Your Mid-Year Wealth Security Assessment: Protection Strategies That Go Beyond Performance

As we reach the halfway point of 2025, it’s time to assess not just your investment performance, but how well protected your wealth really is. For families managing significant assets, June offers the perfect opportunity to review your progress and strengthen the safeguards around everything you’ve built.

How Vigilance Prevented a Financial Disaster

One of our clients recently received a convincing phone call from a fraudster. The caller was sophisticated, playing on emotion and creating fear. They even warned the client, “Your financial professionals are going to tell you this is a scam, but we’re trying to protect you.”

Fortunately, the client’s advisory team’s vigilance paid off. When the client stopped responding to regular communications, they immediately reached out. Their long-standing relationship and deep knowledge of this family’s communication patterns helped identify the potential fraud before any significant damage occurred.

This reinforced a critical truth: comprehensive protection goes far beyond investment management.

Three-Layer Protection Strategy

Wealth protection isn’t one-size-fits-all. As your assets grow, protection needs become more complex, typically involving:

Layer 1: Account and Identity Security

• Strong cybersecurity practices for all accounts
• Fraud protection protocols
• Vigilant monitoring of unusual activity

Layer 2: Insurance Strategies

• Property and casualty coverage
• Umbrella liability protection
• Life, disability, and travel insurance

Layer 3: Strategic Asset Protection

• Qualified retirement account maximization
• Home equity considerations
• Entity structures like LLCs and family partnerships

The goal is blending strategies that achieve multiple planning objectives while adding protection layers.

Common Protection Gaps

New wealth management relationships often reveal several overlooked areas:

• Insufficient umbrella liability coverage or poorly coordinated insurance policies
• Outdated estate plans creating potential tax implications
• Scattered accounts making comprehensive oversight difficult
• Limited fraud protection protocols for accounts and information
• Incomplete financial picture that hinders detecting unusual activity

Mid-Year Planning: Beyond Market Headlines

A high-level executive recently wanted to maximize his retirement contributions. A comprehensive review revealed a nuance in his employer’s plan, allowing him to adjust his savings strategy to capture the full company match—keeping him on track for his retirement goals.

This discovery happened through taking a holistic view of the entire financial picture.

Signal vs. Noise

With constant economic headlines, how do you distinguish between temporary market movements and trends requiring action?

Very few headlines warrant major portfolio adjustments. The planning work we do upfront—including portfolio strategy and asset allocation—already accounts for market volatility. Your plan is tested for various scenarios and designed with the goal of long-term success.

Major changes typically result from life events: retirement, business transitions, inheritance, or shifts in risk tolerance.

Your Mid-Year Checklist

Your specific action items depend on your unique circumstances, but consider evaluating:

• Annual savings progress – Are you on track with planned contributions?
• Portfolio allocation – Has market movement shifted your strategic targets?
• Tax planning opportunities – What steps could optimize your year-end position?
• Estate planning updates – Do any recent changes require plan adjustments?
• Insurance coverage – Do policies align with current asset levels?

This Year’s Economic Context

Current market conditions create both challenges and opportunities. Market volatility enables tax-loss harvesting and strategic rebalancing. For families with cash reserves, current conditions may present attractive investment entry points.

Additionally, with higher estate tax exemptions set to expire, generational planning conversations have gained urgency for many families.

When Planning Is Working

When your financial strategy is well-positioned, it’s an ideal time to focus on longer-term objectives like generational planning and family financial education. These “values before valuables” conversations often get deferred but are crucial for families building lasting legacies.

The Quarterback Role in Wealth Protection

Effective wealth protection isn’t about isolated strategies—it’s about comprehensive coordination. Your investment allocation, insurance coverage, estate planning, tax strategies, and fraud protection should work together as an integrated system that evolves with your life.

The most successful families work with advisory teams that serve as the “quarterback”—coordinating across wealth managers, attorneys, tax professionals, and other specialists to ensure everyone works toward unified goals. This oversight often catches critical details that might otherwise be missed.

Taking Action

Whether you’re stewarding $3 million or $20 million, or more, intentional planning makes the difference between wealth that enhances your life and wealth that creates anxiety.

If your last comprehensive review was over a year ago, or if you’re uncertain about any aspect of your financial security, consider scheduling a mid-year assessment with your advisory team.

This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Please consult with your financial advisor to determine strategies appropriate for your specific situation.