Consolidating a New Client's Financial Life and Setting the Stage for Efficient Wealth Management
With a disparate team of advisors and a patchwork of assets, a retired investment manager had underestimated his net worth by half. TwinFocus created a unified balance sheet, saved him precious time and hassle, and laid the groundwork for a smooth transition to the next generation.
John Pantekidis was featured in Fortune’s latest look at how state tax poli...
John Pantekidis was featured in Fortune’s latest look at how state tax policy is shaping where the ultra-wealthy choose to live. The piece by Sydney Lake examines Jeff Bezos’s record $63 million sale of his Hunts Point home and his move to Miami, a move that came before Washington passed a new 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million, now facing a repeal vote on the Nov. 3 ballot.
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John Pantekidis was featured in Fortune’s latest look at how state tax…
John Pantekidis was featured in Fortune’s latest look at how state tax policy is shaping where the ultra-wealthy choose to live. The piece by Sydney Lake examines Jeff Bezos’s record $63 million sale of his Hunts Point home and his move to Miami, a move that came before Washington passed a new 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million, now facing a repeal vote on the Nov. 3 ballot. The article also revisits comments John previously shared with Fortune about why Florida, with no state income tax, has become attractive to ultrahigh-net-worth families. on why Florida, with no state income tax, has become so attractive to ultra-high-net-worth families, calling it “very cost effective for folks like Jeff to live down there.”
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October 2026
1 mins read
In The News
Michael Gibbons was featured in Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Magazine’s l...
Michael Gibbons was featured in Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Magazine’s latest article on what the Great Wealth Transfer means for endowments and foundations.
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Mike explains that the shift is about more than assets, calling it…
Mike explains that the shift is about more than assets, calling it “a transfer of decision making and values,” and describes how families often bring the next generation into wealth stewardship through private foundations and donor-advised funds. He also notes that younger donors are looking at the impact of their charitable dollars and how that impact can be measured, in addition to investment considerations.
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October 2026
6 mins read
TwinFocus Insights
The Case for Japanese Equities - Revisited
The Case for Japanese Equities - Revisited
In November 2025, we outlined the case for an investment in Japanese…
In November 2025, we outlined the case for an investment in Japanese equities, arguing that Japan had evolved from a value trap to a more compelling long-term equity opportunity supported by improvements in company fundamentals, policy initiatives, and structural corporate governance reforms. Despite progress, return on equity and asset turnover remained well below developed market peers, suggesting the reform cycle was still in its early stages and fundamentals had room to improve further. In addition, though Japanese equities had outperformed the S&P 500 through Q3 2025, they lagged Europe and EM markets. Still, valuations remained attractive relative to global equity markets. We concluded that for long-term investors there was a case for a dedicated Japanese equity allocation as part of a fully invested, globally diversified portfolio. This note revisits that conclusion. The fundamental reform and valuation story remains in place....
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October 2026
1 mins read
In The News
John Pantekidis shared his take on private-placement life insurance (PPLI) ...
John Pantekidis shared his take on private-placement life insurance (PPLI) with Financial Planning.
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John Pantekidis shared his take on private-placement life insurance (PPLI) with Financial…
John Pantekidis shared his take on private-placement life insurance (PPLI) with Financial Planning. PPLI gets a lot of buzz in wealthy-family circles, and it’s easy to see why. It offers tax-deferred growth, access to alternative investments, and a death benefit that beneficiaries generally receive income-tax free. But as Zoe Sagalow’s article points out, it isn’t right for everyone. John’s short version: “It could be a no-brainer using life insurance — but not necessarily PPLI products.”
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October 2026
1 mins read
In The News
We’re proud to see our own John Pantekidis, General Counsel and Managing Pa...
We’re proud to see our own John Pantekidis, General Counsel and Managing Partner, quoted in American Banker this week!
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Zoe Sagalow’s piece takes a look at private-placement life insurance (PPLI): when…
Zoe Sagalow’s piece takes a look at private-placement life insurance (PPLI): when it can work, when it can’t, and why the answer depends so much on the client. John’s take is that life insurance can be a great fit for some families, but the cases where PPLI specifically makes sense are narrower. His starting point is always “asking them what they’re trying to achieve.” It’s a balanced read covering the potential tax perks alongside the trade-offs: complexity, high minimums, possible estate tax exposure, and ongoing policy scrutiny. Worth a few minutes if PPLI has come up in your planning conversations.
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October 2026
1 mins read
In The News
TwinFocus' John Pantekidis, CFA, JD shares his views on the costs involved ...
TwinFocus' John Pantekidis, CFA, JD shares his views on the costs involved in creating an ETF in Cheryl Winokur Munk's latest piece on CNBC.com.
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Treasury and the IRS have issued new guidance targeting certain Section 351…
Treasury and the IRS have issued new guidance targeting certain Section 351 ETF exchanges, where investors contribute appreciated stock to a newly formed ETF to defer capital gains. The focus is on transactions where the ETF quickly redistributes those securities and the investor ends up with a materially different portfolio. Legitimate uses remain available, though questions about timing are still open. As John noted, creating an ETF can run $200,000–$300,000, and in his view the approach doesn’t make sense for anyone contributing less than $100 million in stock. [This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. References to third-party publications are not an endorsement of TwinFocus or its services by CNBC or the author. TwinFocus is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does...
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