What Happens After Small Cap Value Falls 20%?
A look at Small Cap Value vs. Gold in bear markets When small cap value stocks fall 20% or more, it’s usually not the bottom. It’s...
Apr 143 min read
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