Estate planning

Estate planning is about peace of mind. You want to know there’s a plan if something were to happen to you. You want your family to be protected. You want your assets to go where you want and the right people to be in charge.

Estate planning is not only about transferring your assets at your death. Minimizing taxes, avoiding family friction and experiencing the joy of gifting are all benefits of making your estate plan something you put into action during your life.

Creating plans for today and the future

We partner with you to implement a multi-generational plan for how your assets are managed and transferred, both during your lifetime and at death, with sensitivity to the impact of taxes.

We can help you tax-effectively pass on your wealth

Our estate planning expertise is grounded in nine decades of executing those plans for our clients. We can help you design planning strategies that are flexible, tax-efficient and designed to weather the other frictions that can erode wealth when it passes from one generation to the next. We will guide you through:

Transfer taxes and gifting. Developing and implementing strategies to maximize the after-tax assets that pass to your beneficiaries.
Business succession planning. Creating succession plans that set your business up to smoothly transfer and grow across generations.
International tax planning. Navigating the complexity of your international connections, whether it be assets overseas, family members making gifts into the US, beneficiaries abroad or moving between countries.

Advising you on your estate plan

Will

We can help you ensure your will effectively outlines your wishes for your assets and property and defines guardianship plans for your dependents.

Living/revocable trusts

We will review any trust documents to ensure they are aligned with your current circumstances, plans and wishes for your wealth.

Irrevocable trusts

If gifting strategies are part of your financial plan, we will help determine the right trust structures for your gifts.

Power of attorney

If needed, this document allows you to authorize someone to make financial, business or personal decisions on your behalf.

Healthcare directive

If needed, this document empowers a trusted person to make medical decisions on your behalf.

Visualizing your plan

We help you see your plan in action – both visualizing the future possibilities and executing on it today. We can illustrate the flow of your assets, where taxes need to be considered, and most importantly, what the picture looks like for future generations. We also can help you adjust your plans as your circumstances evolve.

Preparing your family for wealth

Our estate planning expertise extends beyond tax strategies to include assisting you and your family in identifying shared goals, preparing the next generation for wealth and planning your legacy.

Statistics show that, all too often, family wealth is eroded by the third generation. Our advisors can help you prepare for long-term success through financial literacy programs, family meetings, business succession plans and personalized family governance structures.