Jeb, Ethan, and Eric from Metcalf Money Moment reveal why the personal CFO model is transforming wealth management. Rather than segmenting your financial planning into separate silos, a personal CFO integrates investment management, tax planning, and estate planning into one cohesive strategy. Learn how Roth conversion timing affects Medicare premiums, why tax-efficient investing matters as much as returns, and how proper beneficiary designation protects your legacy. The hosts share actionable strategies, including opportunistic rebalancing during market volatility and coordinating life insurance with your overall financial picture for maximum family protection.

What you will Learn in this Episode:

How a personal CFO coordinates investment management, tax strategies, and estate planning to create a comprehensive wealth management approach that goes far beyond traditional financial advice and maximizes your family's long-term financial goals.

Advanced tax management techniques, including Roth conversions, capital gains harvesting, and tax-efficient asset location strategies that reduce your tax burden now and create tax-free legacy wealth for your beneficiaries in the future.

Why understanding your portfolio risk tolerance and implementing opportunistic rebalancing during market volatility matters more than chasing returns, and how proper risk tolerance alignment eliminates anxiety during market corrections.

Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What is a personal CFO, and a discussion of the three pillars of comprehensive wealth management

04:00 Tax management strategies beyond April filing

07:36 Mindset shift: supporting real-life financial goals over chasing portfolio returns

10:33 Understanding portfolio risk through Nitrogen scoring and managing market volatility

14:50 Estate planning essentials: beneficiaries, life insurance, disability insurance, and legacy tax planning

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

A personal CFO acts as your financial quarterback, coordinating all aspects of your wealth management, including investment management, tax strategies, and estate planning.

Strategic tax management requires year-round planning, not just April meetings. Implementing Roth conversions, tax loss harvesting, and capital gains management during optimal windows can save thousands annually and create tax-efficient legacy wealth for heirs.

Proper estate planning extends beyond wills and trusts to include beneficiary designations, life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care planning.

DISCLAIMER:

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Metcalf Partners - Website

Jeb Graham - LinkedIn

Ethan Hutchison - LinkedIn

What if you could cut your property tax bill by hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars? Eric Owens from Swartz + Associates reveals the insider tactics that most property owners never discover. On this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric dive deep into real-world victories, including a stunning $10 million reduction on a Florida hotel and a $600,000 savings on Connecticut retail property. You'll learn why Jackson County's 2025 assessment chaos devastated businesses with 10x increases, how triple net lease tenants often miss their appeal rights, and the exact documentation strategy that wins cases. Whether you manage a multimillion-dollar portfolio or own a single investment property, Eric breaks down the appeal process from informal negotiations to district court settlements, plus reveals the critical mistake that causes new buyers to go underwater financially within their first year of ownership.

What you will Learn in this Episode:

Master the art of property tax appeals by gathering comparable sales data from your neighborhood and focusing exclusively on valuation evidence.

Navigate state-specific assessment year cycle requirements, including Kansas's annual January 1st effective valuation date versus Missouri's odd-year schedule, ensuring you meet critical filing deadlines for informal and formal board of equalization hearings.

Understand how sale price disclosure laws in both Kansas and Missouri trigger automatic valuation increases after property purchase, potentially rendering investment properties unprofitable when buyers fail to account for reassessment impacts on cash flow projections.

Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Property tax consultant Eric Owens discusses the services of Swartz + Associates

02:45 Examples of clients for whom a property valuation reduction occurred

06:07 Business property owners versus residential homeowners and discussion of Jackson County property tax increase crisis

10:31 Appeal process stages: informal appeal process through the board of equalization to district court appeals settlements

14:48 To lower valuations, documentation is essential for winning cases

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Evidence trumps emotion in property tax appeals. County assessors require comparable sales data, financial projections, and documented reasoning tied to the effective valuation date, not complaints about rising tax bills or payment hardships.

Contingency fee basis consulting eliminates upfront risk. Firms like Swartz and Associates only collect payment when they achieve actual real estate tax reductions, making professional representation accessible even when appeals stretch over years through the district court.

Sale price disclosure requirements in Kansas and Missouri automatically trigger reassessments. Investment properties purchased without factoring in next year's valuation increase relative to the purchase price can quickly become unprofitable cash flow disasters.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Eric is a licensed Certified General Appraiser and serves as a Director for Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI). SAI is a full-service property tax consulting firm that specializes in the review, analysis, and appeal of commercial real estate and business personal property tax valuations. SAI has experience across a wide range of property tax matters and serves multiple industries.

Understanding the gift tax exclusion is essential for anyone looking to transfer wealth to family members. On this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric break down the most popular gifting strategies, including UTMA accounts, 529 college savings plans, and structured gifting through trusts. Learn how married couples can gift up to $38,000 per person annually without gift tax reporting, explore the new Trump savings accounts that offer government contributions, and discover how to use purpose-based distributions to maintain control over gifted assets. Whether you're funding education through a 529 plan with Roth IRA rollover options or setting up a revocable trust with age-based distributions, this episode covers everything you need to know about tax-free gifting strategies.

What you will Learn in this Episode:

How the annual gift tax exclusion allows you to gift up to $19,000 per person ($38,000 for married couples) without any tax reporting requirements or liability

The differences between UTMA accounts, 529 college savings plans, and new Trump savings accounts, including contribution limits, FAFSA impact, and withdrawal rules

How to use revocable trusts with age-based distributions and purpose-based distributions to maintain control over gifted assets and prevent large windfalls to young adults

The Roth IRA rollover strategy that allows up to $35,000 from a 529 plan to be transferred tax-free into a retirement account for the beneficiary

Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Gifting strategies and common questions and answers about gift tax exclusion

05:00 Deep dive into UTMA accounts and UGMA accounts, including ownership rules, FAFSA impact

08:50 The new Trump savings accounts with government-matched contributions

12:26 Comprehensive overview of 529 college savings plans, including contribution limits, beneficiary designation flexibility, and the Roth IRA rollover option for unused funds

21:03 How to structure gifts using revocable trusts with age-based distributions and purpose-based distributions

24:32 Addressing the common concern of overfunded UTMA accounts and how to transition them into trusts with beneficiary consent for better long-term control

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

The new Trump savings accounts launching in 2026 offer a $1,000 government contribution for children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, with annual contribution limits of $5,000 and potential employer matching of $2,500, creating a powerful tax-deferred savings vehicle that converts to the child's IRA at age 18

UTMA accounts and UGMA accounts are counted as the child's assets when filing FAFSA for student aid, which can significantly reduce eligibility for financial assistance, making 529 college savings plans a better option for families prioritizing federal student aid qualification

The five-year gift tax averaging rule for 529 plans allows you to contribute $95,000 in a single year (5 years × $19,000) without triggering gift tax reporting, enabling grandparents and parents to front-load education savings and maximize tax-free growth potential

DISCLAIMER:

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.

RESOURCES MENTIONED: