DECEMBER NEWSLETTER | How We’re Staying Centered
Hi friends,
We’ve spent the last month processing, rallying our spirits, and considering how to maximize our impact for what lies ahead. Georgia’s been talking with the press about centering our broader communities and envisioning where we go from here.
Meanwhile, it’s a busy moment in our client cycle with year-end to-dos and 2025 planning, so we’re sharing year-end resources to help you, too!
In compassionate action,
Team Modernist
investing insights
Our annual round-up of year-end resources is here!
In our post Paperwork Makes the Dreamwork: v.2024 you’ll find our:
📝 2024 Year-End Financial Planning Checklist and 4 Tax-Savings Strategies to Consider
📝 2025 Tax Guide and Retirement Contribution Limits
And an essential PSA:
EEK! There’s a malware attack on Android users highjacking calls to your financial institutions. Confirm you know who is on the other end of the line!
FROM THE TEAM
Recently our Director of Business Operations, Josh Cole, joined a panel hosted by our Oregon regulator to talk with academics and practitioners on green finance, tech innovations like AI, and how they influence small businesses like Modernist.
“We’ve seen an increased need to educate clients about ESG strategies” especially as it “has been politicized” by right wing politicians and activists.
Nevertheless, our clients’ desire to structure their money around their values has led to a 22% annual increase in client assets invested in sustainability portfolios.
JOIN OUR TEAM
Are you (or a CFP you adore) a progressive and mission-driven badass who aims to build a world where progressive people feel permission to enjoy today while investing in our common future?
We’ll, we’re hiring a Lead Financial Planner, so please help us spread the word!
We’re excited to welcome an ambitious CFP with 5-10 years of experience to be the heart of our Financial Planning team, guiding Associates, supporting Georgia, and managing projects to align with our fab clients’ visions to structure their wealth around their values. This role is central to the firms’ strategy to grow our impact and our vision.
The application goes live in January; in the meantime, please spread the word! Interested? Visit our Careers page and drop us a line.
Modernist Takes It Outside
Just days after the election, Georgia and Farnoosh chatted about listener questions in light of the results:
💡 What to consider in the new administration, as newly married folks who own assets jointly… Hint: hire financial planners and advisors, estate and family lawyers that respect (and acknowledge threats to) you as a woman, a queer person, your immigration status, your heritage.
💡 How to define the responsibility of wealth around its five elements: time, money, skills, social capital, and well-being. We’re asking clients and community, how could you activate an element of your wealth for justice post-election? 🤔
Georgia also chatted with Charlotte Cowles at NY magazine’s The Cut about our post-election money behavior like the very normal stress saving and anxious donating!
So, we’re asking, what if we paused instead to reflect before taking action?
“The fact is, the next administration will probably enrich my wealthiest clients through tax cuts.” So instead of reacting, what if we could intentionally shift our individual benefit to the common good?
FUND YOUR HEROES
You know we love to champion systemic solutions, and Willamette Week’s Give!Guide is just that!
Our local alternative paper (now in its 50th year! 🎉) built this program to activate charitable giving for younger folks with fun prizes and Big Give Days, while making visible the breadth of community orgs working for the common good today.
Give today, maybe win a prize!
A SONG THAT’S REALLY ABOUT RESILIENCY
As a reminder of the long road of work ahead (and behind!), and staying in the fight, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” reminds us to continue talking to each other and working to bridge our divides.
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality / Talk to me
So you can see / Oh, what's going on (What's going on)