The Super Bowl is over, which means it’s officially tax season on the Capital Stewards Podcast. In this annual tax guide episode, we move beyond the "annual hunt for deductions" to discuss how you can create significant tax reduction over the long term. With the passage of the OBBBA last summer, the tax landscape has changed for 2025 filings and 2026 planning. Whether you are a business owner, a high-earner, or planning for retirement, this episode covers the strategic moves that actually "move the needle".

🕒 Key Chapters in This Episode:

0:00 – Unofficial Super Bowl Ad "O-Meter" (Anthropic, Budweiser, & more)

3:15 – The "Deduction Hunt" is Dead: The Power of Long-Term Planning

5:30 – New 2025 Standard Deductions & the Enhanced Senior Deduction

8:45 – The OBBBA "Big Three": No Tax on Tips, Overtime, and Car Loan Interest

12:10 – SALT Cap Changes & HSA "Trifecta" Benefits

15:40 – Retirement Account Strategies: ROTH vs. Traditional

18:20 – Trump Accounts for Children: What You Need to Know

21:05 – Local Tax Updates: Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee

💡 What You’ll Learn:

The "Big Three" OBBBA Deductions: How to qualify for tax-free tips and overtime pay, and how to write off interest on U.S.-assembled vehicles.

Enhanced Senior Benefits: How to unlock up to $12,000 in extra deductions if you are over 65.

Strategic HSAs: Why 2026 is the year to start using your HSA for concierge or subscription-based primary care.

Real Estate & Business: Utilizing 100% bonus depreciation and the permanent QBI deduction to lower your effective rate.

Taxes are a long-term game. Don’t just file your return—structure your life and business for maximum efficiency.

Connect with Capital Stewards: If you have questions about integrating your tax planning with your investment portfolio, reach out to us today:

https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

#TaxPlanning #OBBBA #2026Taxes #FinancialPlanning #CapitalStewards #RetirementPlanning #taxdeductions

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

This episode of the Capital Stewards Podcast challenges everything you thought you knew about a balanced portfolio. Many investors believe they are diversified simply because they own multiple funds, but in reality, they are just "collectors" of the same underlying risks.

As the "easy" era of zero-interest rates ends, we explore why the old playbook of just buying stocks and bonds is no longer a guaranteed shield. We dive into the math of systematic risk and duration, explaining why high-flying AI tech stocks and long-term bonds can often be the exact same bet. In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

The Collector’s Myth: Why owning five different tech-heavy funds actually equals one giant bet on U.S. large-cap growth.

Systematic vs. Company-Specific Risk: Why you can’t diversify away a market crash by simply buying more of the same stocks.

The New Reality: How inflation and rising interest rates cause stocks and bonds to fall at the same time.

Real Diversification Strategies: How to incorporate low-correlation assets like gold, commodities, and international markets to build resilience.

The Return of Bond Income: Why shortening your duration and focusing on yield is the key to a modern fixed-income strategy.

Stop counting line items and start measuring correlation. If everything in your portfolio turns red on the same day, you aren't diversified—you’re leveraged. Join us as we discuss how to build a portfolio that zags when the market zigs.

Connect with Us: If you have questions about your specific portfolio or want to discuss how these strategies apply to your situation, please reach out anytime.

https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

#Investing #PortfolioManagement #Diversification #StockMarket #Bonds #Gold #AI #FinancialPlanning

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Are we currently in a stock market bubble? In the 2026 Outlook from Capital Stewards, Brian Seay explores the "K-shaped" dichotomy of the current economy: a booming AI sector contrasted with a cooling labor market and stagnating "Main Street" growth.

We break down the data on inflation, the impact of 2025 tariffs, and whether the Fed's expected rate cuts will be enough to spur a rebound. Whether you are a Huntsville tech professional or planning for retirement, this episode provides the data-driven roadmap you need for your 2026 investment strategy.

Key Topics Covered:

The 2025 Market Recap: Why Gold (+60%) and International Stocks (+30%) outpaced the U.S Stock market.

AI "Bubble Watch": Analyzing the actual cash flows of Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google.

The Labor Market: Why unemployment is rising despite low layoffs.

Inflation & Tariffs: What to expect for your Social Security COLA and real income.

Asset Allocation: Why diversification into Bonds, Real Estate, and Gold is critical in 2026.

0:00 - Introduction: The Big Questions for 2026

2:05 - 2025 Performance Review: Stocks, Gold, and Bonds

3:00 - The Power of Sticking to the Long-Term Plan

5:03 - The AI Boom vs. Main Street: The K-Shaped Economy

7:05 - Labor Market Deep Dive: Why Unemployment is Rising

13:05 - Inflation, Tariffs, and Your Social Security COLA

18:20 - Bubble Watch: Is it 1999 All Over Again?

23:14 - Global Opportunities: Emerging Markets & AI

25:03 - Gold: The Strategic Hedge for 2026

27:24 - Fixed Income: Earning the Coupon in a New Era

31:42 - Real Estate Outlook: Residential vs. Industrial

35:02 - Summary: How to Build a Resilient 2026 Portfolio

Start A Conversation with Us: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Did Wall Street predict the 2025 market boom, or did they miss the mark?

In this episode of the Capital Stewards Podcast, we are "keeping the receipts." We look back at the forecasts made at the end of 2024 by major firms like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, UBS, and PIMCO—as well as our own internal outlook—to see how they stacked up against reality.

From the "K-shaped" economy and the massive AI CapEx build-out to the surprise performance of International stocks and Gold, we break down what the experts got right and where they completely missed the boat.

In this episode, we cover:

The Economy: Why the recession didn't happen and how AI saved the GDP numbers.

The Stock Market: S&P 500 targets vs. reality (6800+), and the failure of the "broadening rally" thesis.

Bonds & Rates: Did PIMCO make the right call on fixed income?

The Big Surprise: The asset class that rallied over 50% this year.

The Lesson: Why portfolio construction matters more than crystal ball gazing.

The point of this exercise isn't to poke fun at analysts, but to demonstrate the humility required to be a successful long-term investor. If the biggest banks in the world can't predict the short term, how should you build your portfolio?

👇 Chapters:

0:00 - Intro: Keeping the Receipts

1:15 - The 2025 Economy: AI vs. The Real Economy

3:28 - Economic Forecasts (Goldman, JPM, Wells Fargo)

7:05 - The Stock Market: S&P 500 Predictions vs. Reality

9:42 - International Stocks

10:45 - The Bond Market: PIMCO, BlackRock & Rates

12:55 - Gold: The Top Performing Asset of 2025

13:55 - Why We Listen to Outlooks (Despite the Misses)

15:10 - How to Build a Portfolio Without a Crystal Ball

17:35 - Looking Ahead to 2026

🔔 Subscribe for our upcoming 2026 Outlook Episode!

Start A Conversion with Capital Stewards: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Are "alternative investments" like Private Equity and Venture Capital the secret to building wealth, or are they just complicated hype?

In this episode, we break down everything you actually need to know. We ditch the "alternative" label and re-categorize these investments by the job they do for your portfolio: driving growth or providing diversification.

We also debunk the biggest myth in investing: the idea that private assets have low risk. We'll show you why that "low volatility" is a statistical illusion and why assets like private equity carry just as much risk as the stock market.

Join us as we cover:

The "J-Curve": Why you lose money before you make it.

Manager Selection: The massive (and critical) difference between a top-tier manager and an average one.

The Liquidity Trap: The truth about new "liquid" interval funds.

401(k)s: Should you really hold these in your retirement plan?

Capital Stewards is a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor in headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama serving clients throughout the southeast.

Start A Conversion with Capital Stewards: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Tax time is NOW, not in March of next year. Once we turn the page to next year, your ability to reduce your taxes and take advantage of some of these strategies will be gone! In our year end planning tips episode, I breakdown 10 strategies for you to consider before we close out 2025.

1) Why you need Tax Projections

2) Retirement Account Planning and Contributions for IRAs and 401(s)

3) ROTH Conversions

4) Flex Spending Accounts

5) Saving Taxes with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

6) Avoiding Mutual Fund Distributions / "Phantom" Distributions

7) Tax Loss Harvesting

8) Income Planning

9) Charitable Giving Strategies

10) Portfolio Rebalancing – Avoiding a big drawdown.

Start A Conversion with Capital Stewards: https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

There are a lot of questions on the minds of investors. Usually after a big market gains like we experienced over the summer, everyone is happy and thinks things are going great. But I hear a lot of concerns from folks on a regular basis this time around. I think that’s warranted because we are living in a world with two different economies running simultaneously. One is in a recession. The other is partying like it’s 1999. How we invest wisely based on what’s really happening is going to be very important over the next few months and into 2026.

In this outlook, we’re going to talk about the gains we have seen so far this year and whether we are in a market bubble. I’m also going to help you resolve the difference between your feelings about the economy and what you are seeing in your portfolio – because what you feel may not be what you’re experiencing in your investments. As always, I will share my views on the stock market, interest rates, the Fed, inflation, real estate and other assets like Gold.

Would you like to connect?

https://www.thecapitalstewards.com/startconversation

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Today we’re diving deep into one of the most important—and often misunderstood—pillars of retirement planning: Social Security.

Whether you’re a few years from retirement or already mapping out your retirement income strategy, understanding how Social Security works—and how to optimize it—can make a six-figure difference over your lifetime. We’ll cover everything from when to claim to spousal benefits to tax implications. So Lets Dive in.

Any commentary is provided for general information and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, tax or legal advice. Instead, readers should make an independent assessment of the information and determine if any content mentioned is appropriate for their personal situation. Past performance of market results is no assurance of future performance. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed