Welcome to the sixth edition of The Fiduciary Guide, our monthly newsletter from Kinetic Wealth.
Our goal is simple: to share a little of what’s happening in our world, pass along planning insights that matter, and highlight ideas and resources we think are worth your time. We hope this becomes a useful and enjoyable touchpoint each month.
QUOTE: “Never think you know more than the market does.”
– Jack Bogle, Founder of The Vanguard Group
THE FIDUCIARY BRIEF
In the Headlines: Vanguard and Altruist
Thank you to everyone who reached out following our message about this exciting headline! We wanted to share more details about this and what it means for you and for us.
I was first introduced to Vanguard during my financial planning studies at Western Carolina University in the late 2000s. My early career began at a prominent credit union in North Carolina, and as I grew into an advisory role, Vanguard was the only fund company we recommended to our members during my time there. Many of my colleagues have referred to me a "Vanguard Fan" ever since. My attraction to Vanguard was never just about the investments or the funds. It was about their values and the way they've always demonstrated a calling to do right by the people who matter most: you, the investors.
So, when I read the headline last Wednesday, "Vanguard to Acquire Altruist," I felt excitement anticipating what this would mean for all of us and for our industry! The news was unexpected here, but in hindsight it makes sense. Vanguard was an early investor in Altruist, and Bill McNabb, Vanguard's former CEO, has served on Altruist's board of directors for years. It’s obvious Vanguard has believed in what Altruist set out to do.
For those of you who have been with us from the beginning, you know that Kinetic Wealth has always worked with both Vanguard and Altruist. Finding external partners who share your values and client-first beliefs is harder than it may seem in this industry…In any business. But both companies have earned our trust because they keep you at the center of everything they do.
We believe this is good news for you, and for everyone seeking quality financial guidance. Here is why:
- Vanguard has spent decades building one of the most trusted, investor-focused approaches to managing portfolios in the world.
- Altruist brings what we believe to be the best custodial platform available today, along with technology built specifically to help fiduciary advisors serve their clients better.
- A custodian (like Altruist) is the external institution that holds your investment accounts and makes sure your money is kept safe and accounted for.
We feel convicted that together, these two companies will raise the bar for what financial services can look like for everyday people. We are grateful to be on the leading edge of the future of financial planning along your side.
How Our Missions Align:
Vanguard’s mission is: "To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success."
Altruist’s mission is: "To make financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone."
Kinetic Wealth’s mission is: "Empowering Fulfillment and Enhancing Communities."
Seems like a good match.
What Does This Mean for You Right Now?
Nothing changes today. Altruist plans to continue operating as it does now, and transitions like this take time. Over time, there may be changes to branding and colors, but the early signs point to Vanguard being most interested in Altruist's platform and what it makes possible. With Vanguard's backing, we expect the tools we use to get even better over time, in ways that benefit you directly.
Kinetic Wealth remains a locally owned, fully independent advisory and planning firm. We proactively chose to partner with Altruist and Vanguard as we believe our partnership with them yields the best results for you. To clarify, we are independent and not attached to any company we partner with. That independence is something we take very seriously. It means we are always free to choose the partners who serve you best, regardless of name or brand. As long as Vanguard and Altruist continue helping us do that in what we view as the best way possible, we will gratefully continue partnering with them in our service to you.
We have heard from many colleagues and clients already on this topic, and we love the conversation. If you have any questions, we would be glad to talk it through. Call or text us at 865.288.8904, or simply hit REPLY here.
For more detail, click these links to read Altruist's official announcement and a personal letter from their CEO, Jason Wenk, at the links below.
ADVICE IN ACTION
The Peace on the Other Side of the To-Do List
Important things which are unfinished carry weight.
You probably know what we mean. It is the estate documents you have been meaning to get around to. The old retirement account sitting at a former employer. The pile of insurance papers you have not sorted through in years. The spending plan you and your spouse keep saying you will sit down and build together. Don’t feel bad, most of us are guilty of letting things lie longer than we hoped for.
These kinds of things rarely feel urgent. Modern life is full, and the truly urgent things always seem to win the day. Living as a “firefighter” putting out today’s blaze promotes the feeling that the important things can wait.
We’ve noticed in conversations with the people we are honored to serve that when someone finally does the important thing, something changes. Not just in their finances. In them, their lives, and the lives of those around them.
A Burden We Carry Without Knowing It
One of our clients described paying off her mortgage this way: "It just feels great. It gives me so much more flexibility." She said it quietly, almost like it was still sinking in.
Another client told us that after sitting down to work through his retirement picture and mapping out a clear plan, the physical stress he had been carrying started to lift! He felt lighter. He slept better. He said the planning conversations themselves had brought unexpected relief.
A couple excited to finally organize their financial documents said they were looking forward to knowing what they have, why they have it, and where everything is. They wanted to be able to quickly find what they own and stop feeling like they were guessing. Before engaging in planning, this peace felt out of reach.
These examples are not unusual. We hear some version of it often.
Why Do Important Tasks Weigh So Much
The things that matter most but are not yet done tend to take up more mental space than we realize. They do not announce themselves loudly. Instead, they just sit there in the background, asking for small amounts of attention every single day.
An unfinished estate plan means every year that passes is another year your family might not be protected the way you intended. An old account at a former employer means a piece of your financial life is still connected to a place you have moved on from. Unclear beneficiary forms mean a decision you want to make is still sitting unmade.
Usually, none of these tasks seem like emergencies (until they are). But together, they create a kind of low-level noise that takes energy to ignore.
So What Happens When We Finally Do It?
Something almost always happens when people clear the important things off the list. They find freedom!
Freedom to think about what they actually want in their season of life. Freedom to have more honest conversations about money as a team. Freedom to start asking the bigger questions like:
- What does a good retirement actually look like for us?
- How do we want to support our kids?
- What does our legacy mean to us?
One client said, after several months of working through their financial picture together, that they finally felt like they could "see the path." Not because every problem was solved, but because the fog had lifted and the vision was clear.
We’re Your “Accountabilibuddy”
If there is something on your financial to-do list that keeps getting pushed to "someday," we want you to know two things - first, you are not alone. Most people have at least one thing like that. Second, we’ve found the hardest part of even the most daunting task is getting started. The task itself is rarely as complicated as the dread around it suggests.
If you want a guide for that first step, whether it is an estate plan, the tax return you never reviewed, an old account you have been unsure about, a budget that needs building, or anything else, we are here for exactly that. That is what we’re grateful to do for you!
Because we believe peace is not just something that happens to you. Sometimes it is something you build, one important task at a time.
Ready to tackle something on your list? We would love to hear from you. Hit REPLY and tell us what we can help you accomplish.
WHAT WE’RE READING
Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt
Not a political prescription, just a different way of seeing the world. Hazlitt's central idea: every economic policy has consequences beyond the obvious, affecting more people than originally intended. It may challenge some widely-accepted assumptions, and that's exactly the point.
Market Perspectives by Vanguard Perspective
Value stocks are rising primarily due to growing earnings optimism, fueled by AI-related companies now meeting value index inclusion criteria. While value portfolios have traditionally focused on energy, industrials, and financials, they're evolving. Long-term AI-driven opportunities may emerge broadly as businesses leverage AI to boost productivity, cut costs, and strengthen profitability. Read the full article here.
5 Investing Rules You Won’t See in Financial Media The Informed Investor by Dimensional Fund Advisors
In Episode 53 of The Informed Investor podcast, Dimensional's Mark Gochnour and Scott Bosworth sit down with retired VP Weston Wellington — a master at exposing the financial media's misleading predictions. From "The Death of Equities" to "iPod Can't Save Apple," Wellington spent his career teaching investors to tune out the noise and stick to sound investing principles. Watch the discussion here.
INSIDE KINETIC
Clients & Friends Welcome: Kinetic Wealth Client Appreciation Picnic
We are grateful for you, and we want to celebrate that together.
Join us on the afternoon of Saturday, October 3rd at McFee Park in Farragut for a family-friendly picnic filled with food, fellowship, and fun. Bring the whole family, including the kids and grandkids, because this afternoon is for everyone.
We'll have plenty to eat, lawn games to enjoy, and a playground where the little ones can run, explore, and make memories. Most importantly, we'll have time to simply be together, outside of any meeting or agenda.
At Kinetic Wealth, we believe that a life well-lived is about more than financial plans. It's about the people, moments, and communities that make it all worthwhile. This picnic is a small way for us to say thank you for trusting us to walk alongside you.
More details and RSVPs are coming soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars and plan to join us! We hope to see you there.
CLOSING
Thank you for reading the sixth edition of The Fiduciary Guide.
Our hope is that this monthly note gives you something practical to think about, something helpful to learn, and a better sense of the values behind Kinetic Wealth. If a topic in this issue raises a question for you or your family, hit REPLY! We’d love to talk.
Warmly,
Kinetic Wealth