As September 11, 2021, marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11, BlueSky CEO and Founder David L. Blain, CFA, presents a special message in honor of the thousands of Americans lost that day, the brave men and women who have worked tirelessly to preserve our freedom since, and the resiliency of the American people and our economy.

We are delighted to announce the designation of Lyle Maasdorp as a Certified Financial Planner. Lyle received the designation in South Africa in 2017. Upon relocation to the United States, he had to reapply and sit for the rigorous exam a second time to receive active status in the US. Lyle passed with flying colors and is now a CFP® in South Africa and the United States.

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Madeline Valente, CFP®, from Wealth Advisor to Senior Wealth Advisor. Madeline has been with BlueSky for over nine years and has served as a financial planner for nearly twenty. During this time, she has shown exemplary leadership skills and a passion for empowering clients to achieve their goals while providing exceptional financial planning and investment advice.

A much-needed update to the Investment Advisors Act grants RIA firms the right to receive testimonials for their work. This "New Marketing Rule," as dubbed by the SEC, allows for greater flexibility and a broader marketing frontier for RIAs. With this newfound freedom, we expect to see empowered consumers and freshly incentivized advisors.

It has become an American tradition to pass on accumulated wealth to subsequent generations. Whether it be family real estate or a sizeable stock portfolio, it is only natural for parents to want to leave something to their children. Proposed policy changes under the new administration may severely alter how we continue this practice. In this episode of the 2021 Financial Forecast Series, David L. Blain, CFA, outlines the proposed policy changes to estate planning while highlighting the strategies for the wealth of this generation and future beneficiaries.

In the second episode of the series, David explains the highs and unprecedented lows of 2020, a year like no other. As the US economy recovers from the deepest recession in modern history, David stresses the importance of having an evergreen financial plan to safeguard your goals during times of duress and turbulence. David also reviews the stock market returns, commodity markets, real estate investment returns, and much more, setting the stage for impending change in the year to come.

As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Carolina East Health System, David L. Blain, CFA, has experienced a front-row seat to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic from both a micro and macro effect on the economy and financial markets. In his ongoing series, 2021 Financial Forecast: A Step-By-Step Guide to a Year of Change, David provides a thorough overview of what to expect in the year(s) ahead, while taking a deep-dive into the financial sectors potentially affected by the incoming administration's proposed policy changes.

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Seth Large from Financial Planning Associate to Associate Wealth Advisor. During Seth's brief tenure at BlueSky, he has shown an exceptional eagerness to learn and excel in his financial planning career. His high aptitude and ability to concentrate are tremendous assets to the team, especially when building financial plans for some of our more complex clientele.