XML Financial Group Blog

Upcoming Webinar  |  Managing Concentrated Stock: Strategies Beyond Selling

Written by XML Financial Group | Sep 14, 2026, 3:40:08 PM

Join our upcoming educational webinar on Thursday, October 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET presented by XML CEO & Co-founder, Brett Bernstein, CFP®, and Vice President and Regional Director  at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Lauren Slavin, CIMA®. We will cover exchange funds and their potential role in some financial plans.  Exchange funds (also known as swap funds) are private pooled investment vehicles that allow owners of large, concentrated blocks of appreciated stock to diversify their portfolios and defer capital gains taxes without selling their shares. 

What We Will Cover

  • How exchange funds work and how they may provide an opportunity to diversify without immediately realizing capital gains.
  • What the seven-year holding period means and other important requirements and considerations to understand before investing.
  • How exchange funds compare with other diversification strategies, including selling shares, charitable giving and other approaches.
  • What to consider before deciding if an exchange fund is right for you, including investment risk, liquidity, fees, and taxes.

 

About Brett Bernstein, CFP®: 

Brett Bernstein is the CEO and Co-founder of XML Financial Group and manages the firm's operations, including its M&A strategy.  Brett is also an active financial advisor assisting clients with his holistic approach to goal-setting and problem-solving. Prior to co-founding XML in 2004, he was a Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, where he was a designated Producing Sales Manager for a multi-billion-dollar complex.

Brett is a serial entrepreneur actively investing in many start-up companies and has led his firm in three acquisitions. He earned his Certified Financial Planner® professional designation in 2003. He is a sought-after speaker and industry commentator having numerous contributions in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Advisor Magazine, Investment News, and Forbes.

Brett received a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He continued his education at Georgetown University and Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program.

About Lauren Slavin, CIMA®: 

Lauren Slavin, CIMA® joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 and is a Vice President within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She is the primary consultant to independent Broker-Dealers and Registered Investment Advisors in the mid-Atlantic area, providing them global capital markets research, portfolio construction and implementation ideas, as well as access to Goldman Sachs investment strategies. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Lauren spent five years at Pioneer Investments as a Regional Consultant. She is also a member of the Investments & Wealth Institute. Lauren earned a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. She lives in Potomac, MD with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.