It’s an exciting development! You may have heard our announcement already, but effective January 1, 2026, Caitie Leibman here will be serving as CEO of Leibman Financial Services. Mark Leibman isn’t going anywhere, so what changes and what doesn’t with a new person in the front-facing role? This is a must-watch to get the latest from 228Main.com—online or on Main!
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“I have enough, and enough is as good as a feast.” — Granny, as told to us by one of you
For many folks, giving and community are important pillars of their financial plans and planning. After all, once we discover that we have enough to get by on, we’ve got some important decisions to make about our resources.
What will our excesses and gains mean for the community around us? Or the next generation? Or causes and organizations we care about?
In 2025, Leibman Financial Services added a new type of account, a tool that may be an option for those with charitable intentions and a desire for a little organization.
Here is what we are talking about: a Donor Advised Fund, or DAF. A DAF is an account that we can open and manage for you here in-house. Money or securities that you send to the DAF are considered tax-deductible charitable contributions, even if they came from existing accounts here. (Consult your tax advisor about what this means for you in particular.)
The funds can be invested for long-term growth or disbursed more quickly; you may donate as much or as little as you choose, on your schedule. You request distributions, or “grants,” from your DAF to be sent to the nonprofits of your choosing.
A DAF would become part of our regular conversations about your portfolio, your goals, and your financial plans and planning.
Why consider a DAF? A DAF could be used…
We work with iGift, a registered 501(c)(3), to administer these accounts. iGift requires a minimum of $25,000 to open a DAF, though only a $1,000 minimum balance needs to maintained thereafter. You may send out gifts as small as $100 to approved nonprofits year-round.
Fees and rationales can be found in our disclosure documents where we discuss more about the terms of our services.
If the DAF still has funds at your passing, your designated successor—an heir or heirs—may direct future donations until the fund is exhausted, or you can elect to provide instructions for how to distribute the remainder among nonprofits.
Our money has a chance not only to outlast us—but to continue making ripples in the world.
The Donor Advised Fund concept has been used by people here at Leibman Financial as part of their tax planning and to organize charitable intentions. Not all account types are appropriate for everyone, though there’s a lot to like here.
Could it be a good time to learn more?
Reach out, anytime.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
To determine which strategies or investments may be suitable for you, consult the appropriate qualified professional prior to making a decision.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.
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Animal metaphors are all over the business world. There are cash cows and fat cats and top dogs—oh my!
And maybe you’ve heard of bull markets and bear markets? Bulls swipe their horns up to attack; bears swipe their paws down to attack. Bullish investors are preparing for prices to rise; bearish investors are preparing for prices to fall. These terms are common in investment and market news, but as you’ve learned with us, we don’t like to follow the herd. (See what we did there?)
We don’t need an animal mascot that’s ready to “attack.” Business isn’t war. We’re trying to grow something here.
But we could use an animal that’s flexible, light on its feet, and can think for itself. It should be a strong climber, too—ready for all the ups and downs of investing!
And if we’re picking our own mascot, would it really be so bad if it also happened to be adorable?
Enter, the red panda.
Maybe you’ve already heard of these little cuties, but did you know how unique red pandas are? Red pandas are sometimes confused with foxes, traditional panda bears, and even racoons, but they are none of those things! In fact, they are the only species within their genus. They’re one of a kind.
At first glance, you might also think most financial advisors would all be alike. But once you get to know us, you might find out we’re more like the red panda. It’s hard to put us in anybody else’s category. We’re unique, and we can’t help but be ourselves.
As for the other qualities? Red pandas hit the mark.
They’re fabulous climbers, easily scaling mountains and getting up and down trees and bamboo forests. They aren’t afraid to climb down headfirst, nearly vertical (it’s like they know that even the steepest drops won’t go down and down and down forever!). Red pandas have adapted over time and have a “false thumb,” an extra little feature that helps them grip as they climb all over. Flexible? Check.
On their feet, red pandas have special hairs on the soles so that they don’t sink in the snow, even when they’re running and have to change directions. Their bushy tails also help them stabilize, keeping their balance as they walk along tree branches. Light on their feet? Check.
Red pandas prefer solitary thought to group-think, so we know they won’t be getting caught up in any herd mentality or stampedes.
And to top it off, did we mention that red pandas are a symbol of good fortune in some cultures?
No guarantees, of course, but beyond the bulls and the bears… red pandas might be the animal mascot we’ve been waiting for.
Clients, what do you think: is it time for 228 Main to adopt an animal friend for a mascot? Call or write in, any time.
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What does it mean for our business to be “client-centered”? (Wait, shouldn’t all business be “client-centered”?…) In this week’s video, Mark and Caitie talk about the role the firm plays in our relationships with you, what the client’s job is, and more.
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When The Jetsons first aired, the idea of a robot maid or a flying car seemed too good to be true. Now, we have moving walkways, Roombas, and flying car prototypes. With the growth of green energy, could we live in Orbit City by 2062? Get more here.
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Our daily struggles might have more going for them than we first think. Imagine tripping on the coffee table and thinking, “Gee, it sure is nice to have toes to stub!” A little perspective goes a long way. So “rock bottom” may sound like a terrible place to find oneself, but it also could make a solid place to push off from. This week’s video: a serious lesson from a funny show.
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Clients, there’s been plenty of buzz in the public sphere. Policy changes are on their way in many arenas, including potential tax breaks, increases in the national debt, and cutbacks in benefits.
Some of you have been wondering what it will all mean for you. It makes sense to have questions, especially when so many issues are in play right now. Here are a few of the policies that could impact you or someone you know:
We know the pendulum swings back and forth, and mandates to change law are sometimes modified before they can even go into effect. But it still can pay to do some planning when changes could be headed our way.
You may have questions about where to start, and the answers will depend on the particulars of your own situation. Instead, we’ll try to speak generally to some of the personal choices you might consider.
No matter what stage of life you find yourself in, it may be more important than ever to make sure that your long-term money is invested for the long term, meaning that long-term money is invested for growth—rather than stability.
Think of it this way. Higher government deficits may mean higher inflation, which typically makes the value of things go up while hurting the purchasing power of dollars. Rather than burying those dollars in the backyard—where the erosion will be worse!—we put them to work, buying stock.
Stock represents indirect ownership of the real assets of companies—it’s in mining operations and railways, factories and foundries, offices and stores, and on and on. Investing for the long term means we have a chance to capture the growth of dollars out there in the world, at work.
A lot of it comes back to this: so much seems beyond our control, yet it always pays to think creatively. How do we make the most of it?
Call or email us when you’re ready to talk.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
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by Mark Leibman
We’re inspired by recent conversations with clients and friends whose plans, as they say, have come to fruition.
Fruition—the realization or fulfillment of a plan or project—scarcely begins to describe the satisfaction and joy we’ve seen.
What types of projects?
There’s recent retirees who downsized to a maintenance-free home, going to art festivals instead of pulling weeds, having more dinners with their descendants, and seeing more ball games. There’s the people going on that Alaska cruise or the tour of Italy. There’s the people turning hobbies into true avocations.
These are just some of the plans we’ve seen come to fruition for people we are close to.
A wise person once said that a plan is a dream put into writing. We are in the business of trying to make the arithmetic work for people who would like to try to make their dreams come true. We’ve written before about the best way to retire, and the point is, dreams are personal.
What are you trying to do? Where do you want to wind up?
One of the privileges of long experience in our work is seeing the realization or fulfillment of those plans made long ago. But life sometimes throws curve balls. So we’ve also seen adjustments made by people who would have preferred to avoid the need to adapt. Not everyone we love lives as long as we wished, health may be fleeting, and circumstances often present a mixed bag. Nevertheless, sound plans usually put us in better shape to deal with the unanticipated.
Money is not the most important thing in the world. But it is also true that our resources can buy us options we might otherwise not have. Wealth may free up our time, and time is what life is made of. Dreams and arithmetic working together may make the best things more likely.
If you would like to discuss your dreams and plans in greater detail, please write or call.
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What a journey thus far!
I started at the kitchen table. Bought the office building at 228 Main when I could neither afford it nor afford to pass it up. Struggled and juggled for years. Fit a snowbird lifestyle into the middle of it. Survived personal tragedy, a cruel disease that slowly took the life of my high school sweetheart.
And through it all, we grew. More and more people entrusted more and more wealth to our care. More and more teammates helped me hold up my end of the deal.
They say it is not the strongest or the smartest who survive and thrive, but those who adapt and adjust to change.
But then, there are the things that have not changed. We are a team of four advisors—myself, Greg, Caitie, and Billy—along with two full-time service team members, Whitney and Brenda. All of us serve one book of business. Everyone gets access to the same set of services. One story, one philosophy, one book of business.
You may not recognize how different this makes us. (But you also know I’ve never been one to follow the crowd!)
Many financial advisor shops, however, are a collection of sole proprietors, each on the prowl for new business all the time. There may be other four-advisor shops that work more like four separate teams that happen to compete nearby each other—not like teammates who play together, toward the same goal.
We believe we are organized differently—and better.
With a team set-up, any client can call any one of us. Four advisors, two service team members, one team. No matter who picks up the phone, we’re committed to getting you pointed in the right direction.
That’s what the team means to me, today.
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“What do you want to be when you grow up?” A new school year will be starting soon for many, but it’s not just children who feel like they have to have answers to the big questions. New clients will on occasion visit our office with apologies ready: they don’t exactly know what they want or what they might need in the future. And that’s okay. Plans and hunches and visions… It’s all welcome.
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