WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors’ Team Recognized as 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers
WHZ's Jim Zahansky, Laurence Hale, and Leisl L. Langevin have once again been named Five Star Wealth Managers by Connecticut Magazine and Five Star Professional.
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2024 Gramercy Institute Financial Content Marketing – Personal Investing Award, created by Gramercy Institute and presented in September 2024, was based on data gathered in the 18 months preceding the award date. An unknown number of candidates were considered for the award in the Personal Investing Business-to-Consumer category, and two were awarded. Participants pay a fee to apply for consideration. This award is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, and your experience may vary. For more award information, visit https://www.gramercyinstitute.com/winners-2024-content-mktg-awards.
Read more: WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors, Dunn Marketing Win Prestigious Gramercy Institute Award for Person-Centered Content Marketing Campaign
WHZ's Jim Zahansky, Laurence Hale, and Leisl L. Langevin have once again been named Five Star Wealth Managers by Connecticut Magazine and Five Star Professional.
As we begin 2026, high earners are entering one of the most consequential tax years in more than a decade. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) individual tax provisions officially expired on December 31, 2025, and Congress did not pass legislation to extend or modify those rules. Despite substantial debate throughout 2025 – and speculation that the Omnibus Budget and Border Security Act (OBBBA) or subsequent bills might carry extensions – no federal law ultimately altered the scheduled sunset.
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that financial planning today requires both resilience and adaptability. As we enter 2026, we find ourselves facing a mix of encouraging economic trends and ongoing uncertainties. Inflation has cooled, interest rates may begin to stabilize, and the stock market continues to reflect both innovation-driven growth and periodic volatility. At the same time, many households are still recalibrating after years of elevated costs and shifting financial priorities.
Artificial intelligence is advancing at a pace that feels unprecedented, leaving some feeling uncertain and even worried. Yet throughout history, periods of rapid technological change have followed a familiar pattern: anxiety about job disruption, followed by adjustments in how people work, produce, and create value. For investors, the real question today is not whether AI will change the labor market (it will), but how those changes may influence the broader economy and financial markets over time.
The new year is, of course, a popular time to plan for the future. While this usually is focused on the year ahead, I’d encourage you to think bigger. The first quarter of the year is actually the perfect time to refocus on your retirement goals and update your long-term financial plan. Whether you're already retired or preparing to make the transition, the first quarter of 2026 offers key opportunities to optimize your strategy, minimize taxes, and strengthen your financial confidence.
The excitement surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) lit a fire under stocks last year as we learned how AI would help us work faster, turn words into pictures, and shop on our behalf. Investors are optimistic that AI-related stocks will continue to surge on further adoption by individuals and corporations. The advent of AI has helped to propel the bull market, which started in October 2022. Since then, the S&P 500 Information Technology sector has increased by an astounding 181.7%.
WHZ's senior partners provide a review of the key market trends, economic events, and financial planning lessons from 2025, and what they mean for investors heading into 2026.
When we reviewed WHZ’s most popular pieces of 2025 (all of which you can access ob our website at whzwealth.com) something interesting emerged. At first glance, the topics seemed all over the map: gifting strategies, inheritance psychology, presidential policy changes, healthcare costs, and even the new FICO credit-scoring models. But when we stepped back, a pattern came into focus: every one of these themes points to a deeper shift occurring in the financial lives of Americans—and especially in the lives of people preparing for or navigating major financial transitions.
It was a bright autumn afternoon when the Henderson family gathered for their first formal family meeting. Three generations sat around the table—grandparents, parents, and adult grandchildren. At first, there was hesitation. Would the meeting feel forced? Would long standing differences bubble up? But as the conversation unfolded, something shifted. The grandparents spoke about the values that had guided them in building their wealth, the parents shared hopes for philanthropy, and the grandchildren offered fresh perspectives on the family’s role in the community. By the end of the day, the family left not only with a clear set of goals, but also with a renewed sense of connection.
Tax season will be here before you know it, and getting ahead of it now can save you significant time, stress, and money. Whether you're an early filer or someone who waits until the deadline, understanding what to expect and taking proactive steps now is sure to make the entire process smoother, and may even save you some money.