Mark and Cindy are in their 60s, married, and have three adult children, one of which has special needs. They have jointly-held investments of $24 million and a $180,000 per year pension. They split time between their primary residence and two vacation homes each year, and require stable cash flow from their portfolio.

Problems & Concerns:

  • Mark and Cindy are currently working with three different investment advisors. They want to find one trusted firm that understands their goals and can help them with their tax and estate planning.
  • They want to develop a plan to minimize income and estate taxes, while protecting against potential liabilities.
  • They want to ensure their wealth will provide for their children’s needs, but also provide incentive for their children to be successful on their own.
  • They want to meet their philanthropic goal of donating $200,000 to charities each year in the most tax-efficient manner.
  • They want to avoid complex and expensive investment strategies.

Solutions:

  • Their finances were simplified by consolidating their accounts at a single, low-cost custodian.
  • We established collaborative relationships with their accountant, attorneys, insurance agents, personal assistants, and banking professionals.
  • We created a flowchart of their estate to help them visualize the future distribution of assets.
  • We worked closely with their estate planning attorney to ensure that their estate plan will meet their personal and financial goals.
  • In collaboration with their CPA, we identified tax-efficient investment options and philanthropic strategies.
  • We coordinated a family meeting to establish relationships with all three children.

Ongoing relationship:

  • Mark and Cindy are confident that they now have an ongoing financial plan that will meet their current needs and also those of their children. They also feel secure with their long-term estate plan and the ultimate disposition of their assets.
  • Our communication is frequent with both Mark and Cindy and their children. We ensure that a comprehensive review takes place on a biannual basis.
  • Our ongoing collaboration with their CPA and attorney ensures a cohesive approach to the management of their overall financial affairs.