TheLiveBigWay® Digest: Vision in Action

In this edition of the Digest, we are pulling back the proverbial curtain to share insights into some of the ways that our leaders and team are taking care of our Clients. We hope these insights reinforce your confidence, providing a sense of empowerment and security, knowing that we —all of us— have your back and are fully committed to helping you Live Big.

Ryan Kelly is closely monitoring the current administration’s downsizing of the federal workforce, including and especially the Department of Education. His research, combined with his recent conversations with Clients, inspired him to draft the message that you received earlier this week with suggestions to be your own advocate during this time of student loan flux.

Sydney Woodward is leading an outreach to Clients in California and Florida with guidance for navigating the turbulent insurance markets. Sydney wrote this piece about the California insurance crisis last fall, and has continued to monitor the developments and impacts of other natural disasters, including the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Tim Connolly is engaging in strategic planning efforts related to the final IRS regulations for RMDs for Inherited IRAs. He and Lauren compiled a list of Client accounts subject to the 10-year distribution rule to make a plan for the distribution of these accounts by the mandatory distribution date and a plan for the 2025 RMD, if applicable.

Yusuf Abugideiri is reading five publications and digesting economic data via yCharts daily to stay informed of the ongoings that are influencing markets and impacting Client portfolios. Given recent market volatility, Yusuf has written two pieces (available here and here) related to tariffs, the health of the economy, and what it means for Clients.

Yusuf and our team are preparing for our next live webinar on Wednesday, April 23 at 11am PT | 2pm ET. We’re calling the presentation From the White House to Your Wallet and we plan to discuss the latest economic data, market trends, policy changes, and, most importantly, what they mean for your financial plan and your Live Big life. Register today!

Lauren Mireles has returned from maternity leave and is back to managing the firm’s communication and event initiatives. This includes planning for our annual in-person event in Virginia on April 9, preparing for our live webinar on April 23, and writing and editing engaging new content for our newsletter, TheLiveBigWay Digest.

Cristin Etheredge and Gavin Shoults are leading the rollout of a new scheduling software that will provide Clients with real-time access to our calendars so they can choose the option that works best for them. We believe this change will reduce scheduling conflicts and frustrations and provide Clients with a more personalized and flexible experience.

Other ways our support team is working for you include:

• Cristin Etheredge has diligently prepared and filed our firm’s updated SEC disclosures. You’ll receive an email with the disclosures attached for your review.
• Will Tracy and Gavin Shoults will be reaching out to request copies of your 2024 tax return after Tax Day.

Our firm Founders, Elissa and Dave, have been Living Big in South Africa! The nearly three-week long trip included time in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Zimbabwe. They’ve been staying connected and sharing some incredible photos (see below!), but have otherwise been on “mute” while the rest of the team continues to take care of our Clients to our standard of excellence.

Upon their return, Elissa and Dave will dive back into their commitments at the firm and with various boards and task forces (Dave will sit on the Board of the Academy of Financial Services and Elissa will be on this year’s P. Kemp Fain Jr. Award task force), though they also have a few more Live Big trips planned throughout the year. Stay tuned!