Understanding Private Equity: Opportunities and Considerations
Understanding Private Equity: Opportunities and Considerations For many physicians, private equity has become part of everyday conversation, whether through a practice acquisition, a colleague’s group merging into a larger platform, or an investment opportunity presented as a way to diversify beyond stocks and bonds. But what private equity actually offers, and what it demands in […]
Connections: Mike Reynolds On Legacy Planning
Andy Reynolds recently interviewed Mike Reynolds, Member at Kinkead & Stilz, on Legacy Planning. Full interview below. How have family dynamics changed the way you approach estate planning compared to 10 or 20 years ago? Today we see a lot more blended families than we saw in the past. That means having conversations about […]
Federal Reserve Leaves Rates Unchanged
Last week, the Federal Reserve voted to leave the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.75%, where it has remained throughout 2026. While the broader trend since early 2024 has been toward lower interest rates, recent inflation data has led many members of the Federal Open Market Committee to take a more cautious approach before implementing […]
WATCH: Charitable Giving Webinar with Lisa Adkins of BGCF and Andy Reynolds
In this episode, Ballast COO Andy Reynolds sits down with Lisa Adkins, CEO of the Blue Grass Community Foundation, to explore how charitable giving can become a powerful tool for tax planning, legacy building, and family values. Lisa shares current trends in philanthropy, including the growing popularity of donor-advised funds, charitable “bunching” strategies, and […]
Beyond the Luxury Car: Avoiding the Costliest Financial Mistakes in Medicine
Physicians spend years mastering medicine, but many receive little formal education on personal finance. As a result, some of the most common physician financial mistakes occur during major career transitions from becoming an attending physician to preparing for retirement. The good news is that most of these mistakes are predictable and avoidable with thoughtful planning. […]
Physicians, Treat Yourself Like a Professional Athlete
Medical professionals, particularly surgeons, should think about their careers much like professional athletes think about theirs. Both operate in environments where performance matters, the margin for error is thin, and the demands on the body and mind are relentless. A professional athlete understands that their earning years are finite and that one injury, one loss […]
What Are Trump Accounts? Understanding the Proposed 530A Investment Account for Children
With the recent attention surrounding Trump Accounts, we wanted to provide some clarity on how these accounts are structured and where they may or may not fit within a broader financial plan. For those considering ways to start saving and investing for a child early, a Trump Account, formally referred to as a 530A account, […]
May the 4th Be With You
I’ve been serving families at Ballast for over a decade, but this is the first time it’s my turn to write an update on May 4th. If you are high on the nerdiness scale like me, you will know that today is the unofficial holiday to celebrate the Star Wars universe, a play on “may […]
Ballast’s Trent Lakes Obtains CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification
Ballast is proud to announce that Trent Lakes, Investments and Planning Strategist, has officially earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification, one of the most rigorous and respected credentials in the financial services industry. The CFP® designation requires meeting what the CFP Board calls the “Four E’s:” Education, Exam, Experience, and Ethics. Before a candidate […]
Beyond the 401k: Savings Opportunities You Might Not Have Considered
401(k) plans are valuable tools for employees at all income levels, but physicians often face limits on how much they can contribute, relative to their earnings. As a result, many doctors need additional strategies to build sufficient retirement savings and maintain their lifestyle after their work career. These strategies generally fall into two categories: tax […]
When Oil Prices Drive the Market
For much of modern market history, investors have focused on interest rates as the dominant force shaping equity performance. Yet in recent months, another variable has begun exerting an outsized influence on market behavior: oil prices. Movements in crude are increasingly dictating sector leadership, inflation expectations, and even investor sentiment across global equity markets. At […]
A Narrow Strait, A Wide Impact
With war now underway involving Iran, investors are understandably asking what matters most and what simply makes headlines. While attention naturally gravitates toward military developments, markets are focused on something far more practical: the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply […]