Published Articles

Wealth Planning

Wealth Planning

Charitable Giving Rules Are Changing in 2026

Keith Fenstad, CFP®, September 2025

Tanglewood clients are an incredibly charitable group. I can honestly admit I have grown to be a more cheerful and generous giver after working with clients over the past two decades. 

What Estate Planning Documents Do I Need?

Michael Pumphrey, MS, CFP®, AFC®, EA, August 2025

Estate planning is often pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. If you are in your thirties or even twenties, focusing on your career or starting a family is often your primary focus.  The idea of building and passing along a legacy sounds like an abstract, far-off idea.

One Big Beautiful Bill

Keith Fenstad, CFP®, July 2025

The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) was signed into law by the president on July 4th after making its way through congress. There are many new provisions regarding income taxes and some important updates to the estate tax laws that will impact many Tanglewood clients. Below is a summary of that we think are some of the most impactful.    

Markets

Founder's Perpective

Founder’s Perspective

Recognizing Reality…and Responding to it NOW

John Merrill, September 25, 2025

Is there anyone left in the country who still believes that we can continue the social benefit promises currently in place without change? Today, over 60% of all federal tax collections go to the major social programs including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Based on current projections, that percentage will keep rising until eventually exceeding 100%.

New Geopolitical Realities Require Change

John Merrill, May 22, 2025

Exactly six years ago, the title of my Perspective was A New World Order (October 2018). The main message of that piece was that the post-WWII world order was breaking apart. The rules formerly agreed for international trade, investment, and security were being undermined by China.

Policies to Challenge China’s Global Ambitions

John Merrill, April 2, 2025

China was seen as a partner through most of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. They specialized in making everyday goods cheaper, which benefited most of our consumers and kept inflation (and interest rates) down around the world.

Books

Books Published

  • Perpetual Wealth (2025)

    Strategies for Financial Freedom

  • Investing in Uncertain Times 2nd Edition (2018)

  • Investing in UNCERTAIN Times (2012)

  • The Sure Road to Investment Success

    Building Your Best Portfolio for Risk and Reward

  • The Sure Road to Investment Success

    Preserving and Enhancing Wealth Over a Lifetime

  • Outperforming the Market

    Everyone's Guide to High-Profit, Low-Risk Investing

  • Beyond Stocks

    A Guide to the Best Performing Complete Portfolios

View All Books