Evan Knight, CRPC®

Geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran have increased market volatility, but history shows stocks often prove more resilient than they feel in the moment, especially when economic and earnings fundamentals remain intact. While today tinybfs.com/t/RhVoV4

LPL Research discusses what’s been driving gold prices this month and the outlook for the yellow metal. tinybfs.com/t/C7WdgS

LPL's Weekly Market Performance for the week of March 16, 2026, highlights the latest geopolitical developments, Fed decision, and global market headlines. tinybfs.com/t/fWNm2t

LPL's Weekly Market Performance for the week of March 9, 2026, highlights geopolitical developments, earnings, and commodity moves and their impact on markets. tinybfs.com/t/MrRDUh

Most people think retirement success depends on how much money you’ve saved. But there’s another factor that can matter just as much. The order of market returns. Two retirees can start with the exact same situation: • $1,000,000 invested • $50,000 withdrawn each year • The same average market return Yet one portfolio lasts… and the other runs out. Why? Because when you're withdrawing income, early market declines can have a lasting impact. This is called Sequence of Returns Risk. It’s one of the biggest risks in retirement planning that most people have never heard of. I recorded a video discussing this risk and one way we help to mitigate it. Check it out! 👇 youtu.be/XvK7nMozTik

The recent escalation in Iran has disrupted global energy markets, but history shows markets often recover quickly once conditions stabilize. Despite near‑term volatility, economic strength, supportive fiscal policy, and easing infl tinybfs.com/t/EiurNW

💰 $1,000,000 doesn’t automatically make you a millionaire. Not if a large portion of it still belongs to the IRS. In my latest newsletter, I talked about a few planning moves you can make today that your future millionaire self will thank you for… Things like: • Building tax diversification • Strategically harvesting capital gains and losses • Using lower-income “gap years” to convert Pre-Tax Money These strategies aren’t about chasing higher returns. They’re about making sure more of what you build actually stays yours. Because wealth isn’t just about the number in your account. It’s about how much of it you get to keep. If insights like these would be helpful for you, you can sign up for the newsletter below 👇 priorityfinancialplanning.com/newsletter-form

💣 Inherited IRAs can quietly become a tax nightmare. I recently met with someone who inherited a sizable traditional IRA from a loved one. They had done the responsible thing — they left the account invested and let it grow. But there was one problem. They didn’t have a withdrawal strategy. Under current rules, most inherited IRAs must be fully distributed within 10 years. Every dollar that comes out of that account is treated as taxable income. And here’s where it sneaks up on people. If the account grows for several years and withdrawals are delayed, you can end up taking large distributions later, pushing yourself into much higher tax brackets. Without a plan, it can start to feel like you're writing a massive check to the IRS. But the good news is that this is very manageable with the right strategy. Planning withdrawals across multiple years can help smooth out income and reduce tax impact. In some cases, we can also offset that income by: • Increasing pre-tax contributions to your own 401(k) or IRA • Using business deductions or retirement plans if you’re self-employed • Coordinating withdrawals with lower-income years The key is simple: don’t wait until year 8, 9, or 10 to start thinking about it. If you’ve inherited an IRA and haven’t walked through a long-term withdrawal strategy, it may be worth taking a closer look. A little planning now can save a lot of taxes later.

LPL Research’s Strategic and Tactical Asset Allocation Committee (STAAC) is pleased to provide our Capital Market Assumptions (CMA) and Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) as of January 2026. The CMA and SAA provide guidance on longer- tinybfs.com/t/IbOE9b

💬 “No Tax on Social Security.” I recently heard someone describe this as a major “change.” But that’s not entirely accurate. There has been no fundamental change to how Social Security is taxed. Social Security benefits are taxed based on your total income, not in isolation. They’re combined with other sources — like IRA withdrawals, pensions, and capital gains — and then applied to a formula that determines how much of your benefit becomes taxable. Up to 85% of your Social Security can be subject to income tax, depending on your overall income. For individuals living primarily on Social Security, it’s often true that little to none of it is taxed — especially after applying the standard deduction. But for many retirees who are also: Withdrawing from pre-tax 401(k)s or IRAs Receiving pension income Realizing capital gains …it’s common for the full 85% of benefits to be included in taxable income. So what actually changed? Under the OBBBA, the standard deduction for individuals and couples age 65+ increased (depending on income). That means more retirees who live mostly on Social Security may owe little or no tax. That’s a positive development. But saying “No Tax on Social Security” across the board is misleading. The better conversation isn’t about slogans. It’s about strategy. With coordinated planning, we can: Project how much of your Social Security will be taxable Manage withdrawals to control income levels Use Roth and non-retirement accounts to reduce tax exposure Minimize Medicare premium surcharges You may not control the tax formula — but you can control how your retirement income is structured around it. And that’s where real value lives.

This week’s Weekly Market Commentary discusses LPL Research’s Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA), the long‑term framework that guides how diversified portfolios are built to deliver more stable outcomes across evolving market environm tinybfs.com/t/7JEaoQ

Advice tells you what to do. Planning tells you why. “Max your 401(k).” “Pay off your debt.” “Invest more.” Sounds responsible. Sounds smart. But here’s the problem — advice doesn’t know your life. It doesn’t know: The stress you feel when cash gets tight The dreams you have for your kids The business you’re thinking about starting The fear of making the wrong move Advice is loud. Planning is personal. Planning starts with questions like: What matters most to you? What keeps you up at night? What kind of life are you actually trying to build? Because money isn’t math. It’s emotion. It’s security. It’s freedom. You can follow all the right advice and still feel uncertain. But when you have a plan — one built around your values and your reality — the noise gets quieter. Advice gives direction. Planning gives peace.

LPL Research examines what a new Fed-Treasury accord could look like and the potential impact on markets. tinybfs.com/t/OoH29D

💡 Unique Planning Opportunity (A bit wordy, but worth it!) I recently met with a college football coach with a great—but layered—question: How do we save for three kids’ education, including private high school, without boxing ourselves into the wrong strategy? At first glance, the answer seemed obvious: 529 plans. But once we slowed down and looked closer, a few important details changed everything 👇 Why 529s weren’t a great fit (for now): 1️⃣ Because he works at a college, there’s a real chance his kids could attend tuition-free later on. 2️⃣ While 529s can be used federally for K-12 education, his state does not allow that benefit — meaning those funds would be locked into college-only use. So we widened the lens. They were already in solid shape with their 401(k)s and on track for the retirement lifestyle they wanted — but they didn’t have a Roth IRA. Here’s where timing created a unique opportunity. Their first child will enter college when his spouse is already 55. Having kids later in life gave us flexibility that most families don’t have. 📌 Part of the strategy: We’re now contributing to her Roth IRA. Roth contributions can be withdrawn to help with the first child’s college costs. Roth earnings can help with the second and third child And if his kids end up attending college for free? 💥 The money can still be used completely tax-free for any purpose once she reaches age 59½. 📌 But what about private high school? For now, the best option is actually saving in a non-retirement (taxable) account. Why? They own rental property, which helps reduce their taxable income. That keeps them in the 0% long-term capital gains bracket, meaning they can sell investments to pay for high school expenses without federal capital gains tax. Is that permanent? No. Could it change? Absolutely. But right now, it’s the most flexible and tax-efficient option. 🎓 Funding education through a Roth IRA is rare — and it’s not right for most families. But in the right situation, with the right timing, it can fit perfectly. The bigger lesson: Investing can be simple enough to do on your own. But planning around your income, assets, taxes, and timing is where real value shows up. That’s how you turn complexity into opportunity.

💸 The most expensive word in personal finance isn’t “taxes.” It’s “later.” Later, when work slows down. Later, when the kids are older. Later, when things feel less busy. For most families and professionals, “later” feels reasonable — because life is busy. Careers, kids, schedules, commitments… it’s easy to push financial decisions to the bottom of the list, even when you know they matter. The problem is that later has a cost. Putting off planning doesn’t usually create a crisis overnight — it creates missed opportunities: Tax strategies that could’ve saved money years ago Flexibility that would’ve been easier to build earlier Options that quietly shrink the longer you wait Most people aren’t careless with money. They’re overwhelmed and busy — and hoping things will work themselves out when they finally get around to it. But clarity doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from intentionally carving out time — even when life is full — to make decisions before they become urgent. You don’t need to do everything today. You just need to stop assuming you’ll deal with it “later.” Because in personal finance, later is often the most expensive choice of all.

The nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve Chair signals potential rate cuts later this year as easing inflation and rising productivity—fueled by AI investment—support economic growth and strong corporate earnings. D tinybfs.com/t/fYJKG6

The confetti hasn’t even been swept up — and the grind has already restarted. The Super Bowl ends, and within days coaches and GMs are already back to work — evaluating players, changing systems, planning for next year. The work never really stops. People say motivation comes from loving to win or hating to lose. That works… until it doesn’t. Eventually, you’re left asking: 👉 Why am I doing this? Results alone aren’t enough. You have to love the process — or burnout is inevitable. That’s true in football. And it’s true in life. Do you love the process of your work — or are you slowly wearing down chasing results?

Ever say something out loud and immediately realize it sounded much better in your head? My wife knows this well 😅 If I talk around an idea long enough, I usually end up in the right place — I just need someone willing to listen along the way (again, unfortunately for my wife). I see this all the time with clients. I can’t help build a meaningful financial plan without clear goals. And most people can’t define those goals until they’ve talked through the why behind their money: Why it matters Who they want to impact What they want to provide for Clarity rarely comes from a spreadsheet alone. More often, it shows up when someone finally says things out loud. If you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place when setting goals or trying to make meaningful progress, it might not be a lack of discipline or information. You might just need someone to listen.

LPL Research outlines the main risks for Private Credit markets in 2026. tinybfs.com/t/uDERuQ

After 43 years in the same city — and the same house — my folks are closing the book on life in St. Louis. It was incredibly special to celebrate their time in my hometown alongside so many people who have meant so much to them over the years. I couldn’t begin to list everything they’ve done or accomplished in STL in ten posts, let alone one. But the number of people who showed up to celebrate tells an important part of their story all on its own. So yes, it’s a little sad to say goodbye to St. Louis — but I’m not apologizing. We’re beyond excited to have them close by, and for Hutchinson to get to know these two incredible people.