Your financial journey,
guided every step of the way.

Managing Taxes on Social Security and 401(k) Income Together

Managing Social Security and 401(k) income can feel overwhelming, but the main challenge is tracking one key number: your combined (or provisional) income.

4 min read

Tax Considerations When Drawing From 401(k)s in Retirement.

At Duncan Williams Asset Management, we know traditional 401(k) withdrawals in retirement are generally taxed as ordinary income. When and how you draw from these accounts can significantly affect both your lifetime tax bill and the net income you actually spend.

4 min read

Reassessing Your “Retirement Paycheck” Annually

At Duncan Williams Asset Management, we understand that life rarely stays the same, especially in retirement. That’s why we encourage you to take a fresh look at your “retirement paycheck” every year—particularly if your 401(k) is a main source of income.

5 min read

The Power of Timing: How the Sequence of Your 401(k) Withdrawals Shapes the Course of Retirement

Traditional 401(k) withdrawals, with the inevitability of tides, are taxed as ordinary income in retirement. Yet behind these seemingly routine transactions lies a terrain shaped by the unseen hand of federal policy and personal decision—a landscape in which the timing and method of withdrawal can, quietly but profoundly, alter the course of a retiree’s financial life, determining not only the taxes owed but the very contours of security in one’s later years.

4 min read

How Age and Retirement Proximity Affect Bond Allocation Decisions

As retirement nears, 401(k) participants must prioritize bond allocation decisions. Early in a career, growth may take precedence, but as retirement approaches, it is essential to focus on volatility, income needs, liquidity, and the risk of needing to sell investments during market declines.

7 min read

Balancing Growth and Stability Between Stock and Bond Funds

For most people planning for retirement, deciding how much to invest in stock funds versus bond funds is a key part of long-term investing.

8 min read

Duncan Williams Named Chairman of Greater Memphis Chamber's Board

Duncan Williams, founder and chairman of Duncan Williams Asset Management and a longtime civic leader in the Mid-South, has been named chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Board of Directors.

2 min read

Surging Gold Prices and Market Resilience

Gold prices shot up to record highs this morning, hitting $4,035 per ounce, as people around the world look for ways to protect their savings from stubborn inflation and economic uncertainty.

2 min read

Economic Reports: Small Business Optimism and New Business Formation

Small business owners felt a bit more upbeat in July. Many reported seeing better business conditions and felt more confident about growing their companies.

3 min read

Succession Planning for Small Businesses in the Mid-South: Ensuring a Smooth Transition

Succession planning is crucial for small business owners in the Mid-South, including those in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, who want to secure the future of their companies, protect their legacy, and provide stability for employees and clients.

4 min read

How to Write a Financial Plan for Your Business in 2025

One of the most important things I tell business owners is that a financial plan isn’t just a formality—it’s a critical tool for success.

4 min read

Corporate Giving During Christmas: How Businesses Can Do More Than Just Donate

Strategies for aligning holiday philanthropy with long-term CSR goals.

5 min read

Do You Really Need a Family Office? Key Questions for Modern Wealthy Families

As wealth grows in complexity, families must decide whether a family office framework can bring better coordination and clarity to their financial lives. This perspective from Duncan Williams Asset Management walks through how to assess your assets and family dynamics, define what functions you need, and choose among embedded, outsourced, hybrid, or single-family office models. It also emphasizes grounding the entire structure in a shared vision of purpose and legacy.

7 min read

Holiday Optimism and Market Reality: Navigating November’s Seasonal Strength with Discipline

November is often seen as a bright spot for the stock market. Increased holiday shopping and year-end moves by big investors tend to give the market a boost.

2 min read

Family Governance: Keeping Wealth Across Generations in Memphis and the Mid-South

Let’s talk about something close to home for so many Memphis and Mid-South families: how do you make sure your hard-earned wealth lasts—not just for your kids, but for generations?

3 min read

Graduation Season: Financial Planning for New Grads and Their Families

Graduation marks a significant milestone but also signals the start of new financial responsibilities.

5 min read

The Future of Work: Implications for Financial Planning

As we move through 2025, the world of work is undergoing rapid transformation, with significant implications for how individuals and families should approach financial planning.

4 min read

Turning Philanthropy into a Family Tradition: Engaging the Next Generation in Giving Back

Why Family Philanthropy Matters

5 min read

Income Needed to Join the Top 1% by State (2025)

The amount of money you need to be among the top 1% of earners in the U.S. in 2025 depends a lot on where you live.

4 min read

Navigating Financial Uncertainty: A 2025 Guide to Diversifying Revenue Streams for Nonprofits

As we navigate the challenges of 2025, nonprofit organizations are facing increasing financial uncertainty.

5 min read

Your Mission, Your Future—Partner with a Firm That Understands Both

2 min read

In honor of Black History Month we invite you to visit the National Civil Rights Museum

1 min read

Pro Tips for Nonprofits: Choosing the right financial adviser

Nonprofits are passionate about their missions, yet sometimes this passion can affect decision-making beyond the traditional scope of their work. Nonprofits work hard for donations, and deciding how to manage these donations in-house can surely add undue stress. This is where a financial advisor comes in.

3 min read

Pro Tips for Nonprofits: Partner up to stand out

Nonprofits consistently operate with limited resources needed to effectively market, outreach, and raise awareness for their cause. In a recent study by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative, 18% of nonprofits saw “small staff, transitions in staff” as one of their biggest challenges while 11% of nonprofits deemed “donor cultivation, acquisition, retention, [and] communications” as one of their biggest challenges.

3 min read

Recognized Among the Top RIAs in Memphis by Newsweek and USA Today

Duncan Williams Asset Management has been named among the best financial advisory firms in Memphis, TN in USA Today's 2026 edition — the firm's second consecutive year earning top RIA recognition from the publication. The honor reflects DWAM's client-centered approach and consistent growth in assets under management.

2 min read

FOR MEMPHIS: Good News From Memphis - Good News For Memphis June 23, 2026

There is more good news than what can fit in this newsletter, and that’s a good thing. It just proves that our city has a lot going for it. It proves Memphians are out there representing our city and making a difference FOR MEMPHIS.

2 min read

FOR MEMPHIS: Good News From Memphis - Good News For Memphis June 16, 2026

The Chamber’s Mid-Year Chairman’s Forum was a blast! Thanks for coming out to the Guest House at Graceland last Tuesday.

2 min read

FOR MEMPHIS: Good News From Memphis - Good News For Memphis June 9, 2026

Who’s been sharing the good news FOR MEMPHIS? So many of you have, and I want to thank you.

2 min read

FOR MEMPHIS: Good News From Memphis - Good News For Memphis June 2, 2026

Yesterday was the first day of a new month. A new month brings new opportunities for good news.

2 min read

FOR MEMPHIS: Good News From Memphis - Good News For Memphis May 26, 2026

I hope you each had a nice, long weekend. Just because many of us got the chance to rest and relax this past weekend doesn’t mean the good news had to take a break too.

2 min read

2026 SEC Priorities: What it means for your money.

Understanding the SEC's regulatory priorities can help you become a more informed investor. This educational infographic highlights the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's 2026 examination priorities—including fiduciary duty, fees and expenses, custody of client assets, cybersecurity, and the use of technology and AI—and explains what these areas of focus may mean for your relationship with your financial advisor. While these priorities guide SEC examinations of investment advisers, they also provide valuable insight into the questions investors should ask and the standards they should expect from their advisory firm.

1 min read

AI Rally Reignites as Tech Leaders Stabilize Volatile Market

Stocks rebounded as large-cap technology names reignited optimism around the durability of the AI-driven bull market, helping markets recover from a recent semiconductor-led pullback.

3 min read

Dow Hits Record as Soft Jobs Data Eases Rate Fears

Markets rallied early before giving back some gains as a softer-than-expected June jobs report reshaped the macro narrative.

2 min read

Breadth Improved but Chips Drove Indexes Lower

U.S. equities finished mixed to slightly lower on Wednesday as evidence of steady economic activity and easing cost pressures helped most stocks, but a sharp selloff in chipmakers dragged on the major indexes.

3 min read

Stocks Cap Off a Breakout Quarter as Growth and AI Optimism Lead

U.S. stocks finished the quarter on a strong note, extending a powerful rebound that has been driven by technology leadership, improving confidence in economic resilience, and renewed willingness among investors to buy market dips.

3 min read

Rotation Broadens as AI Leaders Cool

U.S. stocks ended mixed after another sharp rotation out of semiconductor and other high-profile AI names and into a broader set of companies tied to steadier growth.

3 min read