Schmidt Financial Management, Inc.

Join us in congratulating Dominic Hubert for being recognized as one of Investment News' Top Advisors for 2024! It's always a great feeling to receive industry recognition. Well done!
https://bit.ly/3HDjMMT
📣 🎉 🎖️
*The ranking was given by a person other than a current client or investor. No direct or indirect compensation was provided or obtained in connection with obtaining or using this ranking. The ranking was generated in September and covers September 2022 to September 2023.

Congratulations to Evan Schmidt for being recognized as one of Investment News' Top Advisors for 2024! Our advisors don't seek recognition, but being noticed for a job well done is always a welcome bonus.
https://bit.ly/3HDjMMT
📣 🎉 🎖️
*The ranking was given by a person other than a current client or investor. No direct or indirect compensation was provided or obtained in connection with obtaining or using this ranking. The ranking was generated in September and covers September 2022 to September 2023.

Cheers to a New Year from Schmidt Financial Group! 🎉🥂🍾 Are you are a tech exec with BIG financial goals for 2024? Then make this the year you work towards your goals with knowledgeable professionals. Schmidt Financial Group specializes in equity grant compensation for execs and tech professionals. Click the link below to get started!

https://bit.ly/3slrwPC

Wishing you a joyful holiday season! ❄️🎁☃️ Please note that Schmidt Financial Group will be closed on December 25th and will reopen on December 26th. Enjoy your celebrations!

Join us in celebrating Evan's noteworthy achievement! 🎉 Investment News has selected Evan among 100 advisors who are leading the way and shaping the future of our industry.
https://bit.ly/3tdL5tA
*The ranking was given by a person other than a current client or investor. No direct or indirect compensation was provided or obtained in connection with obtaining or using this ranking. The ranking was generated in September and covers September 2022 to September 2023.

Happy Friday from Schmidt Financial Group!

In our opinion, selecting a financial advisor may be one of the most important decisions you make in your lifetime. But the quality of service provided by an advisor is often the product of a team.

That's why we think Steve Jobs got it right when he said that "Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people."

Our team at Schmidt Financial Group continues to grow and with it the quality and capability of our award-winning service.

You worked hard for your equity grants and deserve to make the most of it.

That's why we've provided the following tips to help make your IPO planning a success.

Swipe right for 5 things you should do after an IPO >>>

1: Create a detailed financial plan

Make no mistake - if you don't know how much of your equity you need to sell, when to sell it and why you're selling it, you probably don't have a plan.

And with so much at stake, why would you settle for anything less than a specialized and highly detailed plan that allows you to move forward with complete confidence?

2: Research how RSU grants work

It's essential to understand how your equity grants work. If you're like many of our clients, your wealth is highly concentrated in company stock.

So take the time to understand the intricacies of your grants so that you don't get caught with an unwelcome tax surprise. Or get the help of a trusted guide.

3: Use realistic post-IPO return assumptions

With so much media hype around IPOs and tech stocks, it can make deciding when and how to diversify challenging.

That's why it's important to ground your decisions with highly credible academic research that uses large sample sizes over extended periods.

4: Model multiple diversification scenarios

It's crucial to test all of your assumptions, and the best way to do that is by modeling several different plans and then comparing them.

That way, you can be confident that your plan of action is truly optimized.

5: Track your progress to plan

It seems a though the world has never moved faster. That means your planning is likely out of date shortly after you complete it.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't plan, it just means you need to revisit your planning regularly to ensure it's optimized and that you're doing the things you need to do.

**c

Creating a specialized financial plan that thoughtfully includes your equity grants can be a beast.

But in our experience, doing nothing isn't the solution either. How many stories have you heard about someone with a good tax surprise relating to their equity grants?

Yeah, we can't think of any either 🤷

That's why it's so important to do the hard work. So if you need help getting started, let us know.

Our joy is helping our clients make the most of their equity grants.

Zig Ziglar once said "You don't build a business. You build people, and people build the business."

That belief is also shared by Glenda Schmidt, who has been steadfast in her support of team development at Schmidt Financial Group. In an industry of "me" she continues to emphasize the "we."

Which is why it's no surprise to us that she's being recognized again as a Forbes Best-In-State Advisor.

Congratulations, Glenda.

At Schmidt Financial Group, we firmly believe that financial services is a team sport.

And to that end, we take enormous pride in having what we believe is the best team in the industry.

Which is why we're thrilled that Geoff Combs has joined Schmidt Financial Group. Geoff brings two decades of operations experience and a bright smile to every meeting and task. But one thing you might not expect is that he's a serious athlete too.

Fun Fact: Geoff rode his bicycle from Bothell, WA to Mexico 🤯

Welcome to the team!

Halloween looks a little different this year, as do many parts of our lives. But we remain grateful for the opportunity that change brings.

At home we're having a ball with costume themed face masks and socially distanced trunk-or-treat meetups. Two things that didn't even exist last year!

Here at Schmidt Financial Group we've been delighted by other "sweet" surprises like more virtual client meetings than ever before and the opportunity to expand our team (we're hiring!) without geographical restrictions. Both are directly attributable to the pandemic.

Who says this year has to be all trick and no treat?

Many technology professionals don’t understand how and when their equity grants are taxed which often leads to surprises (and not the fun kind) at tax time.

The most common type of equity among technology professionals is restricted stock units (RSUs) but even though they seem straightforward they can add a wrench in your plans. Don’t let it happen to you!



Why RSUs Can Make Tax Season Painful | Schmidt If you have RSUs that have vested you probably have ordinary income that was recognized too. Learn why tax planning for equity grants is so important.

Mark Twain once said “the secret to getting ahead is getting started.” It’s a choice quote and one that highlights our human tendency to do lots of thinking but not a lot of doing.

Are you stuck in your head wondering what you should do with your equity grants and when?

We get it. With so much at stake there’s also a lot to potentially lose. And who wants to lose?

It's called Fear-Of-Missing-Out for a reason.

But the good news is that you're not alone. With the right guidance you can move forward with confidence and not look back.

Let's do this 👊

Does the market have you checking your investment balances nonstop?

If that’s you - and if you’re reading this it might be - we get it. Periods of economic volatility can be scary, especially if you feel unprepared and right now a lot of people are feeling unsure about everything.

But the good news is it doesn't have to be that way.

In our experience, anxiety is often the output of the unknown. It tends to sneak in when your investments aren’t connected with a clear plan.

Here’s our suggestion for how you can clarify your plan and shut the 🚪 on financial stress:

- Define your risk profile
- Quantify your financial goals
- Articulate your cash flow needs
- Incorporate your single stock constraints
- Test your financial plan using both good and bad market assumptions

If you’ve already done this give yourself a 👊 for doing the hard work. But if you don’t have a plan or don’t quite trust your plan, we’re here to help.

DM, text, email. We got this.

#2020

Want to know a secret? We have a lot of fun at Schmidt Financial Group.

Don't get us wrong, we work really hard too. Helping our clients to make the most of their equity grants can be daunting. But walking shoulder-to-shoulder with our clients gives us the privilege of seeing them live their best lives. And who wouldn't get immense joy from that?

Glenda Schmidt is our founder. She really cares about her clients. Awards aren't her objective and she would never post on social media. But we're proud of her accomplishment so we're doing it for her :)

Congratulations, Glenda. It's not just that thinks you're a big deal. We do too.

Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. But when time is of the essence, like with an IPO, that might not be an option. So download The IPO Planning Checklist.⁣
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It includes the same steps we've used with clients who are employees of companies that are going public. In each case, it's enabled them to move forward with confidence and not look back. And we want that for you too!⁣
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Here's what we'll cover in the checklist together...⁣
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Step 1 - How to articulate your financial goals so your planning has actionable context⁣
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Step 2 - How to quantify your risk and evaluate whether holding on to your company stock makes sense⁣
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Step 3 - How to create an investment strategy that doesn't ignore your single stock concentration⁣
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Step 4 - How to compare multiple diversification plans so you can determine which grants to sell first⁣
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Step 5 - How financial modeling enables you to visualize steps 1 through 4⁣
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By the way, did we mention it includes a video tutorial and an offer for a complimentary review of your completed checklist? 👊🏻⁣

http://bit.ly/37oNBwc

A focus on how likely you are to accomplish your financial goals, NOT how likely you are to save money on taxes can end up saving you in the long run. The former can be impacted by the latter but there are a multitude of other productive considerations. Read our latest blog on creating a clear vision when it comes to your equity grants.

#2020

Is Your 2020 Focus Clear When it Comes to Your Equity Grants? | Schmidt What you focus on has powerful implications for where you will go in your personal life, your career and more. We believe your finances are no exception, which is why it’s critical to have the right focus for your equity grants.

We get it. You don't live in the Seattle area but still need help making the most of your equity grants. Don't worry -- we have an entire room devoted to remote meetings. It's one of the most popular places in our office.

We get it. Online tools make investing seem easy. But your equity grants can feel like an afterthought. After all, there's a lot of important questions to answer before you have equity proceeds to invest. To name a few: how does your equity impact your risk profile, how much equity should you sell and when, and how does selling equity impact your tax plan? Don't wait another year to get the plan you deserve.

It's almost the end of the year! That means lots of chocolate and client meetings in our office. Here's a sample of active client conversations: Post-IPO losses (read our most recent blog article), opportunity zone investments, single stock diversification, cash planning for taxes, income strategies for retirement and much more.

It's almost the end of the year and if you're a smart investor (which we know you are), you're probably asking yourself what you need to do to ensure you get the most out of post-IPO losses. We have a few suggestions in our latest blog to make sure you aren't panicked during tax season.

Year-End Planning for Employees with Post-IPO Losses | Schmidt It’s been a wild year of tech IPOs. And for our team at Schmidt Financial Group, we couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to work with clients navigating these exciting circumstances.

Forbes has recognized our CEO, Evan Schmidt, as a best-in-state next-gen advisor which is always a huge compliment. Everything we do as a firm is done to guide our clients with equity grants. Out of almost 30,000 nominations, Evan was honored in the final round as an advisor of impact. The research to determine the top advisors factored in revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass the highest standards of best practices. Need help with your equity grant decisions or looming IPO? Contact us today for a free consultation.

Evan Schmidt is recognized by Forbes for a second time | Schmidt Shareholder and advisor, Evan Schmidt, has been acknowledged as a best-in-state next-gen advisor. We’re proud of this recognition and believe it validates the importance of advisor specialization. Everything we do as a firm is done with a clear purpose, to guide our clients with equity grants to t...

Feel like you're just throwing spaghetti at a wall when you're deciding what to do with your equity grants? We know it can feel overwhelming (even if online DIY tools make it seem easy) but it doesn't have to be a mess.

Ignoring those HR emails about open enrollment? Us too...but we're big fans of not leaving money on the table. Which is why we're giving away our three simplest tips to help you make the most of your benefits. Don't miss our third tip...especially if you pride yourself on being organized.

3 Ways to Make the Most of Your Benefits Elections | Schmidt If you keep ignoring those HR emails about open enrollment, you’re not alone. We do it too. But when you work for a tech company, your benefits have a much bigger impact on your life and finances than you may realize. Don’t leave money on the table just because the fine print is a little (and by...