Estate Planning

For some individuals, financial planning focuses primarily on building assets and preparing for retirement. For others, it also includes thoughtful consideration of how their estate may be handled and how their values, priorities, and intentions may be carried forward. Estate planning is an important part of a comprehensive financial strategy and can help provide clarity and direction for you and your loved ones.

Why Estate Planning Is Important

Estate planning can help document your wishes, provide guidance for the management and distribution of your assets, and address considerations related to incapacity or unexpected life events. Without an estate plan in place, decisions regarding your assets and personal matters may be governed by state laws, court processes, or third parties, which may not reflect your intentions.

A well-considered estate plan is designed to help you organize your affairs, communicate your priorities, and coordinate with the appropriate professionals to support your long-term goals and legacy.

What We Can Do For You

Our Estate Planning services focus on education, planning support, and coordination with your legal and tax professionals. While legal documents are prepared by qualified attorneys, we can help you understand key concepts and considerations, including:

• Understanding the role of a will
  A will is a foundational component of an estate plan. We can help you understand the purpose of a will and the types of decisions it may address, so you are better prepared for discussions with your attorney when creating or updating this document.
• Understanding Powers of Attorney (POA)
  Powers of Attorney may play an important role in managing financial or personal matters in the event of incapacity. We can provide education on the different types of POAs and help coordinate with your attorney as these documents are established and maintained.
• Executor and trustee considerations
  Selecting an executor or trustee is an important decision. We can help you understand the responsibilities associated with these roles and discuss factors you may wish to consider when reviewing options with your legal advisor.
• Beneficiary designations
  Beneficiary designations are a critical part of estate planning and should be reviewed regularly. We can help you evaluate how beneficiary choices align with your overall financial plan and identify items to review with your attorney or plan providers.
• Planning considerations for dependents
  Estate planning often involves considerations for dependents, including minor children, adult dependents, or family members with special needs. We can help you identify planning topics to discuss with your legal advisor to ensure your intentions are clearly documented.
• Tax and cost considerations
  Estate planning may involve discussions around taxes, fees, and other expenses. We can help identify considerations that may affect your estate and coordinate with your tax and legal professionals as appropriate.
• Asset and risk considerations
  We can discuss how various risks may affect estate assets over time and review planning considerations intended to support the orderly management and distribution of assets, in coordination with your broader financial strategy.
• Health and incapacity planning considerations
  An estate plan may include directives related to healthcare decisions and incapacity. We can help you understand how these components fit within your overall plan and coordinate with your attorney as needed.
• Coordinating your estate plan
  Estate planning is most effective when legal documents, beneficiary designations, and financial accounts are aligned. We can help review how these elements fit together and support coordination among your professional advisors.