The Ascent With Crestmont Private Wealth

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 — no sales pitch, just honest insi...

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

Strategy: Tax-aware approach — IRA accounts taken ba...

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 great listen for new grads entering th...

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 inverted through end of 2025 — h...

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 often more critical, as they govern wh...

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 consistent monthly contributions, and ex...

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 making scams harder to detect, how to p...

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 returns

Early Q1 2025 earnings results ...

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 critical for families and business owner...

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 for managers to watch for, and how ...

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 equity markets: diversification ben...

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 individuals.

Timeline

0:00 — Intro...

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 build forward-looking tax plans, and...

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 broader message: all the money you bui...

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 $50.3 million back into the local econ...

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 markets, and offers guidance on ma...

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 housing market.

Key Topics Covered:

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 is just as important as managing y...

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

✅ Important factors to consider when ev...