Every year, thousands of financial professionals gather at what has quickly become one of the most talked-about events in wealth management: the Future Proof Festival in Huntington Beach, CA. And this year, our President, Joseph Eschleman, our Partner, Wealth Advisor, Jonathan LaTurner, and our Director of Research and Analytics, Nathan Billigmeier, all attended.
Launched four years ago, Future Proof has already reshaped what a financial advisor conference looks like — trading ballrooms and business suits for boardwalk stages, ocean air, and a festival-style setting that emphasizes connection and community.
This year, the momentum has only grown. With 5,000+ attendees, the festival isn’t just about education or networking. Future Proof allows advisors to learn about how innovation, technology, and shifting client expectations are actively redefining the future of financial advice and wealth management.
For Towerpoint Wealth, staying plugged into this kind of forward-looking conversation is an opportunity to ensure that our clients benefit from the very best thinking, the newest tools, the latest technology, and the most relevant strategies in wealth management today.
In this article, we’ll explore what makes Future Proof different, the themes shaping this year’s event, and — importantly — how the lessons we learned here will help us better serve our clients and their families.
The Growth of Future Proof: From Start-Up to Industry Staple
Just a few years ago, Future Proof entered the scene as an experimental “wealth festival”—a refreshingly different take on stale financial advisor conferences, held outdoors in Huntington Beach with surf, music, and real conversations mingling in the sandy breezes.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the festival has graduated from novelty to powerhouse. In its fourth year, the event has drawn more than 5,000 wealth management and technology professionals, all gathered to engage, connect, and reimagine the industry’s future.
That kind of growth — from approximately 2,200 attendees in 2022, to over 4,200 in 2024 — is a clear sign that Future Proof is greatly expanding in the advisory world.
What sets Future Proof apart is its atmosphere and format. Instead of rows of chairs and dimly lit auditoriums, the event takes over a stretch of Huntington Beach, California. Attendees network in open-air pavilions, listen to live music at night, and join interactive sessions focused on the future of advice, technology, and client service.
Compared to traditional advisor conferences — which can feel insular and product-driven — Future Proof feels more like a fintech and AI festival. The mix of advisors, asset managers, fintech entrepreneurs, and media creates a collaborative, forward-looking environment where ideas spread quickly and expand through conversations.
In just a short time, Future Proof has become the go-to gathering for forward-looking advisors and wealth management firms. Its rapid ascent reminds us how the industry is changing: influencers over suits, experiences over expos, engagement over droning agendas.
Standout Themes from Future Proof 2025
Future Proof 2025 was packed with ideas of direct importance to investors and their advisors. Rather than abstract theory, the conference focused on practical trends shaping portfolios and financial plans right now — and those themes align closely with how Towerpoint Wealth serves our clients.
One headline topic was the integration of AI into financial advice. Speakers highlighted how artificial intelligence can streamline portfolio construction, enhance risk analysis, and free up time for advisors to deepen client relationships.
For investors, this is NOT about robots replacing judgment, despite the headlines; it’s about using new tools to improve service, efficiency, and outcomes. At Towerpoint, we’re consistently exploring ways these technologies can complement — not replace — our disciplined, fiduciary approach.
Another major theme was tax-smart investing and retirement income planning. Panels emphasized the growing importance of strategies like direct indexing and proactive tax management — areas where thoughtful planning can help preserve more of your wealth.
These insights reinforce Towerpoint’s ongoing focus on coordinated tax and investment strategies for clients at every life stage.
Finally, despite the ever-growing buzz around technology, presenters repeatedly returned to the enduring value of human connection. Trust, communication, and empathy remain the foundation of successful wealth management. That message resonates deeply with our client-first philosophy: innovation is welcome, but personal relationships and long-term client partnerships drive lasting results.
Notable Insights from Influential Voices
Future Proof is known for bringing together some of the sharpest minds in finance, and two sessions this year stood out to our team for their relevance to longer-term investors.
Barry Ritholtz: Mastering the Art of “Not Being Stupid”
Barry Ritholtz, the event’s founder, reminded everyone that successful investing is more about avoiding mistakes than chasing genius. He highlighted three key behavioral traps:
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- Denominator blindness: Reacting to scary numbers without context. For example, a headline of “10,000 layoffs sounds huge”… until you know the scale. Is it for a massive chain, a small factory, or an entire state? Understanding the whole picture can help investors make less reactive decisions.
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- Forecasting traps: While we all crave certainty, markets are unpredictable, and overconfidence in predictions leads to poor decisions. The antidote to this is diversification, planning for volatility, and ignoring carnival-barker predictions.
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- The value of a small “fun money sleeve”: Keeping no more than 5% of assets in a separate account to satisfy the urge to trade, while protecting core capital with the more structured and disciplined practices.
For Towerpoint clients, these lessons reinforce what we’ve always said: disciplined planning and avoiding unforced errors matter far more than trying to outguess the market.
Joe Davis: A Clear-Eyed Economic Outlook
Vanguard’s global chief economist, Joe Davis, described the U.S. economy as moving at “stall speed,” with slower growth but a low risk of near-term recession. He highlighted a tug-of-war between AI-driven productivity and headwinds from aging demographics and rising deficits, with the outcome likely shaping growth for years.
Davis also shared a contrarian investing insight: if you truly believe in AI’s long-term impact, consider diversifying beyond today’s mega-cap tech stocks. Historically, when transformative technologies spread, the broader economy — industrials, healthcare, and global markets — often outperforms the original innovators.
Trends Shaping the Future of Wealth Management
Future Proof 2025 made one thing clear: the wealth management industry is evolving quickly, and three trends are setting the pace.
AI and Automation Move Front and Center
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future promise — it’s being embedded in advisor workflows today. From data analysis to customized portfolio construction, AI is speeding up processes and helping advisors spend more time working closely with their clients.
Demand for Tax-Smart Investing
More investors are looking for strategies like direct indexing and tax-efficient portfolio design. This growing emphasis on after-tax returns mirrors what we already prioritize at Towerpoint: thoughtful tax planning and minimization as a core part of wealth management.
Human Connection Remains Essential
Even as technology takes a bigger role in the industry, the heart of financial advice remains trust and personal relationships. Attendees repeatedly emphasized that empathy and communication are irreplaceable — a belief that aligns with Towerpoint’s core client-first philosophy.
Emerging Tools & Technology
The conference also showcased new fintech innovations aimed at making wealth management more efficient and more personal. Some of the standout technologies include:
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- Tax-Loss Harvesting Automation: Platforms that automatically identify and capture losses to help offset gains, keeping portfolios tax-efficient throughout the year.
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- Real-Time Planning Dashboards: Tools that let advisors and clients view custom financial updates instantly, creating a more collaborative planning experience.
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- Enhanced Client Experience Portals: Upgraded interfaces for sharing documents, monitoring investments, and communicating securely to keep clients updated and informed at all times.
Not every tool is ready for prime time, but the direction is clear: technology is moving fast, and the best solutions will empower advisors to deliver more customized, transparent service — exactly what our team at Towerpoint Wealth aims to provide.
Towerpoint’s Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Future Proof 2025 reinforced a simple truth: innovation is moving fast, but the fundamentals of disciplined financial planning remain the foundation of lasting wealth.
For our team, one of the biggest takeaways from the event is how quickly artificial intelligence is moving from concept to practical use. From portfolio construction to tax-loss harvesting, AI is already enhancing how advisors serve clients. Early adoption — applied thoughtfully — can help us spend more time on what matters most: building relationships and crafting personalized strategies.
These innovations strengthen, not replace, Towerpoint’s core approach and wealth management philosophy. Our focus on full financial coordination, tax efficiency, and disciplined investing remains the anchor, while new tools create opportunities to refine retirement plans, sharpen investment strategies, and deliver an even more seamless client experience.
The energy at Future Proof 2025 was forward-looking and action-oriented. But as always, the key is how we translate new ideas into practical steps for your financial life.
If you’d like to explore what we learned and how these trends can support your longer-term personal and economic goals, we invite you to schedule a complimentary 20-minute “Ask Anything” conversation with our team. Together, we’ll discuss how innovation and fiduciary planning can work hand in hand to protect and grow your wealth — today and for years to come.
