Introducing Our Newest Member
Joshua Potts
Paraplanner
Introducing the newest member of the Carson Wealth Murray team. Joshua Potts is originally from Las Vegas; but more recently, he attended Brigham Young University-Idaho, studying Financial Planning. As part of the leadership team for the Wealth Management Society, he oversaw a program designed to help students prepare for and pass professional certifications and licensing exams. Looking for ways to improve everything he does and helping fellow students achieve their goals is just one way to do that; helping our team better serve you is another.
Joshua is married to the incredible Shannon, and they look forward to many years and adventures together. Some of those adventures will include hiking and spending time in nature. This is where they recharge and gain perspective. Speaking of perspective, Josh is an avid chess player who has competed in multiple tournaments. One perspective that the game of chess has given him is an appreciation of long-term thinking. The strongest positions are often built through small, intentional decisions—an idea that applies equally well to life, relationships, and financial planning.
“America is another name for opportunity.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every four years, the world comes together for one of the largest sporting events on the planet: the FIFA World Cup. Featuring national soccer teams from around the globe, the tournament attracts billions of viewers and showcases some of the best athletes in the world.
Teams must first qualify through regional competitions. Once qualified, they are placed into groups and play a series of round-robin matches. Teams earn points for wins and ties, and the top performers from each group advance to the knockout stage.
The knockout rounds are simple: win and advance, lose and go home. This continues through the Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and ultimately, the Championship Match, where one nation is crowned World Cup champion.
The 2026 World Cup is especially notable because it is being hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, making it the first World Cup to be hosted by three countries. It will also feature an expanded field of 48 teams, creating more opportunities for nations to compete on soccer’s biggest stage.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to sport, the World Cup is a celebration of competition, national pride, and the unifying power of sports.
Larz Macfarlane, CEPA®
Wealth Advisor
Dolley Madison’s Second Act
When most people think of Dolley Madison, they remember the elegant First Lady who famously rescued George Washington’s portrait from the burning White House during the War of 1812. But one of the most poignant chapters of her life unfolded quietly after her husband, President James Madison, passed away in 1836.
James left Dolley their beloved Virginia plantation, Montpelier, along with a mountain of debts and a vast collection of papers that chronicled the founding of the United States. At nearly 70 years old, Dolley suddenly found herself solely responsible for preserving her husband’s legacy while trying to secure her own financial future in an uncertain world.
The years that followed were difficult. To cover mounting expenses and debts (complicated by her son’s challenges), Dolley was forced to sell off portions of the estate, valuable land, and eventually much of James’s personal papers to Congress. In time, even the family home itself had to be sold. While she managed to safeguard a significant part of her husband’s historical contributions for future generations, it came at a steep personal and emotional cost.
Dolley’s story resonates today because it highlights a truth many families discover too late: Wealth transfer is about far more than taxes. It’s about helping to provide clarity, protection, and stability for the people you love most during one of life’s most emotional times.
Imagine if Dolley had access to modern inheritance planning tools. A thoughtfully designed trust could have helped shield assets while ensuring income for her lifetime. Strategic lifetime gifting might have eased the burden on the estate. Certain structures could have allowed appreciating assets to pass more efficiently to heirs or causes she cared about, without forcing rushed sales of cherished property or heirlooms just to pay bills or settle obligations.
The real lesson here isn’t simply minimizing taxes, though that’s a welcome benefit. Effective planning helps prevent loved ones from facing impossible choices when they’re already grieving. It helps reduce the risk of forced liquidations, family conflict, or unintended outcomes that can erode what took a lifetime to build.
The most successful plans start with a straightforward but powerful question: What do you want your legacy to accomplish?
For some families, the priority is supporting children and grandchildren with flexibility and protection. For others, it might mean preserving a family business, funding education across generations, providing for a surviving spouse, or advancing charitable causes. The legal and financial tools like trusts, wills, beneficiary updates, gifting strategies, and more matter, but they work best when aligned with your personal values and goals.
Dolley Madison devoted her later years to protecting her husband’s legacy as best she could under difficult circumstances. Today’s families have far better opportunities to protect both their financial assets and the loved ones who will carry their story forward. With proactive planning, you can help ensure that more of what you’ve worked so hard to build reaches the people and purposes that matter most without unnecessary stress, costs, or regret.
For a personalized review of your inheritance and legacy plan, email or schedule a conversation with our team. We’d be happy to help you explore options that fit your family’s unique situation. Additionally, click the button below.
