Legacy Lounge
Why Effectiveness > Efficiency
6th April 2026
Deborah Stavis and Samir Sinha mark one year building Stavis Wealth with a conversation that challenges the assumptions most wealth firms are built on. They expose the concentration risk hiding inside passive index funds; where a small number of mega-cap names now drives an outsized share of S&P 500 returns. They make the case that the largest advisory firms are quietly retreating from estate planning because it doesn't scale. They also pull back the curtain on The Texas Collective, Stavis Wealth's framework for private investment access in venture capital, private equity, and private credit, curated from the intellectual capital at the center of Houston's most dynamic sectors. In this candid year-in-review conversation, Deborah and Samir move from philosophy to practice: what true integration across planning, investments, and insurance actually looks like, and why effectiveness, not efficiency, is the only standard that matters for families building a legacy.
The Estate Plan That Looks Complete (And the Gaps It Quietly Leaves Behind)
2nd March 2026
Most estate plans have dangerous gaps that even excellent attorneys miss. Deborah Stavis, CFP® with 35 years of experience, explains how life insurance, properly structured, fills those gaps and ensures your wealth transfers intact.
Private Placement Life Insurance: A Sophisticated Planning Tool for Families with Taxable Estates
4th February 2026
Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) is one of the most misunderstood planning tools in wealth management. It sounds complex. The life insurance industry has not always helped by layering on jargon. And because PPLI is typically used by families with taxable estates and institutional investors, many advisors and families have limited firsthand exposure to it. What experience has shown us, however, is that PPLI is not inherently complicated, it is simply different. For certain families, particularly those holding tax-inefficient assets and planning across generations, it can be a highly effective structure when evaluated and implemented thoughtfully.
When the Bull Market Hides the Broken Plan: Why Now Is the Time to Review Your Estate
26th January 2026
For the past fifteen years, checking your investment account has been gratifying. Markets have climbed with only brief interruptions. Balances have grown. The numbers on the screen have mostly gone up and to the right. And because of that, many investors haven’t felt compelled to look closely at the details. Why scrutinize something that’s working? The problem is that the same complacency often extends beyond portfolios and into estate planning. If you haven’t opened your brokerage statement in months, there’s a good chance you haven’t reviewed your estate plan in years (never mind the complacency that comes from the new, higher estate tax exemption levels). And unlike an investment portfolio, which can recover from neglect, an outdated estate plan creates consequences that are permanent and irreversible.
Stop Fighting Over the Will and Start Building Family Unity
12th January 2026
Dr. Jeremy Lurey returns to tackle the hard truth: 70% of Americans die without estate plans, but even perfect legal documents fail when families avoid honest conversations. He reveals why women will control 60-70% of wealth within twenty years yet remain unprepared, exposes the emotional landmines of "equal" versus "equitable" inheritance, and shares the $25 million story that proves fairness isn't about numbers. Dr. Lurey introduces the "Now Gen" framework for empowering rising generations today, explains how strategic philanthropy becomes the glue that unifies fractured families, and provides the coordination roadmap for indivisible assets, toxic trustees, and the psychology of wealth transfer that traditional advisors won't address.
Stavis Wealth Announces Strategic Partnership With Carnrite Ventures
16th December 2025
A long-term relationship leads to a new and exciting partnership.
Why 97% of Family Businesses Fail (And How to Be the 3%)
16th December 2025
Dr. Jeremy Lurey, organizational psychologist and founder of Family Legacy First, reveals why only 3% of family businesses reach the fourth generation—and it's not about money. Through real client stories, he exposes the communication breakdowns, succession paralysis, and sibling rivalries that destroy more legacies than any market crash. Dr. Lurey explains why 87% of business owners never actually discuss wealth with their children, how to conduct family retreats that preserve harmony, and the governance structures that distinguish "equal" from "fair" when navigating generational transitions, business divorces, and the emotional complexity of wealth transfer.
Why Half the Stock Market Disappeared (And Where Smart Money Is Going Instead)
3rd December 2025
Jeff Carnrite, partner at Carnrite Ventures, reveals why venture capital has become essential for wealth building. As the number of public companies shrinks, the number of private opportunities is expanding. He explores why careful selection is essential in the current environment. The firm's "fund size as strategy" approach to early-stage investing explains how to evaluate venture performance, using top-quartile benchmarks, and details breakthrough investments from a $10 billion biotech revolutionizing genetics to energy storage solutions powering the AI infrastructure boom.