November 2024

Welcome to the second of our two-part series on buying a car. In part one, we covered purchasing a car, briefly touched on leasing, and some of the pitfalls that can come with it. In part two, we’ll discuss some strategies and exceptions that can make leasing worthwhile. Generally speaking, leasing a car in Texas is not a great idea. Here’s why: In Texas, you pay a 6.25% sales tax on the full value of the car. Unlike some states, you don’t pay local sales tax—only the 6.25%. But the problem lies in how this tax is applied. In most states, sales tax is calculated based on the value of the car during the lease term, not the full value of the car. For example, if you lease a car for three years, you’re taxed only on the difference between the car’s initial value and its residual value (the estimated...

I’m frequently invited to share my insights and experiences when it comes to buying cars, both new and used. Buying a car can be one of the largest purchases you'll ever make—often second only to buying a house. The process is part art, part science. Always start by knowing exactly what you want. If you don’t know what you want, don’t proceed further. Here’s why: as soon as you walk into a dealership and start talking to a salesperson, you’ve effectively cut yourself off from the internet sales process, which is almost always the better option. So, know what you want. Once you do, go check out that car, preferably at a dealership you’re confident you won’t use. The next question is whether you’re going to trade in your car. You may want to keep your current car for another purpose, but if you’re trading it in, you need to...

We are thrilled to announce that Avion Wealth has been honored with the title of “The Best Financial Planner in The Woodlands” by Living Magazine for 2024. This award is a testament to our unwavering dedication to providing high-net-worth clients with tailored wealth management solutions and the attentive, detail-driven service they deserve. A Legacy of Trust and Excellence Since our founding, Avion Wealth has proudly served The Woodlands community, focusing on exceptional financial planning, investment consulting, and wealth management services. We are deeply committed to helping our clients achieve financial confidence by addressing every detail of their financial needs, from risk management to wealth transfer strategies. Recognition by Our Valued Clients This accolade is particularly meaningful because it reflects the trust and confidence our clients place in us. We are grateful to our clients and the local community for their continued support, and we are more committed than ever to...

Today is Friday, November the first, and yesterday's market selloff was almost 2%. Is this a precursor of the election that's coming next week? Thursday's tech stock selloff wiped out all of October's gains. In fact, it's the worst selloff in over two months, but it's hardly surprising to see a tech selloff given tech's nosebleed-altitude valuations. But so much of these nosebleed valuations are a result of AI, and AI is still very much an unknown quantity, especially in terms of how you monetize it. The thing to understand about markets, and we've talked about this before, is that they're very much "expectations machines" and valuations hold steady if the expectations are met. So even if it's a good outcome, if it's not as good as anticipated, it will have a negative impact on the market. The opposite is also true if expectations are negative, even if it's less...