The Ascent - Alec Walker 5-2-26

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.

The Ascent - Wes Holland Beware Of Scammers 5-9-26

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, Sam McGee sits down with Wes Holland of H6 Law to discuss the growing threat of cyber scams and wire fraud — and what you can do to protect yourself. From gas station card skimmers to sophisticated real estate wire fraud, Wes shares real-world examples, practical tips, and the #1 rule: trust your gut. They also cover how AI is making scams harder to detect, how to protect elderly parents, and why speed matters when you've been victimized. Plus, learn about Wes's passion for serving family businesses in the Boerne, Texas area.   0:00 – Introduction & rain in Boerne, Texas 0:21 – Landscaping update & office beautification 0:40 – Guest intro: Wes Holland of H6 Law 1:00 – Today's topic: cyber scams and protecting your wealth 1:47 – Phantom equity agreement for Crestmont (Alec & Hannah) 2:05 – How Sam and Wes met; the classic truck story 3:13 – The passive threat: card skimmers at gas stations 3:51 – Use credit over debit to protect your checking account 4:07 – Wire fraud & real estate scams explained 5:13 – How scammers monitor your email before striking 5:50 – Red flags: look at the sender's email address 6:14 – Tip #1: Slow down — urgency is a scammer's weapon 7:01 – Tip #2: Trust your gut and call back to verify 7:25 – Spoofed phone numbers & AI voice cloning 8:00 – Don't answer spam calls — they may be harvesting your voice 8:29 – AI-written scam emails look professional now 9:13 – Recovery window is shrinking — act within 12 hours 10:04 – Triage mindset: stop the bleed first 10:22 – Protecting elderly parents from fraud 10:39 – Multifactor authentication & "never give money over the phone" 11:00 – Jury duty & IRS phone scams explained 11:23 – Charity & social media fraud awareness 12:24 – Wes's passion: serving family businesses 13:36 – Practical, no-nonsense legal advice philosophy 14:48 – The story behind the H6 Law name (Holland Party of Six) 16:06 – Closing thoughts & where to find H6 Law   🔗 Find Wes at H6Law.com Original Air Date: May 9, 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 5-2-26

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, EVP of Financial Planning Alec Walker shares timely insights on navigating market volatility, the importance of staying invested, Q1 earnings results, and key estate planning considerations for 2025. Topics covered: Why selling during a market decline can be a costly mistake How missing just the top 10 trading days impacts long-term returns Early Q1 2025 earnings results and what they signal for the market The AI sector's strong performance and what to watch going forward Estate planning: what the new $15M exemption means for you How Crestmont can help you review your estate plan this summer Original Air Date: May 2, 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.