No matter your political stance, one thing is clear: unpredictability had become the new normal. The administration’s fast-moving style, which echoes Silicon Valley’s ‘move fast…

Tax season is here again, and while it might not be anyone’s favorite time of year (except perhaps for CPAs), a little preparation can make a big difference. Whether you’re…

As consumers continue to feel the pressure of high inflation, variable interest rates, market uncertainty and spiraling health care costs (just to name a few), many are asking…

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US since 1950, taking a life roughly every 34 seconds. An estimated 805,000 Americans have a heart…

Let’s face it, life is uncertain. Most of us understand that disaster can strike without warning, upending even our best-laid plans. No matter how careful we are, there are no…

You’ve heard the terms ‘Bear Market’ and ‘Bull Market’ thrown around on the news and in social media – but what is the difference between them (other than one having fur and the…

Equity compensation might not look like a regular paycheck, but that doesn’t mean the IRS won’t want its share come tax time. Stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs),…

Even after a couple years of turmoil, featuring high-profile layoffs at some of the biggest companies, tech professionals are still enthusiastic about leaping at new…

On January 20th, Donald Trump will be back in the Oval Office. Until then, White House staff will be dusting off the red carpet and changing pictures on the walls in preparation…

With 2024’s checkered flag in sight, most of us are winding down to enjoy the festive mood of the holidays. But cybercriminals see this as the season to gear up, working 24/7 to…

The first interest rate reduction in 4 years was a milestone event for the U.S. economy. The 0.5% reduction was welcomed by companies and consumers alike, coming after 3 years of…

When we think of financial risk, we invariably think ‘market risk’ - the risk of losses due to the overall performance of financial markets. This includes stock market crashes,…

It’s both a common debate in the investment world and a question we’re often asked by our clients at WestStar: ‘Which is better—active or passive investing?’

You don’t have to have an extra-sensitive emotional antenna to sense stress all around. It’s there every day – stress at the traffic on our morning commute, stress getting through…

Many people come to us in their 50s looking for financial advice and a strategy to get their retirement savings on track. Some just want to make sure they’re doing all they can…

We all dream of finishing our journey to retirement in great shape. Not missing a trick and building maximum value into our nest egg should be at the top of our minds if we want…

Why We Get Right Thinking Wrong. We’ve mentioned before that having the right information at the right time is the basis for good decision-making. In this sense, the power of…

We all know that having the right information at the right time is the basis for good decision-making. And when the power of this knowledge is essential to our financial success,…

Professionals employed in the tech industry face unique financial planning challenges. High earnings and stock-based compensation plans can be a real boon, but also come with…

WestStar’s financial advisors are highly experienced in helping equity-compensated professionals – or as we call them, “Aviators” – to maximize their compensation programs and…

People tend to think that Financial Planning is a one-way street and that Financial Advisors inform and guide their clients according to best practices, experience, and logic.…

At WestStar we call our highflyer tech professional clients ‘Aviators,’ and we see our roles as co-pilots on their mission, making sure to help them navigate their way to their…

You don’t need a financial advisor to tell you that in most of life’s endeavors, knowledge and a plan of action are critical for achieving ideal outcomes; it is pure common……

The Roth IRA is a powerful retirement tool that allows investors to create a tax-free stream of income. It’s become such a part of our everyday language that it’s listed in…

One of our favorite things about being financial advisors is that we get a real insight into how people think about money from seeing what they do with theirs. Between learning…

Getting Your RSU Ducks in A Row The majority of our clients at companies like Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nike, Starbucks, Oracle and others are granted Restricted Stock Units (RSU’s) as…

Is it worth joining the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)? I encourage my clients to look at their personal financial plan as if they were building their dream…

Turning Complexity and Uncertainty Into Clarity and Confidence. In my years as a financial planner, I’ve seen many federal employees struggling to get the most out of their…

It is possible to navigate capital market investments without a financial advisor, but there are several reasons why WestStar’s clients choose to seek our guidance. Seeking…

The financial landscape is always changing, and developing the understanding necessary to navigate these changes requires continuous learning, staying updated with market trends,…

One of the first questions we ask our tech professional clients (at WestStar we call them ‘Aviators’) is ‘what does your idea of a prosperous life look like?’ We often find the…

Some journeys are more important than others. Managing your journey towards retirement is one of these. That’s because everybody wants the rewards that their long years of hard…

Most Americans work really hard while they dream of the day they can finally retire. But preparing for retirement requires much more than a dream ─ it requires a plan.  At…

Restricted stock units are a popular form of compensation for many professionals in tech and other high-growth sectors in WestStar’s neighborhood. In some cases, the RSU portion…

At WestStar Prosperity Partners, we’ve helped our tech executive and professional clients (we call them ‘Aviators’) make the most of their equity compensation for years, giving…

Most people aren’t as money savvy as they’d like to be, and sometimes the idea of professional financial planning not only comes across as challenging, but as daunting.

When people come to us for financial planning advice, we find that no matter where they are along their journey, they share a common desire for prosperity. After all, prosperity…

Everybody’s financial situation and financial goals are as unique as they are. One person’s dreams of what they hope to achieve in their lives are very different from the next…

Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a common form of stock-based compensation granted to many professionals in tech and other fast-growth sectors. RSUs give professionals in places…

The philosophy that drives stock-based compensation is one in which key executives and employees benefit from the potential success of their company. It follows that they’ll want…

Employees have a major impact on most business’s success, and many businesses strive to align the interests of their high-flying employees with those of their shareholders.…