Design the life first—then build the money plan to match it.

In this episode of Jet Setting Wealth Advisory, David speaks with Brian Evans, founder of Madrona Financial & CPAs, host of the long-running radio show Growing Your Wealth, and author of 7 Steps to a Successful Retirement. Brian shares how he evolved from public accounting to leading a billion-dollar, fully integrated advisory firm—and why real retirement success starts with a lifestyle blueprint before portfolio tweaks. From unifying tax, estate, business, and investment decisions to demystifying Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) for longtime landlords, Brian offers a clear, practical playbook for turning experience into lasting prosperity.

Key Takeaways:

→ Start with a lifestyle blueprint; back into assets, cash flow, and timelines.

→ Getting tax, estate, investment, and real estate voices in the same room

→ Consider 1031s into DSTs to keep income and time while deferring tax

→ Risk is felt more on the downside; calibrate portfolios to your true loss tolerance

→ Build the plan 5–10 years early, then reverse-engineer the path to your ideal next decade

More from Brian Evans and Madrona Financial & CPAs:

Website: madronafinancial.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brianevanscpapfs

Facebook: facebook.com/MadronaFinancial

Engage with David T. Yu:

Connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, & Facebook

Visit: DTY Wealth Planning Solutions

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Episode 40: Lifestyle-Focused Wealth Planning for Meaningful Retirement