The Ascent - Alec Walker Summer 2026 5-30-26

The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Alec Walker 6-13-26

Alec Walker covers three main topics:   Portfolio Rebalance — Crestmont recently completed a rebalance of their 7 core globally diversified portfolios (conservative to ultra-aggressive, primarily low-cost ETFs). He explains their policy → strategy → tactics framework:   Policy: Threshold-based rebalancing (not calendar-based) when allocations drift outside target ranges Strategy: Tax-aware approach — IRA accounts taken back to target with no tax impact; taxable accounts handled more conservatively Tactics: Equity exposure trimmed 2–6% depending on drift; one passive fund replaced with an active ETF in the same asset class Context: Vanguard research shows rebalanced portfolios have ~20% lower volatility historically Market Concentration & Diversification — Over 40% of the S&P 500 is concentrated in the top 10 companies. Post-rebalance, client portfolios are ~25% in those top 10. Diversification has paid off in 2025: S&P 493 up 11% YTD vs. Mag Seven up 3%; small cap outperforming by 7–8%; international developed markets up 3%+ above S&P 500.   SpaceX IPO — Clients have been asking about it. Crestmont will not be facilitating participation due to fiduciary/compliance considerations. Key points: S&P 500 has announced it won't fast-track SpaceX into the index; due to low float, SpaceX would likely represent only ~0.2% of the index even if added; high valuation relative to current financials, but short-term pop is expected.   Timeline Time     Topic 0:00     Intro — Who Alec is, overview of Crestmont's holistic wealth management services 0:49     Investment committee overview; quarterly rebalance of 7 core portfolios 1:22     What a rebalance means; threshold-based approach explained 1:50     Policy → Strategy → Tactics framework introduced 3:06     Rebalance strategy details: threshold-based, not calendar-based 3:48     Tax-aware strategy: separating taxable vs. IRA accounts 4:36     Vanguard research: rebalanced portfolios have ~20% lower volatility 4:58     Tactics: equity trimmed 2–6%; fund swap (passive → active ETF) 5:52     Tax implications perspective for all investors; low turnover philosophy 7:01     Example: $1M account, $25K gains → $5,950 tax = 0.6% of portfolio 7:54     S&P 500 up 8% YTD, 24% over 12 months — contextualizing the 0.6% tax cost 8:41     Rebalance wrap-up; transition to market concentration topic 9:03     S&P 500 concentration: 40%+ in top 10; portfolios now at ~25% in top 10 9:21     Diversification performance: S&P 493, small cap, international markets all outperforming Mag Seven 10:09  SpaceX IPO — client questions; Crestmont not facilitating participation 10:35  FOMO vs. risks; S&P 500 rule changes; "holding the bag" concern 11:11  S&P won't allow quick entry; SpaceX projected at 2–5% weight (market cap), but only ~0.2% adjusted for float 12:45  IPO valuation high vs. fundamentals; short-term pop expected; subject to quarterly earnings going forward 13:30  Closing remarks + Spurs shoutout Original Air Date: June 13, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com [https://www.crestmontpw.com]  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ascent - Rebecca Pitre 6-6-26

Sam McGee sits down with Crestmont team member Rebecca Petre to celebrate her one-year anniversary with the firm. They discuss what it's really like to transition from Texas A&M into the financial planning workforce, lessons learned on client communication, the new Charles Schwab–funded RIA program at A&M, the Survivor's Guide project, and navigating wedding season on a budget. A great listen for new grads entering the financial world. 0:00 — Intro: Sam introduces the show and the new office landscaping in Boerne, TX. 0:17 — Introducing Rebecca: One-year anniversary at Crestmont; her first day was the Boerne ribbon-cutting. 1:23 — Biggest lessons from year one: Learning to simplify complex financial concepts when talking with clients; understanding that clarity beats jargon. 3:21 — Going back to Texas A&M: Attending career day, RIA Day (a new on-campus RIA office partnership funded by Charles Schwab Foundation), and alumni events. 5:46 — Internship vs. full-time: The shift from internship to real-world work — adjusting to full days, time management, and work-life balance. 8:05 — The Survivor's Guide project: A document Crestmont is creating to help clients organize critical info (wills, contacts, accounts) for loved ones in the event of a death. 9:18 — Upcoming intern Agnes: A Texas A&M senior joining for a July internship; Rebecca will help mentor her. 9:58 — Personal life: Outdoors, pickleball, family/friends — and a summer packed with three weddings. 10:42 — Wedding season finances: Budgeting for being in multiple weddings; advice to set funds aside, especially for destination weddings. 11:32 — Grandmother shout-out & close: Rebecca shouts out her "Nanny" who listens to every episode. Sam closes by thanking Rebecca and celebrating her growth. 📍 Crestmont Private Wealth | Houston & Boerne, TX Original Air Date: June 6, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com [https://www.crestmontpw.com]  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ascent - Alec Walker Summer 2026 5-30-26

Host Alec Walker, EVP of Financial Planning at Crestmont Private Wealth, opens with some personal notes about summer plans before covering two main topics: a brief market update and a deep dive into performance reporting. Market Update: Long-term US Treasury rates have risen to 5%, pushing inflation expectations higher. Notably, the yield curve has returned to a normal upward slope after being inverted through end of 2025 — historically a positive sign for economic growth. US bonds are down ~0.5% YTD but up 5.6% over the last 12 months, still outperforming money market rates of 3.5–4%. Performance Reporting: Alec walks through where clients should go for account performance — the client portal (Orion-powered quarterly reports) vs. Charles Schwab (best for statements and tax docs). He explains three key advantages of the client portal's time-weighted performance reports over custodial statements: (1) total return including dividends and interest, (2) historical performance including removed holdings, and (3) time-weighted vs. dollar-weighted returns. He closes with a recommendation not to check accounts too frequently, citing data that the S&P 500 is only positive ~53% of trading days but ~75% of years. 0:00 – Intro & summer check-in 0:19 – Market update: rising interest rates & 30-year Treasury at 5% 2:03 – Yield curve back to normal (no longer inverted) 3:22 – Bond performance update 4:06 – Performance reporting overview: Schwab vs. client portal 5:33 – When to use Schwab vs. the client portal 6:15 – Why the client portal's Orion reports are more comprehensive 7:17 – Limitation #1: Custodial statements miss total return (dividends/interest) 8:28 – Limitation #2: Removed holdings aren't tracked in custodial statements 9:37 – Limitation #3: Time-weighted vs. dollar-weighted returns explained 10:36 – How often should you check your accounts? 13:10 – Invitation to reach out & services overview 14:47 – Outro See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ascent - Wes Holland 2 5-23-26

The Ascent — hosted by Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth — features attorney Wes Holland of H6 Law discussing business succession planning. The conversation highlights why a standard will is not enough for business owners and what steps they can take to protect their companies. Key takeaways: Wills only work when you're dead — powers of attorney and medical directives are often more critical, as they govern what happens if you're incapacitated but still alive. Only ~10% of closely held business owners have a true succession plan — the other 90% are unprepared. Short-term fix: Document day-to-day operations so a trusted employee can "keep the plane in the air." Long-term fix: Identify and develop key employees; consider giving them authority (and even equity) so the business can run without you. Buy/sell agreements matter — especially with partners, so no one is forced into a business relationship they didn't choose. Sam shares his own experience making Alec and Hannah Phantom Equity Partners at Crestmont for business continuity — and how it brought him tremendous relief. Book recommendation: Traction by Gino Wickman. Contact Wes Holland: h6law.com | wes@h6law.com   Timestamp      Topic 0:00     Intro — Sam McGee welcomes Wes Holland 0:21     Why wills alone aren't enough for business owners 0:47     Business succession planning basics 1:25     Incapacity vs. death — who runs the business? 2:05     Steps owners can take to insulate themselves 3:11     The "flying the plane" analogy 4:15     Signs you have a problem: total control = total risk 4:36     Developing Gen 2 leaders — reluctance vs. results 5:36     Sam's experience: Phantom Equity for Alec & Hannah 7:39     The danger of reluctance to delegate 8:29     Back to the legal side: wills vs. succession plans 8:50     Only 10% have a real business succession plan 9:23     Buy/sell agreements and partner planning 9:53     Call to action + book rec: Traction by Gino Wickman 11:02  Closing — Crestmont & H6 Law contact info Original Air Date: May 23, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com [https://www.crestmontpw.com]  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Ascent - Alec Walker 5-16-26

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, Alec Walker (EVP of Financial Planning) recaps the firm's annual advisory board meeting and introduces Project Millionaire — a new initiative to help younger clients build a clear path to their first $1 million in assets. Alec walks through real scenarios using starting balances of $10K and $100K, shows the dramatic impact of consistent monthly contributions, and explains why Trail Builder investment accounts outperform traditional savings. He also covers the latest market conditions, including a strong early earnings season and easing geopolitical tensions. Topics covered: Annual advisory board meeting recap Hiring updates (CFP in Houston, operations role in Boerne) Survivor's Guide documentation initiative Introducing Project Millionaire Trail Builder accounts: investing vs. savings Real scenarios: reaching $1M from various starting balances Market update: earnings season & geopolitical outlook 0:00 – Intro & advisory board meeting recap 0:57 – Hiring: CFP opening in Houston 1:11 – Hiring: Operations role in Boerne 1:41 – Survivor's Guide initiative 2:52 – Introducing Project Millionaire 3:47 – Trail Builder accounts: investing vs. savings 5:55 – Project Millionaire goals: specific, measurable, achievable 7:12 – Real numbers: already at $500K or $750K? 8:04 – Scenario: starting from $10K 8:58 – Scenario: $100K starting balance + $500/month 10:10 – Scenario: 13% rate of return 11:41 – Market update: earnings season & geopolitical outlook 12:40 – Closing & contact info 📩 Visit us at crestmontpw.com Original Air Date: May 16, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com [https://www.crestmontpw.com]  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.