For nearly 20 years I have assisted hundreds of families as well as friends and family members with their estate planning needs. It was recommended that I reach out to you, in social media, to offer assistance with your own personal planning needs. I have found that many have the misconception that the term “Estate Planning” is only for the wealthy, which is false. Your estate regardless of the si
ze is simply the assets you have accumulated over the years such as your home, savings, 401K’s, IRA’s, real estate, life insurance, Etc. This common misconception, as well as not knowing who you can turn to prevents many from implementing a plan that best suits their current and future needs and wants. I have found after assisting families that most were taken back on how easy the process was and wished they would have taken care of this long ago! I know every family and individual is unique, and they have their own unique needs, wants, and concerns. Our mission during our first consultation is to assess your current situation, and assist you in the preparation of your plan from start to finish. In many cases we have found that some have a plan already in place and just needs to be altered based on their current situation. Below you will find just some of the services we can assist you with, and should you not find something that pertaining to your current situation and have additional concerns please do not hesitate to contact us. Remember our motto “PEOPLE DON’T PLAN TO FAIL, BUT FAIL TO PLAN!”
1) “401K rollovers” You may have an old 401k plan from a previous employer or you are preparing for retirement and wish to rollover your plan to a traditional IRA. Providing you with options could be critical to your future needs!
2) “Taxation on interest income” You may be getting taxed on interest from savings accounts, or dividends off stocks that you did NOT want to spend, but reinvest. You should know your options!
3) “Taxation on social security benefits” You may be close to, or already have started receiving your social security benefits. Many are unaware that up to 85% of these be benefits can be taxed. In many cases you can reduce or eliminate this tax!
4) “Provide income for life” You may have the fear like many others of outliving your money. This is one of the primary concerns for those nearing or already in retirement. With certain pension plans that may be exhausted after time, todays unstable economy, a critical illness, etc. this is a true and valid fear! With proper planning you can be guaranteed to never outlive your money!!
5) “Reduce or eliminate risk on investments” You may have investments such as savings, IRA’s, 401K’s, that are exposed to risk and may be assessed fees against your account. As you are probably aware, many families lost a large percentage of these assets due to past market and economic conditions. With the markets at nearly historic highs, some who have stayed and endured are now back to or ahead of where they were when the markets were spiraling downward. I am sure you, like many others are concerned that we could see another major drop in the market. If you desire to have any of your money protected from market risk and fees while still providing a very good return, we can show you your alternatives!
6) “Protection of assets due to critical care needs” You may have known or heard of someone who has inflicted with a serious illness and needed professional care. Many insurance plans do not cover all the expenses and families can literally go broke with out of pocket costs. A serious illness can occur at any age, and that is why you should protect all the assets you have worked a lifetime to accumulate!
7) “Life insurance and life insurance reviews” You may currently have a life insurance policy in force. There are many reasons for life insurance, such as providing for loved ones in the event of premature death, funeral costs, taxation on estates etc. I would encourage you to have your policy reviewed to make sure it fits into your overall estate plan. Many people are completely unaware of the benefits and restrictions of their current policy, such as future rate increases, termination after time, or not having the advantage of the using the death benefit if the need arises for the critical care needs if the insured. I encourage you to assess your situation and determine what type or if any is needed!
8) “Inheritance” You are more than likely to leave some sort of inheritance to your heirs upon your passing. As you know when a loved one passes, it is very hard on the loved ones they leave behind and many fail to have all the correct legal documents, and correct beneficiary designations in place which can cause quite a burden on your heirs. Failure to have the correct documents in place can tie up your estate in probate, and needless taxation on your assets. We work closely with some of the best elder law attorneys to prepare your documents so your loved ones will not have any problems when the time comes!
9) “VA benefit planning” You or a loved one may be entitled to veterans benefits in the event you need long term care based on the government guidelines. If you or someone you know needs critical care and served in any branch of the military during active wartime please have them contact my office!
10) “Medicaid planning” You may have known someone who has exhausted their life savings paying for long term care needs. Many families are unaware a vast majority of these assets can be protected when in the event someone needs care. If you know of someone whose health is failing and long term care is a possibility, I urge you to have them contact me to assess their situation and assist them in protecting as much of their estate as possible!
