Wealth Counselor

Estate Planning Should Always be a Team Effort

Posted by Robert L. Arone – A Team of Coordinated Professionals Is Your Clients’ Best Bet Picture a symphony’s worth of classical musicians all trying to play a piece in perfect harmony, but they can’t see one another. Each of them also has slightly different sheet music. It doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to know it’s not going to sound pretty. That’s what it’s like for clients whose various advisors don’t communicate. Of course, an individual’s wealth management strategy doesn’t come from just one part of their approach, but rather a comprehensive and holistic combination of the efforts of several professionals. A little miscommunication goes a long way You might be surprised to consider just how often disjointed planning and advising can impact a client’s long-term financial well-being. Estate planning attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and insurance agents may have access to the same initial set of client documents

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The Superior Alternative to “I Love You” Wills

Posted by Robert L. Arone – Guide Your Clients to Lifetime Beneficiary Directed Trusts Instead As Valentine’s Day brings heart-shaped chocolate boxes and roses by the dozen into your clients’ imaginations, seize the moment to educate them about the drawbacks of “I love you” wills and introduce them to the estate planning move that’s actually going to ensure they do well by their loved ones: a lifetime beneficiary trust. You may already be well aware of what estate attorneys call “I love you” wills. You can recognize these wills because they are often short and their hallmark is that the maker of the will leaves everything, outright, to his or her surviving spouse. Hence the “I love you” name: “I love you so much, I’m leaving everything to you.” But this all-too-common approach creates significant risk for beneficiaries and, contrary to their name, is often not the most caring of

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Preparing for a New Administration

Posted by Robert L. Arone – Risks And Opportunities For Your Clients Under President-Elect Trump A new Presidential administration can bring sweeping changes in the tax codes, new rules for how wealth is taxed, and a litany of other legal and regulatory changes. As a result of Donald Trump’s electoral victory on November 8th combined with Republican majorities in the House and Senate, we expect that there will be significant changes starting on January 20, 2017, when Mr. Trump takes office. Your clients may be feeling a bit of anxiety right now about their financial future, and they are depending on you, their trusted advisor, to be on top of any upcoming changes so they can minimize risk and exploit opportunities. We, too, are watching carefully, and in the weeks and months ahead, we’ll be sharing the latest updates and information you need to help your clients make informed decisions

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How and Why Life Insurance Still Matters in Estate Planning

Posted by Robert L. Arone – A frequently overlooked aspect of a client’s life insurance is proper alignment with estate planning goals. Between the typical set-it-and-forget-it mentality and a simple beneficiary approach many people take, a neglected life insurance policy often fails to achieve the goals that initially led to the purchase of the policy. But, you can help. You, as the trusted financial advisor, and us, as the estate planning attorney, can thoroughly review your client’s life insurance needs and policies. You may be able to recommend modifications or new policies to address vulnerabilities, and we can ensure that the ownership of the policy and death benefit are properly aligned to achieve your clients’ estate planning goals. By building deeper and broader relationships with your clients, you can grow your own business through referrals, earn commission on any newly written life insurance, and, potentially, undertake management of assets when

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Help Your Clients Save at Tax Time

Posted by Robert L. Arone – 6 Important Conversations to Have with Your Clients Before the Hustle and Bustle of the Holidays As summer gives way to fall, it’s time to start thinking about year-end tax planning. This is an opportunity to communicate with your clients, offer solutions, and deepen your relationship by helping them save thousands of dollars next spring at tax time. To help your clients make the most of these opportunities, here are five conversations you can have with them before the holiday season sets in. 1. Discuss any tax changes for 2016 that might affect the client. Yearly changes in the tax rules can either save or cost them at tax time. Since you’re already familiar with your clients’ financial structures and strategies, you can determine which of your clients are affected by tax law changes, using that conversation as an entry point to a discussion

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