Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Q4 2026 Lunch & Learn. We covered a range of timely topics, from company and community updates to current market conditions and the growing resources available through your W.A. Smith Financial Group team.

If you were unable to attend, or would like a refresher, here is a summary of what we discussed.

Company Updates

We opened the session with updates on upcoming events, community initiatives, and ways clients can stay connected with W.A. Smith Financial Group.

Q1 2027 Lunch & Learn

Our next Lunch & Learn will be help in January 2027 in the Avon area. The exact date and additional details are still being finalized, and we will share more information as soon as it is available. If there is an educational topic you would like us to cover in a future session, we welcome your input. You can share ideas by reaching out to Maddie at Maddie@WASmithFinancial.com.

Giving Back This Holiday Season

This holiday season, W.A. Smith Financial Group is once again coming together to support local families through The Centers.

There are three easy ways to get involved:

• Drop off a donation: Collection bins will be available at our Ohio offices from November 1 through December 8. We are collecting new items including coats, warm clothing, toys, children’s books, gift cards, and household essentials. Click here to see more gift ideas.
• Shop online: Purchase needed items through The Centers’ Target or Amazon registries.
• Make a monetary donation: Donate directly to The Centers to help purchase additional items for families in need.

To learn more and access all of the giving options, visit WASmithFinancial.com/giving-back.

An Evening of Wine & Connections

We also shared a reminder about our upcoming client referral event, An Evening of Wine & Connections, taking place Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at Green House Gatherings in Rocky River. This client-exclusive evening will include guided wine tasting, thoughtfully paired small bites, and an opportunity to connect with the W.A. Smith Financial Group team. Clients are invited to bring a guest who may benefit from getting to know our team and learning more about the experience we provide. To learn more or register, visit WASmithEvent.com.

Economic Update & Market Outlook

Our economic and market update focused on where markets stand as we move through the final quarter of 2026 and the key factors continuing to shape the investment environment.

We began with a look at recent market performance and how leadership has evolved throughout the year. One area of focus was forward price-to-earnings, or P/E, ratios, and how changes in stock prices and earnings expectations can affect valuations over time. When earnings grow faster than stock prices, forward P/E ratios can decline, or compress, which can provide useful context when evaluating how expensive different areas of the market may appear.

We also discussed the continued expansion of market breadth. Rather than gains being driven by only a small group of large companies, broader participation across sectors can provide a more complete picture of overall market health. As leadership shifts, diversification remains an important part of maintaining a disciplined, long-term investment strategy.

Inflation and Federal Reserve policy also remain important areas to watch. Inflation trends, economic activity, and other data will continue to influence decisions from the Federal Open Market Committee and the broader market environment.

The key takeaway was to keep current conditions in perspective. Markets and leadership can change over time, but the focus remains on maintaining a long-term approach rather than reacting to short-term movements or headlines.

Your W.A. Smith Team: More Resources, More Support

Another major focus of the session was helping clients better understand the resources available to them beyond investment management. As W.A. Smith Financial Group has grown, so has the team supporting clients behind the scenes. Our Service, New Business, and Financial Planning teams work alongside your advisor to help provide more coordinated support across different areas of your financial life.

Tax Planning: A Year-Round Strategy

Tax planning is not limited to tax season. Our financial planning resources can help clients consider tax decisions throughout the year, including:

• Multi-year tax strategies
• Tax-efficient retirement income planning
• Roth conversion opportunities
• Required Minimum Distributions
• Qualified Charitable Distributions
• Deduction strategies
• Medicare and IRMAA considerations
• Planning for business and property owners

The goal is to look at taxes as part of the broader financial plan, rather than as a once-a-year event.

Estate Planning Made Easier

We also reviewed resources available to help make estate planning more approachable.

Through Wealth.com, clients can access tools designed to help create or review important estate-planning documents, including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

These resources can also help identify areas of an existing estate plan that may need attention and make it easier to revisit documents as your family, finances, and priorities change.

Your Year-End Financial Checklist

With year-end approaching, we also discussed several planning items that may deserve attention before the calendar turns to 2027.

These include:

• Retirement and HSA contributions: Review IRA, 401(k), and HSA contributions if you are still eligible. Deadlines vary by account type.
• Required Minimum Distributions: Confirm that any required 2026 RMDs are satisfied by the applicable deadline, generally December 31.
• Roth conversions and tax planning: Evaluate potential Roth conversions and other year-end tax strategies.
• Charitable giving and QCDs: Review charitable donations and qualified charitable distributions before year-end.
• Estate plans and beneficiaries: Review beneficiary designations, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
• Medicare Open Enrollment: Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, providing an opportunity to review coverage and prescription drug plans for 2027.

Your advisor can help you determine which of these items may apply to your individual situation.

Making More of Your Fidelity Account

We also highlighted several features available through Fidelity that may help make managing your accounts easier:

• Share account access: Authorize a spouse or another individual to view account information or take certain actions based on the level of access you choose.
• Add a trusted contact: Name someone Fidelity may contact if concerns arise about your well-being or possible financial exploitation. This does not give that person account access or trading authority.
• Combine household statements: Consolidate eligible accounts at the same address into one combined statement to help simplify paperwork.
• Personalize your account view: Add account nicknames and organize accounts into groups to make your online experience easier to navigate.

‍More Ways to Stay Connected

We also shared a few updates designed to make it easier for clients to stay connected with our team and see more of their overall financial picture.

Beginning in Q1 2027, W.A. Smith Financial Group plans to introduce text messaging as another convenient way to communicate with our team. We’ll share more information about how it will work as the launch approaches.

We also discussed the ability to connect eligible outside accounts to your Black Diamond client portal. This can allow you and your advisor to view certain accounts held at other financial institutions alongside your W.A. Smith investments, helping create a more complete view of your finances and supporting more informed planning conversations. Linking an outside account for visibility does not move the assets or provide trading authority. Available connections and information may vary by institution.

‍Want to Talk This Through?

If any of the topics discussed here raised questions or prompted you to take another look at your financial plan, our team is happy to help.

Whether you attended the event or are reviewing this recap for the first time, your advisor can help you understand how these resources, year-end planning opportunities, market developments, and additional W.A. Smith services may relate to your personal situation.

You are always welcome to reach out to schedule a conversation or connect with our office for additional guidance.