Black Walnut Wealth Management - Traverse City Financial Advisor

06/03/2026

Affluent families often have a strong network of professionals around them.

A CPA.
An estate planning attorney.
An insurance professional.
A banker.
A financial advisor.

But the real question is whether those professionals are working from the same set of facts, priorities, and long-term goals.

As wealth grows, financial decisions rarely stay in one lane. A portfolio move may create tax consequences. A gift to a child or grandchild may affect your estate plan. A second home or family cottage may raise questions about ownership, insurance, future use, and family expectations.

That’s why coordinated advice matters.

At Black Walnut Wealth Management, we help clients view financial decisions through the lens of their broader plan. We don’t replace your CPA, attorney, or insurance professional, but we do help you understand when those conversations should happen and how the moving pieces may fit together.

Before making a major financial decision, it’s worth pausing to ask:

Have the right people been brought into the conversation early enough?

Read our latest article:
The Value of Coordinated Advice for Affluent Families

Having a financial advisor who sees beyond the portfolio and can serve as a steady guide in the middle of the planning process, is especially valuable in the coordination of the overall financial picture.

05/28/2026

Summer blockbuster season is here, which means big stories, big risks, and a few larger-than-life financial lessons hiding between the action scenes.

These five classic movies offer surprisingly useful reminders about money, from greed and high-pressure sales tactics to ethics, confidence, and putting people first.

It’s a good reminder that financial lessons don’t always come from charts and spreadsheets. Sometimes, they show up on the big screen.

Did you know that movies can teach you about money management? Here are 5 classic movies that can teach you a thing or two about money.

05/23/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

In observance of the holiday, our office will be closed Monday, May 25. We hope you and your family have a safe and meaningful weekend.

05/21/2026

May is full of meaningful milestones, and this month’s newsletter reflects that.

We’re sharing our featured article on graduation season and how parents and grandparents can help the next generation build stronger financial habits as they step into adulthood.

We’re also sharing a few timely planning reminders, tax planning considerations, retirement timing questions, and financial items to keep on your radar as summer approaches.

Read our May newsletter here:

How to think about supporting your graduate in categories such as short-term transitions, education costs, early investing habits, and future housing goals.

05/19/2026

As summer approaches, it’s easy to start picturing more time on the beach, more time on the water, and a little less time in the office.

For many people, that thought eventually turns into a bigger question:
“What would it actually take to retire?”

A successful retirement plan usually starts with the basics: understanding your assets and debts, clarifying your income needs, reviewing Social Security and other income sources, planning for taxes, and making sure your cash reserves are in place.

If retirement is starting to feel closer than it used to, this checklist is a helpful place to begin.

Read the article here:

It’s never too early (or late) to plan for retirement, but it can be overwhelming to know where to begin, so here’s a checklist to get you started.

05/13/2026

We’re growing and we’re looking to add another advisor to our team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a financial advisor who wants to do meaningful planning work, build deep client relationships, and grow within a collaborative, client-first firm here in Traverse City.

This isn’t a cold-sales role. It’s a true wealth management advisor opportunity for someone who wants to help clients make thoughtful decisions around retirement, investments, tax planning, estate planning, and the many moving pieces that come with managing wealth.

If you’re an advisor who wants to be part of a growing firm with a strong planning culture, a thoughtful client experience, and a team that’s building for the future, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more or apply here:
https://blackwalnutwm.com/wealth-management-advisor/

05/10/2026

This Mother’s Day, we’re grateful for the women who lead, guide, encourage, and hold families together in ways that often go unseen.

Whether you’re celebrating your mother, remembering her, or honoring the women who’ve played that role in your life, we hope today gives you a moment to pause and appreciate the lasting impact of love, wisdom, and care passed from one generation to the next.

Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Black Walnut Wealth Management.

05/07/2026

Graduation season has a way of bringing celebration and real-life financial questions into the same conversation.

For many parents and grandparents, this is the moment when support starts to look different. It may be graduate school, housing help, a first major move, or simply figuring out how to help a young adult get established without creating long-term dependence.

The goal isn’t to avoid helping, it’s to help with intention.

A thoughtful plan can make generosity more meaningful, protect your own long-term goals, and help the next generation build confidence, responsibility, and independence along the way.

This new article helps high net worth families start thinking about how to help graduates start strong without losing sight of their own financial plan.

Help your graduate start strong with practical financial guidance for parents and grandparents, without losing sight of your own long-term plan.

04/29/2026

We’re excited to welcome Hannah to Black Walnut Wealth Management as our new Client Service Associate!

Hannah brings a thoughtful, organized, and detail-oriented approach to her work, along with a genuine care for the client experience. Before joining Black Walnut, she held leadership and administrative roles in healthcare, where she built a strong foundation in communication, operational efficiency, and day-to-day support.

She holds a B.A. in Health Administration and brings the kind of discipline and professionalism that helps a firm serve clients well.

Outside of work, Hannah is a Michigan native who enjoys skiing, strength training, paddle boarding, and hiking with her husband and their Dalmatian.

As a former Division I collegiate volleyball player, she also knows the value of teamwork, consistency, and perseverance.

We’re very glad to have her on board!
https://blackwalnutwm.com/meet-our-team/

04/22/2026

One topic we continue to see people searching for is this:
How do you help adult children financially without creating long-term dependence?

It isn’t always easy. For many parents, the support starts small. A phone bill, extra cash here and there, help with groceries, maybe even something larger. But over time, what began as generosity can start to affect your own long-term financial security.

That is one reason this topic continues to resonate.

In the following article, we share four practical ways to help your children build confidence and independence, while also protecting your own retirement, health care needs, and financial future.

The article notes that many young adults are reaching financial independence later than in prior generations, which helps explain why this has become such a common family challenge.

If this is something your family is navigating, you aren't alone.

You can read the full article here: https://blackwalnutwm.com/insights/are-your-adult-children-still-asking-for-money-here-are-four-ways-to-get-them-to-stop-relying-on-you-financially/