Author: Doug English

Doug English, CFP® is the founder of ACT Advisors, a fee-only fiduciary firm with offices in Asheville, NC, and Charleston, SC, serving clients nationwide. Guided by Doug’s deep expertise and proactive approach, ACT Advisors helps clients make informed financial decisions, prioritize wealth protection, and confidently navigate market complexities. As dedicated advisors and advocates, the ACT Advisors team brings an unwavering commitment to transparency, personalized planning, and empowering clients at every stage of their financial journey.

How to Recruit and Retain Top Talent in the Credit Union Industry

In a rapidly evolving financial landscape, attracting and keeping the right leaders is more crucial than ever. In this episode of CU On the Show, Doug welcomes Charles Shanley, a seasoned executive recruiter specializing in the credit union space. Charles shares his insights on the current trends in credit union leadership, the importance of cultural fit, […]

June 2022 Update

Doug English, CFP® discusses the markets and what we did in our clients portfolios in June 2022.

April 2022 Update

Doug English, CFP® discusses what we did in our clients portfolios in April 2022.

March 2022 Update

Doug English, CFP® discusses what we did in our clients portfolios in March 2022.

How Female Leaders Can Stand Out in the Credit Union Movement

According to data released by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), 51% of credit union CEOs are women. Still, women are less represented in the credit union workplace now than in the 1980s. Jill Nowacki and Judy Tharp join C.U. on the Show to discuss common workplace challenges women face, how employers can recruit more […]

ACTive Bond Strategy March 2022 Update

Watch Doug English, CFP®, give an update on the recent ACTive bond strategy changes for March 2022.

Geopolitics and Equities

Watch Doug English, CFP®, discuss equity strategies in times of geopolitical turmoil.

Navigating Geopolitical Tensions

The green shoots are hard to see right now as spring approaches, clouded by war in Ukraine. Democracy is under attack and innocent lives are tragically being lost. But while we keep one eye on overseas developments, the other remains squarely focused on the fundamentals of the U.S. economy and the stock market to […]

Should Credit Unions Fund Split-Dollar Plans With Whole Life or Index Universal Life Insurance?

At ACT Advisors, the split-dollar plan is one of the most powerful executive compensation tools we encounter when delivering meaningful benefits to executives. The reasons include relatively reliable returns, lower risk, and their non-taxable nature in most cases. Before a credit union offers a split-dollar plan, however, it must evaluate how to fund it, typically […]

Split-Dollar Versus 457(f) Plans and What Credit Unions Should Evaluate

When building an executive benefits package that seeks to recruit and retain top talent, the question arises: with multiple options, which benefits should we include? Popular choices that uniquely benefit credit unions are the collateral assignment split-dollar (CASD) and 457(f) plans. Both are retention tools that provide retirement benefits to executives—but which is better? As […]