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PLANNING
Building Your End of Year Planning Process
Year-end brings a concentration of planning opportunities, and many of them carry hard deadlines that cannot be missed. The firms that consistently capture this value are not the ones with the most technical knowledge. They are the ones with a defined, consistent, repeatable process. As you head into the fourth quarter, it is worth stepping back to define or refine how your firm handles year-end planning.
Use these three questions to guide that work:
What is included in your year-end planning process? Start by listing the items that apply to your clients. For example, you might treat RMDs, Roth conversions, charitable contributions, and savings maximization as your core year-end items.
What is your process for getting these items crossed off? Define who does what, and by when. For example, you might assign each item an owner and an internal deadline, then track status for every client in your CRM.
How do you make sure no one falls through the cracks? Build a way to verify completion. For example, you might review a master client list each week through December, with one person accountable for confirming each item is done.
The best time to put this process in writing is before fourth-quarter volume arrives. A written process gives your team something to follow this year and repeat next year.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Welcome Our New Team Members
Jamie Cinotto
Portfolio Manager
James Kelleher
Investment Analyst
Weekly Updates
COMPLIANCE
Gift & Entertainment Compliance: Know Your Limits
Gifts and entertainment can create real or perceived conflicts of interest — which is exactly why the SEC and our own Compliance Manual pay close attention to them. As we head into a season with more client dinners, conference invitations, and holiday gestures on the calendar, this is a good moment to revisit where the lines are drawn.
The Core Rule
Each IAR or Employee may give or receive up to $500 in gifts per client, per calendar year, without needing prior approval. Anything above that threshold requires prior written approval from Compliance. Cash and cash-equivalents (including non-specific gift cards) are never permitted, regardless of dollar amount.
GIFTS vs. ENTERTAINMENT — What's the difference?
Gift: Something of value given or received when you are not present with the other party (e.g., a bottle of wine sent to an office, event tickets you don't attend together).
Entertainment: A business event both and the other party attend together (e.g., a dinner meeting, a round of golf) centered on a bona fide business discussion.
Quick Reference
Category | Limit | Approval Needed? |
Gifts (general) | $500 aggregate / client / year | Above $500: yes, prior written approval |
Cash or cash-equivalents | Never permitted | N/A — always prohibited |
Entertainment | Reasonable, customary, not lavish | Excessive/frequent entertainment may require pre-approval |
Public pension officials | ≤$50/occurrence, ≤$150/year; no travel/lodging | Yes — prior Compliance approval always required |
De minimis items | $50 or less (e.g., branded items, pens, mugs) | Excluded from aggregation, but must still be reasonable |
Don’t forget to Log it
Every gift and entertainment item — given or received — must be reported in the Firm's Gifts & Entertainment log no later than the end of the calendar quarter in which it occurred. Logging promptly (rather than waiting until quarter-end) makes it much easier to track your running total against the $500 threshold. For Triad Wealth Partners IARs, this is logged in Greenboard, which can be uploaded via a spreadsheet.
A Few Reminders
• Aggregation applies: Gifts and entertainment are aggregated per client household or entity, so keep a running tally, not just a per-event view.
• When in doubt, ask first: if you're unsure whether something crosses the line, ask Compliance before it happens, not after.
Questions about a specific gift, entertainment plan, or client event? Reach out to Cody Augustus or Dani Hampton in Compliance before moving forward — we're happy to help you think it through.
CUSTODIAL + OPERATIONS
Client Service Office Hours: Aug Recap
Thanks to everyone who joined last month's office hours. Here's a rundown of the custodial updates, reminders, and resources covered, so you have it handy for reference.
Schwab Updates
Monthly Forms Update: No changes from last month.
Digital Workflow and DocuSign | Effective November 2
Schwab is phasing out wet-signed forms. Beginning November 2, all forms eligible for Digital Workflow or DocuSign will need to be submitted through one of those channels.
Beneficiary Designation Notifications | Starting September 15
Schwab will begin proactively notifying clients when a beneficiary designation cannot be added to an account. The notification will explain why the request could not be completed and outline the steps needed to resolve it.
This change is intended to reduce delays and provide greater clarity for both clients and advisors.
Holiday Closure Reminder
Schwab, Fidelity, and Triad will be closed Monday, September 7.
Fidelity Updates
2026 Alternative Investments Annual Custody & Valuation Fee
The annual custody and valuation fee will apply to eligible accounts on November 23, 2026. As a reminder, this is a per-position charge, subject to a maximum charge per account.
Key Dates
Holdings snapshot: September 18
List provided: September 30
Fee override requests due: October 30
Fee applied: November 23
SIMPLE IRA Annual Summary Description Mailing
In mid-August 2026, Fidelity will mail a Summary Description for the 2027 Plan Year to Plan Sponsors who maintain a Fidelity SIMPLE IRA Plan.
No action is needed on our end. This mailing fulfills an obligation of Fidelity Management Trust Company (FMTC).
Asset Transferability
Before initiating a transfer, always confirm that the assets are transferable, especially for non-qualified accounts. Taking this step upfront can help prevent downstream issues and processing delays.
Fidelity: Service → Transfer of Assets (TOA) → Security Search
Schwab: Account Management → Check Asset Transferability
RMD Corner: What You Need To Know
Deadline Reminder
RMDs must be taken by December 31, 2026, for clients age 73 and older.
RMD Data: Know Your Source
Schwab and Fidelity are the source of truth for RMD data and will issue all related tax documents.
Both custodians send RMD data directly to Orion, which also offers a tool to help track RMD progress throughout the year.
How RMDs Are Calculated
RMDs are calculated separately for each IRA a client owns each year. The calculation starts with the fair market value (FMV) of the IRA as of December 31 of the prior year and divides that amount by the client's applicable life expectancy.
Keep these points in mind:
Roth IRAs are excluded from RMD calculations.
Custodians do not calculate RMDs or life expectancy payments for Inherited IRA accounts.
Schwab's calculator can be used to help estimate annual distributions.
The RMD amount shown at a custodian only reflects accounts held with that custodian.
Assets held elsewhere may impact the client's total RMD obligation, so be sure to account for non-custodial assets.
Tracking Tools
Custodial Data | Schwab RMD Tab / Fidelity Reports Section
You can:
Customize data columns within the grid
Export data to a spreadsheet using custom columns and filters
Plan around key retirement ages of 72 and 59½
Important: Custodial RMD data does not include RMDs taken from outside accounts.
Orion Data
RMD data flows directly from the custodian
The dashboard can be updated to reflect 12/31/2025 market values and automatically calculate the 2026 RMD
RMDs can be manually marked as satisfied if a client takes the distribution from an outside account
Interested in using the Orion dashboard? Let us know and we'll help scrub the data
Orion Status Definitions
On Track: A systematic withdrawal is on file and will satisfy the year's RMD
Off Track: A systematic withdrawal is on file, but it will not fully satisfy the year's RMD
No SWP: No systematic withdrawal plan is on file
No Year-End Value: No year-end value is available
Reminder: Neither Schwab nor Fidelity calculates RMDs for Inherited IRA accounts.
Before You Call the Client Checklist:
A little preparation upfront can make RMD conversations faster and more efficient. Before reaching out, make sure you can answer the following:
Has the client satisfied their RMD from any other accounts?
Did they take their RMD before linking the account to us? If not, do they have a statement showing their 12/31/2025 balance?
What is the distribution amount according to the custodian's reporting?
Will the RMD be taken gross or net?
What state and federal tax withholding elections are currently on file?
How does the client want to receive the RMD?
MoneyLink / EFT — allow 5–7 days if not previously established
Check — regular mail or overnight
Journal to an individual or joint account
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Recorded Office Hours Sessions
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PLANNING
Goal Assessments
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Updated RTQ
COMPLIANCE
U4 Reporting
CLIENT SERVICE
RMD’s & DocuSign Updates
IN THE NEWS
Triad Wealth Partners Featured
CITYWIRE
Tax Efficiency Shouldn’t Drive the Investment Decision
In a recent Citywire feature, Triad Wealth Partners CIO Brent Coggins shares how the investment team approaches tax-efficient strategies while keeping portfolio quality at the forefront.
Read the Full Article
For advisor use only. Investment advisory services offered through Triad Wealth Partners, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.
© 2026 Triad Wealth Partners. All rights reserved. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC (“Triad Wealth Partners” or “the Firm”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in Lawrence, KS. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The Firm provides investment advisory services for clients nationally. Triad Wealth Partners will maintain all applicable registrations, notice filings, and/or licenses as required by the various states in which the Firm conducts business.
Investing involves risk including complete loss of principal. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk. Therefore, it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy will be profitable. Asset allocation can be used in an effort to manage risk and enhance returns.
It does not, however, guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Performance of the asset allocation strategies depends on the underlying investments.
This material is intended to provide general information about Triad Wealth Partners and its services. It is not intended to offer or deliver investment advice in any way. Information regarding investment services is provided solely to gain an understanding of our investment philosophy, our strategies and to be able to contact us for further information. The information is of a general nature and should not be construed as investment advice.
Please visit https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/326523 for important regulatory information about Triad Wealth Partners.