About Lisette Smith, CFP®

Lisette is a senior advisor to our personal wealth clients. She provides analysis and advice to help individuals and families make meaningful decisions in their lives, including investment, tax and estate planning issues. Lisette has been providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management to business owners and executives for most of her career. She also spent several years as a consultant to business partnerships and family-owned businesses, including conflict resolution, merger and succession planning.

To lower your tax bill, avoid these 9 common tax-planning mistakes

By |2024-03-26T15:34:45-07:00March 1st, 2024|Blog, Financial planning tips and perspectives, Personal Wealth|

If you think your tax bill is too high, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of Americans feel like they spend too much on federal taxes—and that’s before tacking on property or state taxes. What if you could avoid some of the pains of tax season? From tax-deferred investing to charitable deductions and income deferrals, Americans [Read More]

Mastering Longevity: Financial Planning Strategies for Your Health and Your Wealth

By |2024-03-26T15:40:42-07:00February 2nd, 2024|Blog, Financial planning tips and perspectives, Lifestyle, Personal Wealth|

The so-called “sandwich generation” is squished between their aging parents and adult children, like a piece of lettuce. That’s how some are now referring to Gen Xers (born roughly between 1965 and 1980). Between work demands, running a home, and responsibilities to both your parents and your children, midlife is often a time of [Read More]

Solo success: how to thrive financially as an independent woman

By |2024-04-13T18:04:11-07:00December 4th, 2023|Blog, Financial planning tips and perspectives, Lifestyle, Personal Wealth|

Are you one of the many accomplished solo women out there, thriving and conquering life on your own terms? Navigating the financial landscape on your own can feel daunting, but with a tailored approach, it also leads to exciting opportunities. “Solo” may include women with or without children, widows, divorcees, and women who’ve never [Read More]

Move over, men. Here are 4 reasons why women make better investors

By |2023-11-14T16:12:26-08:00March 30th, 2023|Blog, Financial planning tips and perspectives, Investment Management, Investor behavior, Personal Wealth|

You’ve probably heard some version of the following statistic: men apply for a job when they meet just 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. We’re seeing a similar pattern when it comes to women and investing. Traditionally, women have been more likely than men to delay [Read More]

Why accomplished women shouldn’t ignore financial planning, and how to get started

By |2023-11-14T16:14:11-08:00February 28th, 2023|Blog, Business Owners, Investment Management, Personal Wealth|

There’s an old saying in the financial industry–women save, men invest. Unfortunately, in this case, there is some truth to the stereotype. Studies across the board show that women invest less than men and as a result, they lag in retirement savings by comparison.  That precedent is changing, though. Thanks in part to the [Read More]

Securing Your Midlife Gap Year: Insurance Essentials

By |2023-11-14T16:20:43-08:00September 25th, 2022|Blog, Financial planning tips and perspectives, Personal Wealth|

You’re embracing the idea of a midlife gap year. You’re picturing the landscapes, culture, and bucket list experiences in your mind. But unattended business is holding you back from peak excitement. You need proper insurance in case something goes wrong. When you’re taking a career break it’s tempting to ignore that responsible voice in [Read More]

Semi-retirement for business owners: What if you never fully retire?

By |2023-11-14T16:23:35-08:00August 25th, 2022|Blog, Business Owners, General thoughts, Lifestyle, Personal Wealth|

Running a business can be overwhelming. It’s easy to feel stretched thin, and like there’s never enough hours in a day. At times, you’ll probably fantasize about retiring early, ditching the suit for sandals, and kicking back on a beach somewhere. However, these fantasies can come from thinking you’re in a retirement binary. One [Read More]

The Gen X Dilemma (Part 2): How Do You Talk Finances With Aging Parents?

By |2023-11-15T16:50:50-08:00May 16th, 2022|Blog|

Conversing with aging parents In Part 1 of this series we reviewed the pressures you experience as parents. Now in Part 2, we’ll touch on the ones you experience from parents. That is, the financial and emotional stress that comes along with your ever-aging mom and dad.  If the pandemic reminded us of anything, [Read More]

Why a midlife gap year may be the career break Gen Xers need

By |2023-11-05T15:34:11-08:00May 4th, 2022|Blog|

A career break to gain new perspective for what's next Finding a healthy work-life balance is difficult in today’s fast-paced society, especially for successful business owners and leaders in the middle stages of their lives. The unrelenting time demands of work, raising a family, and nearing closer to your retirement horizon can easily lead [Read More]

Is Self-reliance Standing in your Wealth’s Way? Learn to Trust a Fiduciary Advisor

By |2022-11-17T13:22:45-08:00March 23rd, 2022|Blog, Business Owners, Fiduciary, Investment Management, Investor behavior, Personal Wealth|

You’ve worked hard to get to where you are, and self-reliance has allowed you to forge your own path. The long hours, perseverance, and independent-thinking paid off, which makes it easier to look in a mirror with some pride. But we have to give credit where it’s due, or our sense of self-reliance can [Read More]

Go to Top