Estate Planning Strategies

A thoughtful framework for preserving, protecting, and transitioning your wealth.

Estate planning is an essential component of managing significant wealth. It goes far beyond determining where assets go; it is about maintaining control, protecting what you have built, and ensuring your intentions are honored across generations. For clients with meaningful assets, business interests, philanthropic goals, or multi-generational objectives, a well-designed estate plan is a critical part of an integrated wealth strategy.

Our role is to help you think beyond documents and consider how your estate plan supports your broader vision, for your family, your legacy, and the causes you care about.

Why Estate Planning Matters for Complex Wealth

Families managing substantial or multi-generational wealth often face unique considerations, including:

• Multi-generational wealth transfer
• Complex family structures
• Charitable giving strategies
• Trust and entity planning
• Tax efficiency

An estate plan helps you address these complexities, maintain control, and reduce the potential burden on loved ones. Without a plan complex estates can be left vulnerable to unintended outcomes, administrative challenges, and unnecessary tax implications.

Core Estate Planning Documents

While every client’s needs are different, several foundational documents typically support a well-constructed estate plan:

• Will – This legal document expresses your wishes for distributing your property after you die. Establishing a will is important, especially if you have minor children or significant assets.
• Durable Power of Attorney - This gives someone else authority to make financial decisions on your behalf if you become unable. This is highly recommended as it ensures your finances will be handled properly if you cannot do so yourself.
• Healthcare Power of Attorney - If you can’t communicate your wishes regarding your care, this document ensures they will be honored in the event of your incapacitation.
• Living Will - This outlines your wishes for end-of-life care, including life support or other medical treatments.
• Revocable Living Trust - With this document, you can avoid probate court and distribute your property according to your wishes after you die. This can save time and money while adding an additional layer of privacy. 

The Importance of Beneficiary Designations

Beneficiary designations can be an easy way to transfer an account or insurance policy when you die. But if you didn’t complete beneficiary designations, or haven’t updated them, they can cause issues with your estate plan.

Designations on forms are often filled out without much thought, but they’re important and deserve your attention. Beneficiary designations on forms like your insurance policy and 401(k) take priority over other estate planning documents, like your will or trust.

Let’s say you specify in your will you want everything to go to your spouse after your death. But you never changed the beneficiary designation on your life insurance policy, and it names your ex-spouse. Your ex may end up getting the proceeds.

Your team of professionals

Estate planning may seem overwhelming, especially as wealth and family dynamics grow more complex.

A coordinated team of trusted professionals, your Financial Advisor, estate planning attorney, and accountant, can help you navigate these decisions thoughtfully and avoid potential pitfalls.

If you currently don’t have relationships with an attorney and an accountant, we can make some recommendations. We can also discuss our role in the planning process and how you can get started.

Next Steps

• Schedule a conversation with us to discuss your estate planning objectives and priorities.
• Begin organizing key financial and legal documents.
• Review your beneficiary designations for accuracy and alignment.

We’re here to help ensure your estate plan reflects your intentions and supports the legacy you want to build.