TPW This Just in

Recent news on tariffs and government job cuts has raised concerns about a possible trade war, resulting in a market pullback with the Nasdaq now near correction territory. While market swings are never pleasant, we believe it’s important to maintain perspective, especially when it comes to your long-term financial goals.

Why are Markets Concerned About Tariffs?

President Trump’s has implemented tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, although they are subject to change. There are also more potential tariffs under consideration.

While this has contributed to market uncertainty and a roughly 5% pullback in the stock market, it’s important to keep a few facts in mind.

• Historical Context: The U.S. has a long history of using tariffs as policy tools, particularly to protect key industries and national interests. Previous trade tensions often resulted in eventual agreements.
• Economic Impact: While tariffs can increase some consumer and business costs, their actual economic impact has historically been less severe than initial market reactions suggest.
• Negotiating Strategy: Tariffs are frequently used as negotiating tools to achieve broader policy objectives, often leading to new trade agreements.

Why Portfolio Balance Matters Now

During periods of market volatility, holding different asset classes proves particularly valuable. While some market sectors face challenges, others have performed well. Bonds have provided positive returns as interest rates declined, helping to offset stock market fluctuations in balanced portfolios.

Historical Perspective on Market Pullbacks

The current market decline is normal by historical standards. Similar or larger pullbacks occurred multiple times in recent years, including twice in 2024, three times in 2023, and twelve times in 2022.

We believe the below graphic is helpful in putting this market volatility into perspective.

While market swings can be uncomfortable, history shows that maintaining a disciplined, longer-term investment philosophy should yield the best results. Towerpoint Wealth clients should feel confident that your investment plan and portfolio has been personalized, has a bias towards income-producing (read: interest and dividends) investments, and has been designed to weather various market conditions while pursuing your unique specific financial goals.

Remember, successful investing isn’t reactive, which, understanding today’s 24/7 news cycle, can be tempting. It’s about maintaining a well-constructed portfolio aligned with your longer-term personal and financial objectives, and systematically rebalancing on a semi-annual basis. This will remain true, despite ongoing tariff concerns that may impact the market in the coming weeks and months.

We continue to monitor developments closely and are here to discuss any thoughts or concerns you may have.

Best regards,

Your Towerpoint Wealth Team

Towerpoint Wealth is a Registered Investment Adviser. This platform is solely for informational purposes. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Towerpoint Wealth and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Towerpoint Wealth unless a client service agreement is in place.

For illustrative purposes only. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of the information and opinions contained herein.

At Towerpoint Wealth, we know that planning for retirement goes beyond just saving money—it’s about ensuring you have the full financial security and confidence to enjoy your golden years. One of the biggest concerns that pre- and current retirees face are health care costs. How much will health care, and health insurance, really cost? What happens if you retire before Medicare kicks in? How do you avoid costly mistakes and missteps?

To help answer these critical questions, we recently hosted a live webinar featuring Joseph Eschleman, CIMA®, President of Towerpoint Wealth, and Julia Fuentes, Financial Planning & Coaching Strategist at Vanguard. If you missed the event, we’ve got you covered—you can now watch the full recording below.

What We Covered in the Webinar

During this comprehensive workshop, we tackled the most pressing concerns about health care both before and during retirement, providing expert guidance to help you make informed decisions. Here’s a breakdown of what was discussed:

1. Bridging the Gap Before Medicare

If you plan to retire before age 65, you’ll need a strategy to cover health insurance costs before Medicare eligibility. We explored the best options available, including:

• Employer-sponsored retiree health plans
• COBRA coverage
• Marketplace health insurance plans
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and how they can bridge the gap

Many retirees underestimate the cost of pre-Medicare health care. Planning ahead is key to avoiding financial strain.

2. Understanding Medicare: Breaking Down Parts A, B, C, and D

Medicare is complex, and choosing the right coverage is crucial. We explained the different parts of Medicare:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance): Covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care
• Part B (Medical Insurance): Covers doctor visits, outpatient services, and preventive care
• Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans): An alternative to Original Medicare, offering additional benefits like vision, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage): Helps cover the cost of medications

Many people assume Medicare covers everything, but understanding its limits and choosing the right plan is essential.

3. Managing Retirement Health Care Costs

Even with Medicare, out-of-pocket healthcare expenses can add up. We shared smart financial strategies to manage these costs effectively:

• How to use tax-efficient savings plans like HSAs and Roth IRAs
• The importance of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
• Strategies to minimize taxes on retirement withdrawals to keep more of your money

Health care expenses don’t have to derail your retirement plans—proper planning can help you stay in control.

4. How Income Affects Medicare Costs

Did you know that your income level can impact your Medicare premiums? Many retirees are caught off guard by Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA)—extra Medicare charges based on income. We covered:

• How your adjusted gross income (AGI) affects Medicare premiums
• Tax-efficient withdrawal strategies to keep income levels lower
• The benefits of Roth conversions and charitable giving for tax management

A proactive tax strategy can help you avoid unnecessary Medicare surcharges and maximize your retirement income.

5. Open Q&A: Answering Your Most Pressing Questions

During the live Q&A session, participants asked important questions about:

• The differences between Medicare Advantage and Medigap
• The best way to structure health care expenses in a retirement budget
• How to protect against unexpected medical costs

We always encourage proactive planning—asking the right questions today can help you make better decisions for tomorrow.

Watch the Full Webinar Now

If you missed our live session, you don’t have to miss out on the valuable information we shared. Click above to watch the full recording and take control of your retirement healthcare planning. 

Let Us Help You Plan for a Secure Retirement

At Towerpoint Wealth, our mission is simple: Helping you remove the hassle of properly coordinating all of your financial affairs, so you can live a happier life and enjoy retirement.

Planning for health care in retirement is just one piece of the puzzle. To ensure your overall wealth is protected, optimized, and working for you, we provide:

✔️ Personalized retirement planning strategies
✔️ Tax-efficient wealth management solutions
✔️ Expert guidance on Medicare and Social Security decisions

Schedule an initial 20-minute “Ask anything” consultation with our team today to start planning for a confident and stress-free retirement, or email us at info@towerpointwealth.com.

Don’t leave your retirement health care to chance—let’s build a strategy that protects your wealth and secures your future.

The recent fires in Los Angeles have highlighted the devastating toll wildfires can take on our communities. At Towerpoint Wealth, these fires have hit especially close to home.

Our Advisor and Partner, Jonathan LaTurner, has family living in Southern California, and while we are incredibly grateful that Jonathan’s brother-in-law, Hunter LaTurner, and his family were spared, their neighborhood and countless others were not as fortunate. Below, you’ll see a photo comparison: A photo of Hunter’s home is on the left, and his direct next-door neighbor’s home is on the right.

California’s wildfire season continues to disrupt and devastate, leaving families without homes and in urgent need of support. As we process the impact of these fires and ask what we can do to help, we are reminded of the importance of standing together in times of crisis. At Towerpoint Wealth, we are committed to helping those affected by contributing to disaster relief efforts and encouraging others to do the same.

Making a Difference Together

In addition to financial contributions, Jonathan and his wife, Katie, are organizing a donation drive to support families displaced by the fires, We’re collecting the following items:

• Gently used clothing
• Toiletries and hygiene products
• Kids’ toys and books
• Household essentials (bedding, kitchen items, etc.)
• School supplies

These donations will go directly to families in need, offering tangible support as they begin to rebuild their lives. For more details on how to contribute, please contact us directly.

We Are Doubling Your Impact

Families affected by these fires need your help now more than ever. Every moment counts in providing relief and comfort during this critical time.

To amplify our collective efforts, Towerpoint Wealth will match dollar-for-dollar any donation made by our Trending Today readers, up to $10,000. This initiative is our way of doubling your support and ensuring that relief efforts reach as many people as possible

Ways You Can Help

If you are looking for organizations to contribute to, here are two impactful ones leading wildfire efforts:

1 | The California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund

For over 20 years, this fund has supported wildfire recovery efforts, focusing on rebuilding homes, providing mental health services, and assisting low-income communities.

How to Donate

Vist calfund.org/wildfire-relief-fund to contribute

2 | The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

The LAFD Foundation supports firefighters and first responders battling wildfires with life-saving equipment, training, and resources.

How to Donate

Visting supportlafd.org to make a donation

Coming Together as a Community

Assisting those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires reminds us of the strength found in unity and resilience. The bravery of first responders, volunteers, and community members who rally to support those in need cannot be overstated. We would like to thank all donors who are coming together to support the recovery efforts for those who have lost their communities.

At Towerpoint, we believe in the power of collective action. Whether it’s through financial contributions, volunteering, or spreading awareness, every effort makes a difference. Together, we can help those affected by these fires rebuild and begin to look toward a brighter future.

If you would like to join us in these efforts or learn more about our commitment to supporting wildfire disaster relief, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s stand together for Los Angeles during this challenging time.

A Recap of the Towerpoint Wealth Open House!

Last week, we had the pleasure of opening our new doors to friends, clients, and colleagues for an unforgettable Open House event. Held at our new headquarters at 500 Capitol Mall, it was an occasion filled with camaraderie, laughter, great conversations, and the shared excitement of this new chapter in our journey together, with you. We are humble in recognizing that without you, our clients, we would exist as a firm today, and we are pleased to express our gratitude and share some of the highlights of the event.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who attended our event and joined us! Your presence turned what could have simply been a gathering into an extraordinary celebration of community and trust. We are beyond grateful for the relationships we’ve built and the new connections we made during this special day. And if you were unable to make it, no problem, simply click below to see some fun photos and a drone video of the evening!

Events like these are made even better by the thoughtful contributions of talented partners. We owe a big thank you to Camden Spit & Larder for providing the delicious food and refreshing drinks that everyone enjoyed. Their impeccable service and unique culinary offerings were the perfect addition to our event, and we couldn’t have been more impressed by their attention to detail and hospitality.

The Open House was a blend of old friends reconnecting, new acquaintances meeting for the first time, and everyone exploring our new office space. A true Towerpoint Wealth community. Our team took great pride in showcasing what we’ve built—an environment that reflects our commitment to excellence, innovation, client focus, and community spirit.

To all those who couldn’t attend, we’ve got you covered! Click here for a photo galley or click the image below.

Our Open House was just the beginning – we hope to see you all in the near future, whether for a consultation, a cup of coffee, or just to say hello. Your continued support inspires us to push forward with our mission of helping you remove the hassle of properly coordinating all of your financial affairs, so you can live a happier life and enjoy retirement.

Thank you once again for your trust, confidence, and for being the essential part of our journey!

Earlier this week we hosted a continuing education event for our Wealth Advisors focused on reverse mortgages.

Featuring Scott Roseveare, President and Founder of Live Better Financial, the session explored key benefits and potential risks of reverse mortgages, equipping our advisors with deeper knowledge to better serve TPW clients. Scott shared valuable insights on how reverse mortgages can be a strategic tool in retirement, wealth management, and tax planning, and the event reinforced our commitment to staying ahead of innovative financial trends and enhancing the expertise of our team.

P.S. – Check us out and follow Towerpoint Wealth on Instagram!

Our Partner, Wealth Advisor, Jonathan LaTurner, and Director of Research and Operations, Nathan Billigmeier, are attending FutureProof, the world’s largest wealth management “festival,” in Huntington Beach, where they are already immersed in the latest financial innovations and trends in the wealth management industry.

The FutureProof festival was designed to bring together the world’s most prominent figures and emerging minds in finance, investing, technology, impact, creative arts, and wealth management, serving as a catalyst in developing the future of wealth.

From emerging investment strategies to cutting-edge financial technologies, both Jon and Nathan are gaining valuable insights to bring back to the firm, allowing TPW to continue to grow, develop, evolve, and ultimately, better serve you, our client, in helping you grow and protect your wealth.

By staying ahead of industry changes and innovations, we will work tirelessly to help you remove the hassle of properly coordinating all of your financial affairs, so you can live a happier life and enjoy retirement.

Sweet moments and even sweeter smiles!  

Our Towerpoint Wealth team enjoyed a fulfilling Community Day at Shriners Children’s Northern California yesterday afternoon. We hosted a 90 minute ice cream/arts and crafts social, helping to put smiles on the faces of many of the amazing Shriners patients!

Last week, the Towerpoint Wealth team carved out a full morning to dedicate some time (and a little grit and elbow grease) to support the Front Street Animal Shelter’s Pet Food Pantry program.

The Pet Food Pantry program operates every Wednesday from 10AM-12PM in the Shelters parking lot, and ensures that all pet owners in need receive vital food and supplies for their furry friends.

Our team assembled and handed out 10lb. bags of free pet food, and also helped out by washing and disinfecting dog and cat bowls and toys, as well as creating pet name tags.

The Shelter is currently offering free adoptions until December 23rd, making it the perfect time to welcome a new furry family member!

Please click the video below to watch a fun recap of our volunteer morning at the Shelter!

Towerpoint Wealth is committed to giving back to our local community, and in that spirit, we are pleased to offer a 100% match, up to $5,000, of any charitable donations you make to the Front Street Animal Shelter.

Please simply email us your donation receipt at info@towerpointwealth.com, and we will promptly email you a confirmation of our matching donation within 48 hours.

Let’s continue to come together and support the Front Street Animal Shelter, and their mission of providing love, care, and a brighter future for pets in need!

DONATE NOW!

In the spirit of enduring partnership, Scott Kelly and Patty McElwain stopped by the Towerpoint Wealth headquarters yesterday to drop off their MUCH-anticipated Christmas wreath! This emblematic gesture not only reflects the holiday spirit, but also underscores the strength of our business relationship.

The wonderful aroma of pine trees that now engulfs our office now serves as a pleasant reminder of the shared values, mutual respect, and seamless cooperation we share with Ascent. Here’s to continued success and shared triumphs in 2024!

The world of wealth management is complex and nuanced, as is the technology needed to effectively run a wealth management firm. Fortunately for us and for our clients, we utilize Salesforce as our operational backbone, helping us efficiently and intelligently manage virtually every area of our company as we strive for exceptional client satisfaction and service.

Yesterday, our President, Joseph Eschleman, and Partner, Wealth Advisor, Jonathan LaTurner, visited Dodge Williams at the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. Understanding the pace of change and innovation in the Artificial Intelligence and Customer Relationship Management industry, it is essential that we ensure that our partnership is sound and that our Salesforce instance is operating crisply.

Not just a repository for data, Salesforce is truly the “invisible hand” behind the TPW operation, and we are happy to leverage it in amplifying our ability to understand, anticipate, and exceed our clients’ needs and expectations.