Client Events

Legacy Letter Challenge

Please join Mark Bain, CFS, BCM, Managing Partner & Senior Wealth Advisor from Bain Wealth Management and Ryan Collier, Estate Planning Attorney from Collier Law for a unique opportunity to explore the personal and meaningful process of writing a legacy letter for your loved ones. MORE THAN JUST A LETTER, this is a way to preserve your love and wisdom for generations to come. Whether you’re reflecting on your life’s journey or sharing timeless lessons, this letter will serve as a cherished gift.

 

  • Inspired by Blake Brewer’s Legacy Letter Challenge—featured on Good Morning America—this heartfelt letter isn’t a legal document, but rather a lasting tribute to your life’s wisdom and love.
  • During our event, you’ll learn how to organize your thoughts and craft a letter that will resonate with your loved ones for years to come.
  • Don’t miss out – your legacy awaits!

Ryan Collier is not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Opinions expressed by the presenter may not be representative of CWM, LLC.

Register Here

2025 Shred Day

We’re thrilled to share that our annual Shred Day event was a huge success — thanks to you! Over 70 client households kept us very busy this year, bringing boxes, bags, and crates of old, sensitive documents to be securely shredded onsite — including tax returns from 1971!

Shred Day is a favorite among staff and clients, and this spring event is perfect for cleaning, organizing, and catching up. This year, we also gave clients a Bain tote bag with gifts and information on upcoming events. There’s nothing better than getting organized and hanging out with some of the best clients ever!

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to those who participated in our donation drive for Houck Middle School. Your generous contributions will help support students in meaningful ways, and we’re proud to be part of a community that steps up to give back.

2025 Spring FOCUS Workshop: Market Update with Ryan Detrick

We were thrilled to host Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist with Carson Group at our recent workshop with an Economic and Market Update. It was an insightful and engaging evening, packed with valuable takeaways for all who attended.

Key Topics Covered:

  • Market Volatility & Tariffs: Ryan discussed the current market volatility and how the recent tariffs increases have affected the economy.
  • Historical Context: He provided comparisons to past market cycles, helping attendees understand where we stand in the broader historical context.
  • Market Outlook: Ryan shared his perspective on what to watch for in the upcoming months and where he believes the market might be headed

One of the highlights of the evening was Ryan’s unique ability to balance serious market insights with a touch of humor. As he put it, “The stock market is the only place that when there’s a sale, everyone runs screaming from the building.” His humor kept things light, but his underlying message was clear: we need to stay focused on the long-term perspective.

In a very personal moment, Ryan shared the recent loss of his brother after a painful battle with cancer. His words were a reminder of the importance of keeping things in perspective—enjoying life, cherishing the present, and not letting short-term market fluctuations cloud our judgment. It was a powerful reminder that, despite the noise, time is our advantage. As Ryan wisely put it, “It might take some time, but the market has always gone back up.”

Ryan also fielded questions from attendees, addressing key concerns such as the bond market’s response to tariffs, how Carson Partners is adjusting to market changes, and how these changes impact our clients’ portfolios. One of the central themes discussed was the importance of diversification, especially in a time of market uncertainty.

Finally, Mark Bain wrapped up the evening with a thoughtful change to the typical market phrase “This time is different” and introduced a much more hopeful sentiment: “This too shall pass.” It was a fitting conclusion to an evening full of valuable information and perspective.

2025 Winter Focus Workshop: Identity Theft Protection

Back by popular demand, cybersecurity expert Corey Keating returned to share invaluable strategies for protecting personal information in today’s digital world. Building on the success of his previous presentation, Corey delved deeper into identity theft prevention and recovery.
Key takeaways from the workshop included:

  • Freeze Your Credit – Prevent unauthorized access by freezing your credit with the three major bureaus.
  • Monitor Credit Activity – Use identity theft insurance or manually track credit activity for unusual transactions.
  • Strengthen Digital Defenses – Use a password manager, enable multi-factor authentication, keep devices updated, and avoid phishing scams.

 

Corey also provided an Identity Theft Protection Checklist to help attendees get started.

We’re committed to empowering our community with the knowledge and tools to stay secure. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

AQR Flex Lunch & Learn

We recently hosted an exciting AQR Flex event, featuring Sonu Varghese, Ph.D., Vice President, and Global Macro Strategist with the Carson Investment team.

This exclusive product, AQR Flex, offers unique advantages, particularly for CPAs working with clients involved in selling businesses or navigating transactions with significant tax implications.

What is AQR Flex? AQR Flex is an investment solution designed to enhance net proceeds by dramatically reducing capital gains tax liability from business transactions or from a large asset sales.

If you’re a CPA interested in learning more about AQR Flex or discussing how it might apply to your clients, we’d love to connect! Reach out to schedule a meeting with one of our wealth advisors today.

Investment minimums and restrictions apply. The minimum investment amount for AQR Flex 145/45 is $1 million which must be in a taxable portfolio with assets that can be margined (including cash and cash equivalents, stocks, ETFs, equity mutual funds). The minimum investment amount for AQR Flex 250/150 is $3 million which must be in a taxable portfolio with assets that can be margined (including cash and cash equivalents, stocks, ETFs, equity mutual funds). A separate portfolio margin agreement is required.

2024 Fall Focus Workshop: Senior Living Communities

Today’s senior living communities are not the same as nursing homes of the past! Our senior living panel, moderated by Mark Bain, Managing Director and Senior Wealth Advisor, brought together representatives from Boone Ridge Retirement Community, Capital Manor, Dallas Retirement Village, and Mennonite Village to discuss the current landscape and future trends in senior independent and assisted living.

GROW Event 2024

Bain Wealth Management recently hosted our second annual GROW Event. This gathering of women was an empowering event where we discussed financial issues as they pertain to us while enjoying time together. Watch our video recap of the event:

In late September, we had the privilege of hosting over 60 incredible women at our 3rd annual educational event for women. This year, we focused on women embracing their role as investors. It was an evening full of educational presentations, personal stories, engaging table discussions and a lot of laughter.

 

Denise Talbert, Wealth Advisor, gave a fantastic presentation on the basics of retirement planning. She emphasized how important it is to understand where you currently stand financially and to have a clear vision for the future. Whether your goal is security and stability, adventure and travel, or maintaining your current lifestyle, growing your money is essential to achieving the future you want. Denise also introduced the concept of a “money community” – a network of people who can encourage, inspire, brainstorm, and hold you accountable as you work toward your financial goals.

 

We were fortunate to have Kayla Oliver, Wealth Advisor, join us despite currently being on maternity leave! Kayla focused on the all-important retirement years and how that looks different for each of us. She encouraged attendees to write down and share their concerns about retirement at their tables, which opened up valuable conversations. Kayla then walked through the top challenges to retirement income, including market volatility, spending behavior, taxes, inflation, and longevity. She wrapped up by offering tangible strategies to help address these key concerns, leaving everyone with practical steps to take.

2024 Summerfest

Our first ever Bain Summerfest drew a crowd of neighboring families and lots of children. Students came from all over the area, from Four Corners and Houck, Mary Eyre and Miller schools. Families enjoyed a variety of activities, including music, bubbles, sidewalk chalk art, face painting, refreshing Kona Ice treats, and opportunities to explore first responder vehicles. We were happy to hear from parents that they really appreciated the whole event and would definitely come again in the future!

Our Community Partners

 

Thank you to Kona Ice, Facepainting by Janet, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Fire District #1 and Jon Chinburg – our fantastic DJ.

Backpack Donations for Neighborhood Schools

 

We hosted a backpack drive for local schools including Houck Middle School, Four Corners Mary Eyre and Miller Elementary Schools.
We are still collecting backpacks so please, feel free to stop by the office and drop them off for the rest of the month!

There's Still Time

 

Even if you missed out on this year’s Summerfest, you can still donate backpacks for the students in our area. Feel free to drop off a new backpack in our office!

2024 Summer Focus Workshop: Charitable Giving Strategies

Is your money doing what you want it to do for you? Exploring a “Giving Strategy” can be a key component of legacy planning, ensuring your financial resources align with your values and goals.

On Wednesday, July 17th, Senior Wealth Advisor and Managing Director, Mark Bain, spoke to a packed room of about 30 attendees on how charitable giving can enhance financial planning.

He explained some of the various reasons clients might consider charitable giving, such as wanting to make a difference, minimize taxes, support a meaningful cause, or avoid leaving a large lump sum inheritance to their children.

The room filled with laughter when Mark shared basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal’s famous line to his children, “WE ain’t rich, I’M rich.”

Mark highlighted five main strategies for giving to charitable organizations while minimizing taxes: Donor Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, Charitable Annuities, Charitable Trusts, and Charitable Foundations.

Each strategy serves the same purpose—making a generous impact while benefiting the donor. Mark walked attendees through each option, outlining the pros and cons.

Attendees found the session both entertaining and enlightening. Be sure to mark your calendars for our upcoming events listed below—you won’t want to miss out!

2024 Spring Focus Workshop: Trustee Empowerment

Trusts are commonly used for estate planning, but what are the benefits and the possible pitfalls of a trust?

Estate Planning Attorney and speaker, Stephanie Palmblad of Willamette Legacy Law, took attendees step- by-step through the basics of a trust, the benefits of flexibility, privacy, and control they provide as well as the tax advantages and ability to avoid probate.

Four Key Times of Transition in Life

 

Focusing on Four Key Times of Transition in Life: Alive & Well; Alive & Not So Well; Upon Death; and Ultimate Distribution, Stephanie outlined crucial considerations for each phase and necessary actions for success.

 

She also stressed the importance of recognizing common errors and offered guidance on avoiding them. For instance, she cautioned against the practice of transferring ownership of a home to beneficiaries before one’s passing, highlighting the substantial tax consequences that can result.

 

Upon leaving, all participants were tasked with completing a medical Advance Directive form, emphasized by Stephanie as the cornerstone document for ensuring medical wishes are upheld in times of incapacity.

 

This Spring FOCUS workshop was well-received, and attendees expressed high appreciation for the valuable information shared.

 

Fall Financial Focus 2023

Last week’s annual Fall FOCUS 2023 event focused on the connection between your past and present financial decisions. Using the Find Your Freedom workbook, we spent time looking into the past at how early experiences with money shape approaches to estate planning today and how we can use this information to find true financial freedom going forward.

What Does Freedom Mean To YOU?

 

Mark Bain, Senior Wealth Advisor & Managing Director, dove into the different mindsets associated with early money memories, such as scarcity vs abundance. Once armed with knowledge of past beliefs, he outlined the different steps needed to identify, draft and implement a plan that will lead to financial freedom.

Financial Planning:
The Path To Freedom

 

Associate Wealth Advisor, Denise Talbert, shared her personal money story and what she has found is most freeing for her. She then outlined 8 facets of a financial plan and how success needs to include each one. Denise also focused on the role of a wealth advisor and how important the entire team is to achieving desired results.

The Importance of Community

 

A strong community is needed in the journey to financial freedom and Bain was excited to bring in a local estate planning attorney, Ryan Collier, from Collier Law, who has experience in advocating for clients as they work to find their freedom.

Incorporating Values in Estate Planning

 

Ryan’s engaging presentation focused on practical steps that can be started immediately to begin building a strong estate plan. His humor and relatable experiences made him a crowd favorite.

The most popular topics were HIPAA forms that should be completed in case of emergency, options for charitable giving and, how best to organize and protect assets for future generations.

GROW Event 2023

Bain Wealth Management recently hosted our second annual GROW Event. This gathering of women was an empowering event where we discussed financial issues as they pertain to us while enjoying time together. Watch our video recap of the event:

 

Bringing together women from all walks of life, we began to crack open the idea that having a financial plan is vital to helping you achieve the future you want. But what is a financial plan? Simply put, it is taking a hard look at where you are today, your goals for the future, and what tools you need in order to get there (i.e. saving more, working longer, using tax-advantaged accounts like Roth IRAs, etc.).

 

Bringing together women from all walks of life, we began to crack open the idea that having a financial plan is vital to helping you achieve the future you want. But what is a financial plan? Simply put, it is taking a hard look at where you are today, your goals for the future, and what tools you need in order to get there (i.e. saving more, working longer, using tax-advantaged accounts like Roth IRAs, etc.).

Bain Wealth Management’s Ribbon Cutting & Open House

 

 

The sun shone brightly in celebration of Bain Wealth Management’s ribbon cutting and open house on Tuesday, April 25. Everyone gathered eagerly in the parking lot where Mark thanked all the clients for their unyielding support over the years and offered a short blessing. Then he and his wife, Karen cut the ribbon to officially open the new building!

 

We were thrilled to have more than 60 clients join us for a grand tour of the building. Staff were eager to share all that the new office has to offer with three new meeting rooms, bigger work areas, a full kitchen, additional offices, and a large space for the Operations department.

 

Clients enjoyed a “peek behind the curtain” as they encountered Mark’s Lord of the Rings office décor and lingering evidence of various office pranks in the Operations department. A fun surprise for clients was the view of our special nap room – a fun and much joked about addition to the office!

 

The new building also includes a new high-tech conference center which can hold events for up to 50 people. With our full kitchen, we can easily provide appetizers and desserts for on-site events.

Welcome to our New Space

If you couldn’t make it to our open house, please feel free to stop by and check out our new space. We foresee great things for this building and are excited for what the future will bring.

Fall Financial Focus 2022

 

In October 2022, nearly 90 clients attended our first annual Fall Financial Focus. Mark Bain introduced the Carson team who traveled all the way from Omaha, Nebraska for this event. Omani Carson, Founder & CEO; Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist; and Aaron Schaben, President; helped clients get a feel for the positive culture and “client-first” focus of Carson Partners.

Omani Carson, founder of Carson Group, explained how he began his journey as an advisor in 1983. There he quickly determined that the current system was bogged down with red tape and conflicts of interest. Believing this did not really serve his clients and put their best interests first, he set about to create a business model that put the clients first and helped coach other advisors in new ways to engage and serve their clients. Now Carson Group has 131 partner firms in 36 states and serves over 43,000 households throughout the US. And as Ron loves to say, we are just getting started!

Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick explained how current events are affecting the markets and what to look for and avoid in the near future. His “Market Outlook” was a favorite for clients who valued the data-driven approach and positive viewpoint.

The Q & A panel allowed clients to ask the Carson team their questions. Questions included topics such as effects of media misinformation on investing, the war in the Ukraine, how to balance investing in this political climate, the trend in values-based investing, and looking toward technology changes in the future. Clients remarked that this gave them an opportunity to see the real heart of Carson and how their mission aligns with Bain Wealth Management.

Putting the Client First - Always

The Bain Wealth Management team pictured above with Carson’s representatives.