Legacy and Estate Planning

We believe that legacy planning starts by defining the legacy you wish to leave behind, followed by a plan to actively pursue it. Our role as financial advisor is to assist with the financial aspects of your legacy and estate planning, and work in concert with legal and accounting professionals to help you reach your vision.

Estate Planning

Estate planning is simply determining - while you’re still alive - where your assets should go after you die. Without a properly structured estate plan, your wishes may not be fulfilled, and there may be unintended consequences for your loved ones. While the concept is simple, the vehicles, planning and implementation process can be rather complex. Because of the estate tax laws and the emerging vehicles to help you protect and transfer your assets effectively, it’s important to work with experienced estate planning professionals who stay current in this field and advise clients on a day-to-day basis.

Trusts

There are many different types of trusts, and they can be complex to set up and execute. However, a trust can be a very flexible and advantageous means to transfer your assets in the future. Most trusts can also provide current benefits, such as tax deferral and deductions. Unlike a will, a trust may help avoid probate upon your death. We work alongside a qualified estate planning attorney to assist in this area of legacy planning.

Charitable Giving

Charitable giving is not just good for society, it can be good for your pocketbook, too. Creating a charitable gift-giving plan may provide you with multiple tax breaks: an income tax deduction, the avoidance of capital gains on highly appreciated assets and the reduction or elimination of estate taxes on the charitable contribution upon your death. With changes in the tax environment, there may be compelling reasons to integrate philanthropy into your financial and estate planning. We can refer you to a qualified professional to help you decide if this is a good option for you.

IRA Asset Planning

IRA accounts have become one of the largest types of assets inherited by beneficiaries. If you don’t anticipate needing your IRA money in retirement, you may wish to consider an IRA asset planning strategy that potentially reduces taxes and potentially increases the payout your beneficiaries will receive upon your death. You may want to use some of the value in your IRA to provide your beneficiaries a regular stream of income while leaving the balance of IRA assets invested for tax-deferred growth. The result may yield substantially more money paid out over the course of your beneficiaries’ lifetimes. We can help you evaluate your financial situation to determine if IRA legacy planning could help you meet your goal of structuring a long-lasting inheritance for your beneficiaries

Long-Term Care

Home health care can cost $50,000 or more per year, and nursing home care can run as high as $80,000 per year. Does your retirement income strategy account for this kind of possibility? Considering that you could have to reduce your financial means before Medicaid will pay for long-term care and neither your employer group health insurance nor major medical insurance will cover long-term care, you may want to consider planning ahead for these potential expenses. We can work to evaluate your situation and determine if purchasing a long-term care insurance policy may be the right move for your financial future.