The Ascent With Crestmont Private Wealth

Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth opens with a moment of reflection on last year's 4th of July flooding near Center Point and Hunt, then pivots to celebrate America's 250th birthday. The main segment uses a brisket-cooking analogy — drawn from a concept originally shared by Alec Walker — to illustrate long-term investing principles:   Patience pays: Just as opening a smoker li...

The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth — World Cup & Global Diversification Host: Alec Walker, EVP of Financial Planning | ~13:36 Summary: Alec uses the World Cup — being hosted in Houston — as a jumping-off point to discuss global investment diversification. He covers how US markets represent only 62% of global equities and 41% of global bonds, explains the firm's "home co...

In this episode of The Ascent, Sam Magee of Crestmont Private Wealth (Houston & Boerne, TX) breaks down the investment philosophy that guides every client relationship at the firm. From long-term investing and avoiding market timing, to asset liability matching and fiduciary responsibility, Sam explains the framework Crestmont uses to help clients build wealth through compounding returns &mdas...

Alec Walker covers three main topics:   Portfolio Rebalance — Crestmont recently completed a rebalance of their 7 core globally diversified portfolios (conservative to ultra-aggressive, primarily low-cost ETFs). He explains their policy → strategy → tactics framework:   Policy: Threshold-based rebalancing (not calendar-based) when allocations drift outside target ranges S...

Sam McGee sits down with Crestmont team member Rebecca Petre to celebrate her one-year anniversary with the firm. They discuss what it's really like to transition from Texas A&M into the financial planning workforce, lessons learned on client communication, the new Charles Schwab–funded RIA program at A&M, the Survivor's Guide project, and navigating wedding season on a budget. A gre...

Host Alec Walker, EVP of Financial Planning at Crestmont Private Wealth, opens with some personal notes about summer plans before covering two main topics: a brief market update and a deep dive into performance reporting. Market Update: Long-term US Treasury rates have risen to 5%, pushing inflation expectations higher. Notably, the yield curve has returned to a normal upward slope after being inv...

The Ascent — hosted by Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth — features attorney Wes Holland of H6 Law discussing business succession planning. The conversation highlights why a standard will is not enough for business owners and what steps they can take to protect their companies. Key takeaways: Wills only work when you're dead — powers of attorney and medical directives are oft...

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, Alec Walker (EVP of Financial Planning) recaps the firm's annual advisory board meeting and introduces Project Millionaire — a new initiative to help younger clients build a clear path to their first $1 million in assets. Alec walks through real scenarios using starting balances of $10K and $100K, shows the dramatic impact of consi...

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, Sam McGee sits down with Wes Holland of H6 Law to discuss the growing threat of cyber scams and wire fraud — and what you can do to protect yourself. From gas station card skimmers to sophisticated real estate wire fraud, Wes shares real-world examples, practical tips, and the #1 rule: trust your gut. They also cover how AI is maki...

In this episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, EVP of Financial Planning Alec Walker shares timely insights on navigating market volatility, the importance of staying invested, Q1 earnings results, and key estate planning considerations for 2025. Topics covered: Why selling during a market decline can be a costly mistake How missing just the top 10 trading days impacts long-term retu...

The Ascent – When Estate Planning Goes Wrong Hosted by Sam McGee, Crestmont Private Wealth | Guest: Scott Seidl, Attorney at Keen Miller LLP In this episode, Sam sits down with estate litigation attorney Scott Seidl to discuss what happens when estate planning goes wrong — from contested wills to capacity disputes — and why having a solid, well-communicated plan in place is criti...

Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, interviews Dr. Justin Lockhart, a licensed therapist and PhD counselor, on the topic of executive and business owner burnout. Dr. Lockhart explains that burnout — defined by disengagement, cynicism, and lack of personal efficacy — affects ~95% of his clients in some capacity. The conversation covers how COVID amplified burnout, warning signs...

Alec Walker, EVP of Financial Planning at Crestmont Private Wealth, delivers a Q1 market recap, looks ahead to Q2, and draws a fun parallel between baseball and financial planning lifecycle stages. Timeline: 0:00 – Introduction & recent episode topics 0:54 – Middle East conflict & oil prices overview 2:21 – Fed rate cut expectations & inflation impact 3:11 – Q1...

Sam McGee sits down with Kellen Mond — all-time passing leader at Texas A&M and former NFL quarterback — to discuss his surprising career pivot into fine art photography. Kellen shares how picking up a camera as an NFL rookie led to a passion-driven business, what it means to "capture beauty in imperfection and chaos," and why art is a serious asset class for high-net-worth individ...

In this episode of The Ascent, Alec Walker (EVP of Financial Planning at Crestmont Private Wealth) covers two main areas as tax season approaches: last-minute tax filing tips and post-tax planning strategies. He discusses IRA contribution deadlines, introduces the new Trump Account (a tax-advantaged savings account for children under 18), walks through how Crestmont uses completed tax returns to b...

Host Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, sits down with four young men — Gavin, Oliver, Pierce, and his son Samuel — to talk about a backpacking trip they took together with their dads to Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest in August 2024, organized through Way Forward Adventures. The trip was three nights, no phones, and included a sunrise hike to a 13,500-foot peak. The bro...

This episode features Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, interviewing Kim Blohm from the Boerne Chamber of Commerce. The conversation explores: Chamber's Role & Mission: A 501(c)(6) nonprofit that advocates, educates, and connects small businesses and nonprofits in Kendall County Economic Impact of Nonprofits: Over 500 registered nonprofits in Kendall County, with 140 contributing $50...

In this episode of The Ascent, Sam McGee discusses the recent US-Iran conflict and its impact on financial markets. Recorded on March 4th, Sam analyzes the February 28th strikes, the oil price surge, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He provides perspective on market resilience through historical conflicts, explains diversification strategies across US, developed international, and emerging...

Join Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, and real estate agent Suzanne Page from Phyllis Browning as they discuss the current state of Kendall County real estate market. Learn about market statistics, the impact of COVID on home buying, and valuable advice for first-time homebuyers. Discover why the average home age has reached 40 years old and get practical tips for navigating today's hou...

Join Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, for a discussion on investing in yourself beyond just financial planning. This episode explores career reinvention, health, and overall well-being as essential components of wealth. Sam shares his personal journey from financing refrigerators to becoming a financial advisor, and explains why taking care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health...

Join Sam McGee, CEO of Crestmont Private Wealth, for a comprehensive overview of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and how they differ from traditional mutual funds. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ What ETFs are and how they work ✅ The evolution from mutual funds to ETFs ✅ Key differences: intraday trading vs. end-of-day pricing ✅ Tax efficiency advantages of ETFs ✅ Lower costs and broader access...

This episode of "The Ascent" features Sam McGee and Alec Walker from Crestmont Private Wealth discussing the development of a "Survivor's Guide" - a comprehensive resource to help surviving spouses navigate financial matters after the death of a partner. They explain how this guide will document critical information like account locations, passwords, key contacts, and financial processes to ease t...

Join Alec Walker, EVP of Financial Planning at Crestmont Private Wealth, as he breaks down everything you need to know about Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). Learn the key differences between RSUs and stock options, understand the tax implications of vesting, and discover smart strategies for managing over-concentration risk. Whether you're receiving your first RSU grant or managing multiple vesting...

Join Alec Walker from Crestmont Private Wealth as he discusses investing at market all-time highs and key insights from their Q1 2025 investment committee meeting. Learn why high valuations don't predict future returns, what historical data reveals about investing at market peaks, and how to navigate volatility with confidence. Discover the "red dot chart" analysis, portfolio diversification strat...

Join Alec Walker and Rebecca PItre from Crestmont Private Wealth as they break down the most important tax changes for 2026. In this episode, they cover critical updates including new IRA contribution limits, mandatory Roth catch-up contributions for high earners, charitable donation rule changes, expanded SALT deductions, and lesser-known tax benefits like the enhanced senior deduction and auto l...