Tim Gottus, Financial Advisor, Pittsburgh, PA (2026)

Advisory Services offered through Bull Harbor Capital, LLC, and SEC registered investment adviser, d/b/a Valent Wealth. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the advisory firm by any regulatory authority, nor does it indicate that the advisory firm has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Valent Wealth does not give tax or legal advice. Please consult your legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.

06/29/2026

Which is the final word: your beneficiary designations or your will?

Your beneficiary designations. In almost every circumstance, it’s beneficiary designations.

It's one of the most overlooked facts in estate strategies. The beneficiary forms on file for your retirement accounts, insurance policies, and other accounts are legally binding—and they almost always override whatever your will says.

A former spouse still listed on a retirement account can inherit it. Someone written out of your will entirely can still receive an insurance payout. Assets intended for your children may pass to someone else because a form was never updated.

This applies across the board—even to payable-on-death bank accounts.

The good news: a beneficiary review takes minutes. When did you last review yours?

06/15/2026

Most people assume that a spouse's unused estate tax exemption passes to the surviving spouse automatically.

It doesn't.

Claiming it REQUIRES A FILING WITH THE IRS within 9 months of a spouse's death.

The IRS doesn't send a reminder. The deadline just passes.

A six-month extension is available, bringing the total window to 15 months. But the clock starts the day your spouse dies, not the day you think to ask about it.

This is exactly the kind of detail that gets lost in the fog of grief and estate administration.

It's also exactly the kind of thing we watch for on behalf of the families we work with. We also help families by working with their tax, legal, and accounting professionals to make certain that paperwork is completed in a timely manner.

06/03/2026

What would you do with a windfall?

A business sale. An inheritance. A bonus that lands bigger than expected.

Most people assume they'd handle it well.

But sudden money follows patterns. And the patterns aren't always flattering.

Psychologists call it sudden wealth syndrome: the anxiety, decision paralysis, and relationship pressure that arrive alongside a large sum. It shows up whether the windfall was a complete surprise or something you spent years building toward.

The 5 most common mistakes we see:

• Upgrading your lifestyle before a strategy exists

• Giving to family under emotional pressure

• Attempting to make decisions without professional guidance

• Freezing and making no decisions at all

• Missing the critical deadlines in year one

All five can be managed, but only if you get ahead of the emotions before the decisions start piling up.

The most important thing you can do in the first 90 days? Maybe nothing.

Tell very few people. Then consider building a team of professionals who can offer insights and guidance.

There is rarely a cost to waiting. There is frequently a cost to moving too quickly.

05/11/2026

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.

50 percent of parents with adult children still provide regular financial support, spending $1,474 a month to do so. That's more than twice what they're putting toward their own retirement.

Here's what "just helping out a little" actually looks like:

• 75 percent of parents aged 45+ are financially supporting at least one adult child, even though over half of those children can meet their own basic needs, according to a 2025 AARP survey.

• 42 percent of supporting parents report financial stress. 9 percent have retired early because of it.

• 47 percent say they've sacrificed their own financial position for the sake of their kids.

• 18 percent say the support could continue indefinitely. They don't see an end in sight.

This isn't about being less generous. It's about being intentional.

Whether your kid just graduated, graduated five years ago, or is still in school, the question is the same: Is your support happening by design or by default?

That's worth a conversation.

04/20/2026

April is National Stress Awareness Month, and caring for aging parents is one of the biggest stressors many families face.

In our experience, stress drops when the basics are handled before there is urgency.

Here are 5 things to consider:

• Financial power of attorney, so someone can act if needed

• Healthcare proxy, so medical decisions are clear and legally supported

• Account access, so a trusted contact can see what is happening without scrambling

• Bill pay strategy, so nothing becomes a late fee problem on top of everything else

• A shared “where things live” file, documents, logins, contacts, including key professionals

These are not fun conversations, but they are often a gift to future selves and to siblings who may need to step in.

When preparations have been made, families can give more time and attention to what actually matters.

04/06/2026

What can a $5 Frappuccino teach your teen about building wealth?

April is National Financial Literacy Month, and here's a number worth sharing at the dinner table.

If your teen opens a Roth IRA at 18 with $1,000 from a part-time job and adds $1,000 a year, that single account could be worth nearly $500,000 by age 65. Tax-free.

Think they can't save $1,000 a year? Skipping the daily Frappuccino more than covers it.

But the best financial education isn't about the math. It's about real decisions with real consequences.

A few things that actually work:

• Hand them cash instead of a credit card for shopping. Let them keep what they don't spend.

• Give them a clothing budget for the year. If they blow it by October, that's the lesson.

• Have the college money talk before they fall in love with a school. As one counselor put it, "Have the conversation before they buy the hoodie."

• With the Roth IRA, you can show them that there are certain rules with certain accounts. For example, to qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a 5-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Also, tax-free and penalty-free withdrawals can also be taken under certain other circumstances, such as the owner's death. The original Roth IRA owner is not required to take minimum annual withdrawals.

What's one money lesson you wish someone had taught you earlier?

Address

Pittsburgh, PA

Telephone

+14128730450

Website

http://timgottus.com/, http://valentwealth.com/

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