Legacy & Estate Planning

Many people believe they don’t need estate planning because they think they don’t have an estate. Or they think the value of their estate is not great enough to cause estate taxation, so what’s the point?

With few exceptions, everyone has an estate — even the young child with a custodial account in his name and the granddaughter who received a lovely piece of jewelry for her 16th birthday.

Bottom line: If you own something of value that you would pass on to someone else upon your death, you have an estate. Whether you know it or not, you also have an estate plan. The state has one for you free of charge (well, sort of) if you don’t get around to writing a will or designing a plan of your own.

Broadly speaking, an estate plan encompasses the accumulation, conservation and distribution of an estate. A good plan will enhance and maintain the financial security of individuals and their families.

When you’re developing a plan for your estate, it’s important to understand your entire financial picture. That’s where we come in. Working with your tax and legal advisors, we will help coordinate your investment strategies to help ensure that your plan reflects your wishes for your legacy.

Complete the form if you’d like to receive my three estate planning guides, which include information about the importance of having certain estate documents, maintaining beneficiary designations, and organizing your financial documents.  If you need referrals to tax and legal advisors, we will provide those to you, too!