Lessons from Losing Pat

I'm sad as I write this article. A very close client of mine passed away on Sunday. I got to meet Pat 10 years ago but really got to know Pat after her husband had passed away 9 years ago. She had never balanced a checkbook at that point in her life. She had no…

7 Gifting Ideas for Your Wealth Transfer Plan

Wealth Transfer Planning 5 of 6 In wealth transfer planning, we often think of how we want to distribute our assets upon death. But what is sometimes overlooked is the opportunity to give assets away prior to death, which, in some cases, may be a better way to meet your goals and objectives. Not only…

When to Avoid the “I Love You” Will – Keep Control with Trusts

Wealth Transfer Planning 4 of 6 It’s very common to see an estate plan that says “leave all my money to my spouse and then my kids equally.” We call that the “I love you” will because it’s pretty simple to understand and doesn’t require much other planning. But this plan may not work in…

Zero Tax Plan – Concept of 9 Circles

Wealth Transfer Planning 3 of 6 Proactive wealth transfer planning is about control and leverage.  We believe that a successful estate distribution plan is one in which your heirs (and/or charity) receive as much as possible, and Uncle Same, as little as possible. But this requires some work. Depending on your heirs’ tax brackets and…

“Estate Level Tax” vs. “Asset Level Tax”

Wealth Transfer Planning 2 of 6 Uncle Sam is probably an heir of your estate, whether you know it or not. The common misconception is that “my heirs won’t have to worry about taxes” because the size of my estate isn’t big enough. Many people know that the federal estate tax exemption is about $5.5…