Advisors often tell me they want to "do more marketing," but when I dig deeper, they're stuck in analysis paralysis, building elaborate strategies, refining value propositions, and planning event series that never happen.  Marketing isn't rocket science, but it does require action. Specifically, these six definite “dos”:  Spend Less Time on Strategy and More Time on Execution This is the biggest challenge I see with advisors who want to "do more marketing." It's not just advisors either. Marketing agencies fall into this trap too. There's only so much time you should spend building and drafting plans or refining your vision and value proposition. There’s no perfect marketing plan and no ideal marketing template. If you aren’t working with an outside agency (which I highly recommend), use an AI tool like Microsoft Co-Pilot or ChatGPT to help you organize your ideas and compile them into a plan with actionable to-dos.   The same line of thinking goes for the actual marketing activities you will be focused on. I've watched advisors waste months thinking and talking about hosting a series of client events. They end up getting overwhelmed by details and anxious about the possibility of having to host them forever.  If YOU are one of these advisors: stop overthinking and just do.  Start with one.  Keep it simple, maybe a ballgame where entertainment is already handled.   The advisors who are comfortable just DOING, even when they feel a little uncomfortable, are the ones that succeed.  Only Engage on Social Platforms Where Ideal Clients Spend Time Social media only works if you are where your clients are. Posting on LinkedIn won’t help if your audience is retirees who never log in. And TikTok might seem fun, but if your clients aren’t there, it’s just a distraction.  If you are struggling to find engagement on your social channel, take a look at your list of connections. Are they mostly ideal prospects and COIs, or are they industry peers and leaders? Too often I find advisors confusing networking with marketing. Receiving attention via social media can feel good, but if it is not generating you business, it might be worth rerouting your time elsewhere. Additionally, make sure you understand the platform you are using. Most platforms prioritize content creators who engage with other members (i.e. liking and commenting on others’ posts) and deprioritize those who consistently post links to outside articles and sites.  Make Marketing a Consistent Part of Your Budget  When advisors tell me, “I’ve invested in marketing already and it isn’t working!” I ask them to reflect on what they’re trying to accomplish and what they’ve actually invested in. Oftentimes the advisor has a website, a monthly client newsletter and a handful of ghost-written social media posts…. but no clear plan for actually generating new leads.   If your intention is to generate digital leads, great — it’s the future of organic growth for many firms. But it requires significant time, money, and internal accountability to work. Digital ad space is expensive and if you do build an online pipeline, someone on your team has to be responsible for rapid follow-up on leads, or you’ll waste the spend.  If your intention is to continue to build a boutique referral-only practice, than your money is better spent on delighting current clients and COIs as opposed to investing in digital ads and campaigns.  Either way, don’t fear the spend. Allocate at least 5% of your gross revenue on your marketing activities.  Don’t worry about the impact on EBITDA for now; trust the fact that you simply cannot grow a business without marketing it.  Hire Professional Marketers Marketing is a specialized skill, and expecting an admin or operations team member to take it on often leads to frustration on both sides. Instead, I recommend advisors hire a professional marketing agency and outsource things like content development and distribution, campaign management, social media, advertising and PR. I also recommend hiring an agency that has familiarity with the wealth management industry and flexible in their approach to working with advisors. Once you’ve found the right partner, let them do their jobs. Do NOT procrastinate approving something because you don't like a font. Perfection is the enemy of progress. Even as a perfectionist myself, I promise you that if a color isn't perfect or a layout looks slightly off, it won't matter in the grand scheme. Finally, be clear about your goals and expectations from the start. Some agencies spend a lot of time on strategy sessions or website redesigns, which may not be what your firm needs most. The best results come when there’s alignment around priorities, timelines, and a shared focus on execution. Write How Other People Think One big mistake our industry makes is speaking to the consumer the way industry professionals speak to one another. This is one of the reasons it is easier for advisors to refer business to CPAs, than for them to refer to advisors.  It's easy to explain what CPAs do: they handle tax filings and help minimize tax obligations. Now imagine if CPAs marketed their work as "holistic and integrated fulfillment of federal and state obligations." You get my point? Your marketing copy has to match how people speak, what they're concerned about, and what they're searching and googling. "We help people save on taxes. We help people with low-cost investing and building wealth." Everything you post, everything on your site, everything you discuss should use this language. Ignore What Everyone Else is Doing So many advisors get distracted by what others are doing, caught up with who they see on social media or who is winning awards. The FOMO leads to self-doubt and comparison paralysis. Your marketing should reflect your practice, your clients, and your goals. What works for someone else's business model might be completely wrong for yours. Stop Waiting to ‘Feel Ready.’ Start This Week. Ready isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision. The advisors winning new business right now aren't the ones with the most sophisticated plans. They're the ones actually executing. My recommendation is to start by hiring an outsourced partner to help you get organized, get going and stay accountable.

As you have likely heard by now, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law after months of negotiations and razor-thin votes from Washington. While headlines focus on the politics, the real story for clients and advisors is the significant and actionable impact this law has on taxes, estate planning, and long-term strategy. This is a prime opportunity to revisit client plans, adjust income and gifting strategies, and reinforce your role as a trusted guide. Key Tax Changes Advisors Should Be Talking About 1. The SALT Deduction Gets a Major BoostThe state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap increases from $10,000 to $40,000 per household beginning in 2025. This change is especially impactful for clients in high-tax states like California, New York, and New Jersey. The deduction begins to phase out at $500,000 of MAGI for joint filers, increasing annually by 1% through 2029. It reverts to a $10,000 cap permanently in 2030. Advisor Insight: For many clients, especially those who own property in high-tax jurisdictions, this means a renewed opportunity to itemize and optimize deductions. Now’s the time to evaluate whether prepaying state taxes or adjusting withholding could improve their 2025 return. 2. The QBI Deduction Is Here to StayThe 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction for pass-through businesses (S-corps, LLCs, sole proprietorships) has been made permanent. Importantly: Phase-out thresholds for service professionals (like doctors, attorneys, consultants) are now more generous—starting at $150,000 of income for joint filers. A new $400 minimum deduction was introduced for business owners earning at least $1,000 in QBI. Advisor Insight: Clients may not even realize they benefit from this deduction. This is a perfect moment to review entity structure, business income levels, and explore ways to stay under phase-out limits. 3. Roth Conversions Remain a Powerful ToolDespite prior legislative threats, backdoor Roth IRA conversions were not eliminated. In fact, lower tax brackets and a higher standard deduction make conversions more attractive for many clients in 2025. Advisor Insight: Mid-year Roth conversion reviews should be on the agenda, especially for clients expecting a temporary dip in income, recent retirees, or those executing multi-year tax diversification strategies. 4. Estate Tax Exemption Locked InThe $15 million (per person) estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax exemption is now permanent, adjusted annually for inflation. Previously set to sunset in 2026, this provision provides long-term planning clarity for high-net-worth clients. Advisor Insight: Consider gifting strategies for clients nearing the exemption limit. Dynasty trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), and intra-family loans should all be revisited under the new law. What Clients in High-Tax States Need to Know CaliforniaHomeowners in the Bay Area and SoCal will benefit greatly from the new SALT cap. Previously capped at $10K despite property tax bills double or triple that amount, many can now deduct significantly more of their actual payments.New YorkWith the average New York SALT deduction previously over $12,000, the expanded cap offers meaningful federal relief especially for clients itemizing with real estate and income taxes in metro areas. New JerseyThe average NJ property tax bill exceeds $9,000. With the SALT cap quadrupling, most NJ clients can now deduct the full amount they pay in local and state taxes, a key benefit to middle- and upper-middle-income families. Advisor Talking Points for Client Meetings (Optimistic Tone) “With the SALT cap rising to $40,000, you’ll likely see meaningful tax relief this year especially if you itemize and live in a high-tax state.”“If you own an LLC, S-corp, or other pass-through entity, the QBI deduction could reduce your taxable income significantly. We’ll walk through the new thresholds together.”“We should revisit Roth conversion strategy. With favorable tax brackets and no legislation closing the door, 2025 is a window worth exploring.”“Your estate plan may benefit from new certainty around the $15M exemption; now’s the time to optimize gifting or trust structures.” Advisor Talking Points for Client Meetings (Neutral Tone) “The new SALT cap will affect many clients—particularly in high-tax states. It’s worth reviewing who might benefit from itemizing this year and who won’t.”“For business owners, the QBI deduction remains in place and has been adjusted. Regardless of how we feel about the bill overall, this is a chance to make sure eligible clients are optimizing their income structure.”“Roth conversion strategies are still on the table. Clients in lower tax brackets this year may find it’s an efficient time to act before the broader landscape changes again.”“The estate exemption’s permanence offers clarity. Whether or not clients are above the threshold today, we now have a longer runway to plan intentionally.” This material is distributed for informational purposes only. Investment Advisory services offered through Journey Strategic Wealth, a registered investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The views expressed are for informational purposes only and do not take into account any individual’s personal, financial, or tax considerations. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please see Journey Strategic Wealth’s Form ADV Part 2A and Form CRS for additional information. 

As 2025 unfolds, financial advisors are facing a landscape of significant change—from the sunset of key provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to evolving IRS enforcement priorities, trade policy shifts, and ongoing market volatility. For advisors, this isn’t just about staying informed—it’s about staying ahead. Clients will be looking to you for clarity, context, and confident guidance as these developments unfold. This update highlights what’s on the horizon and how you can begin preparing your clients—and your practice—for what’s next. Sunset Provisions Looming (2026): Many provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to sunset after 2025, including: Reversion to prior individual income tax brackets Reduction of the standard deduction Return of personal exemptions Decrease in estate and gift tax exemption (from ~$13.6M to ~$6.8M per person) Potential cap changes to QBI deductions for pass-through entities You’ll want to encourage clients to review estate plans, Roth conversion strategies, and gifting plans while the higher thresholds are still in place. IRS Enforcement and Audit Risk IRS continues ramping up audits on high-income individuals and partnerships due to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Crypto reporting enforcement is slated for expansion in 2025, with new 1099-DA rules expected soon (though guidance is still being finalized). Ensure high-net-worth clients have strong documentation and tax planning, especially if they hold complex assets. Ongoing Implementation of  SECURE Act 2.0 2025 is a pivotal year for provisions, including: Higher catch-up contributions for those 60–63 (delayed to 2026 but still anticipated) Mandatory Roth catch-up contributions for high earners (delayed, but advisors should prep now) Automatic enrollment and portability rules for retirement plans are coming into sharper focus State-Level Tax Changes Noteworthy state tax shifts include: California: Push for wealth tax and changes to capital gains discussions New York: Adjustments to corporate and high-income tax brackets Arizona, Iowa, and others: Flat tax or lower income tax structures, phasing in For clients considering relocation or domicile changes, now’s the time to model the impact. Market Trends and Economic Signals Interest rates: The Fed has held rates steady, with possible cuts anticipated in late 2025 depending on inflation and employment trends. Election Year Volatility: Markets may experience swings as we approach November, which is a good time to remind clients about long-term positioning. Real Estate Watch: Residential and commercial markets are diverging, so opportunities in private credit and alternatives may become more compelling. Trump Tariff Overview In April 2025, President Trump enacted sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), introducing a 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. imports, with higher rates up to 145% on goods from countries with significant trade deficits, notably China. These measures sparked legal challenges, with plaintiffs arguing that the tariffs overstep executive authority and could harm the economy. Economic Impact: Inflation: Despite initial concerns, U.S. inflation has remained subdued, with the Consumer Price Index rising at a 2.3% annual rate in April. This unexpected trend is attributed to companies stockpiling goods before the tariffs took effect. Consumer Costs: As inventories deplete, prices are expected to rise. Economists estimate a 1.7% price increase this year, translating to an average $2,800 burden per household. Market Volatility: The tariffs introduced uncertainty, leading to stock market fluctuations and concerns over potential recession risks. Over the past few weeks, President Trump’s administration has finalized several trade agreements: United Kingdom Tariff Adjustments: The U.S. has reduced tariffs on British steel and aluminum, and lowered car tariffs from 25% to 10% for up to 100,000 vehicles annually. U.K. Concessions: In return, the U.K. agreed to eliminate its 19% ethanol tariff and align its aluminum and steel tariffs with U.S. rates. WSJ China Temporary Tariff Reduction: A 90-day agreement reduces U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 10%, excluding a 20% tariff on fentanyl-related products. Reciprocal Measures: China has implemented similar tariff reductions, easing tensions between the two nations. Reuters Switzerland Trade Agreement: A new deal focuses on securing supply chains and encouraging local production, though specific details are pending. Reuters India Ongoing Negotiations: Discussions are underway to establish a trade agreement, with expectations of finalization in the coming weeks. As we move through a year of transition, your role as an advisor has never been more critical. By staying proactive and translating complexity into clear, client-focused strategies, you can turn uncertainty into opportunity and position your clients (and your practice) for long-term success.