Estate Planning
Estate planning is the process of organizing how your assets—like property, investments, and personal belongings—will be managed and distributed after your death or if you become incapacitated. It typically includes creating legal documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives to ensure your wishes are honored and your loved ones are protected.
"Because Your Story Deserves a Future."
Estate planning is a cornerstone of wealth management—especially when it comes to preserving and transferring assets efficiently and according to your wishes.
Why Estate Planning Matters in Wealth Management
Ensures Control and Clarity
Estate planning gives you control over how your assets are distributed, who manages them, and when beneficiaries receive them. Without a plan, state laws and probate courts may decide for you.
Minimizes Taxes and Legal Costs
Strategic use of trusts, gifting, and beneficiary designations can reduce estate taxes and avoid the delays and expenses of probate.
Protects Your Legacy
It helps preserve your wealth across generations by shielding assets from creditors, lawsuits, or mismanagement.
Aligns with Your Broader Financial Plan
When integrated with wealth management, estate planning ensures your investment, tax, and retirement strategies all support your long-term legacy goals.
Facilitates Smooth Wealth Transfer
Tools like wills, trusts, and powers of attorney streamline the transfer of assets and reduce the risk of family disputes.
In essence, estate planning is how you turn financial success into generational impact. Want to explore how to structure a trust, or how to start building your own estate plan?
"Plan with Purpose. Protect with Confidence."
Estate Planning Considerations
Estate planning is about more than distributing wealth—it’s about protecting your legacy, honoring your intentions, and providing security for the people you care about. A thoughtful plan includes legal documents like wills and trusts, updated beneficiary designations, tax strategies to preserve assets, and protections in case of incapacity. It ensures your wishes are carried out clearly, minimizes family conflict, and can reduce financial burdens across generations. In short, estate planning brings structure and peace of mind to life’s biggest transitions—both planned and unexpected.
"Plan Today. Protect Tomorrow."
Wills
A will is a legal document that outlines how you want your assets distributed after your death. It also allows you to:
- Appoint an executor to carry out your wishes.
- Name guardians for minor children or dependents.
- Specify funeral or memorial preferences.
- Make charitable bequests or personal gifts.
Why Wills Matter
Without a valid will, your estate is subject to intestacy laws, meaning the state decides who inherits your property—often in ways that don’t reflect your intentions. This can lead to delays, legal costs, and family disputes.
Key Features
- Flexibility: You can update your will as your life changes—marriage, divorce, births, or major financial shifts.
- Simplicity: For many people, a basic will is enough to ensure their wishes are honored.
- Complementary Role: A will works alongside other estate planning tools like trusts and beneficiary designations.
Limitations
- Wills do not avoid probate, which can be time-consuming and public.
- They don’t control assets with named beneficiaries (like retirement accounts or life insurance).
- They don’t offer asset protection from creditors or lawsuits.
A well-drafted will is the foundation of any estate plan. It’s your voice when you’re no longer here—and it ensures your legacy is passed on with clarity and care. Want to explore how a will compares to a trust, or what to include in a basic will?
"Peace of Mind for Generations."
Trust
A trust is a fiduciary arrangement where a trustee holds and manages assets on behalf of beneficiaries. Trusts can:
- Avoid probate (saving time and legal costs).
- Provide privacy (unlike wills, which become public record).
- Offer tax advantages and asset protection.
- Control how and when assets are distributed.
Types of Trusts
- Revocable Living Trust: Can be changed or revoked during your lifetime. Offers flexibility and avoids probate but doesn’t provide tax or asset protection.
- Irrevocable Trust: Cannot be changed once established. Offers strong tax benefits and asset protection.
- Specialized Trusts:
- Charitable Trusts: Support philanthropic goals while offering tax deductions.
- Special Needs Trusts: Provide for a disabled beneficiary without affecting government benefits.
- Generation-Skipping Trusts: Transfer wealth to grandchildren, bypassing the children’s estate tax exposure.
How Trusts Fit into Wealth Management
Trusts are not just about transferring wealth—they’re about preserving values, protecting assets, and planning for the future. They allow you to:
- Coordinate with your investment and tax strategies.
- Provide for loved ones responsibly.
- Leave a legacy that reflects your intentions.
"Clarity in Planning. Confidence in Legacy."
Tax Considerations
Estate planning helps minimize tax burdens for your heirs. Key taxes to consider:
🏛️ Federal Estate & Gift Tax Exemption
- For 2025, the federal estate and gift tax exemption is $13.99 million per individual (or $27.98 million for married couples).
- Estates exceeding this amount may face a 40% federal estate tax.
- Both the House and Senate have proposed bills to make this higher exemption permanent, potentially increasing it to $15 million per person starting in 2026.
🎁 Annual Gift Tax Exclusion
- You can gift up to $19,000 per person in 2025 without using your lifetime exemption.
- Strategic gifting can reduce your taxable estate while supporting loved ones during your lifetime.
🧾 Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax
- The GST tax exemption also aligns with the $13.99 million threshold, allowing you to transfer wealth to grandchildren or beyond without additional tax—if planned properly.
🧠 Planning Opportunities
- With the possibility of the exemption reverting to pre-2017 levels (~$7 million) in 2026 if no legislation passes, 2025 may be a critical year for lifetime gifting and trust planning.
- Consider irrevocable trusts, charitable giving, and family limited partnerships to lock in current exemptions and reduce future estate tax exposure.
"Secure What Matters Most."
Protecting Your Estate
Protecting your estate is about more than just having a will—it's about building a resilient plan that shields your assets, honors your wishes, and minimizes burdens for your loved ones. Here are the key strategies:
Essential Legal Documents
Create a will, trust, powers of attorney, and advance directives to ensure your wishes are honored and your assets are managed smoothly.
Tax Efficiency
Use the 2025 federal exemption ($13.99M) and $19,000 annual gift exclusion to reduce estate taxes. Trusts and step-up in basis rules can further minimize tax exposure.
Trust Planning
Establish revocable or irrevocable trusts to avoid probate, protect assets, and control how your wealth is distributed.
Keep Beneficiaries Current
Review beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance to avoid conflicts or delays.
Plan for Incapacity
Appoint trusted individuals through legal documents to manage your finances and healthcare if you're unable to.
Review Regularly
Update your plan after major life events to keep everything aligned with your goals.