For many clients, a revocable living trust is a valuable tool to ensure that the client’s finances are well managed during periods of incapacity and that the client’s loved ones are financially secure upon the client’s death. However, signing the trust agreement doesn’t end the estate planning process. The team (client, attorney, financial advisor, insurance agent, etc.) must take a final, crucial step–funding the trust.…
What 199A Regulations Mean for Your Clients
Tax-Saving Opportunities for Business Owners Are any of your business-owning clients curious about the new Section 199A deduction? Although the deduction became effective on January 1, 2018, guidance on how it would be calculated was delegated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by Congress. For months, financial and tax professionals have speculated about various aspects of this new deduction since Congress gave us little concrete…
Insights to Protect Your Business Owner Clients
Building a business is often an all-consuming quest. Your entrepreneurial clients have spent years, maybe decades, fighting past obstacles to make their dreams a reality. It’s easy for founders to find themselves so absorbed that they forget about the “outside” world. This short sightedness can harm their relationships and health, in the worst cases. It has other consequences, too. Founders often neglect to deal with…
Harnessing the Power of Trusts to Help Your Clients Protect Their Heirs
Now January is behind us, and we are back into our work routine, here’s a question to ponder: Are all your clients’ estate plans structured to provide long-term protection against court interference, creditors, bankruptcy, divorcing spouses, and financial mismanagement? As a financial or tax professional, you need to assume that “Murphy’s Law” is always potentially in play: if something can go wrong for your client,…
Preparing For A New Administration: 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…
Advisor Insights 2017 Schedule Through May
ADVISORS INSIGHTS Schedule of Topics through May 2017 (All Workshops Are From 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM, unless otherwise noted) Date Location Topic January 31 Woburn Demystifying Trusts for Non-Lawyers – Part One February 16 Beverly Special Needs Trusts March 23 Woburn Special Needs Planning April 26 Beverly Demystifying Trusts for Non-Lawyers – Part One May 18 Woburn The Financial Component of…
How and Why Life Insurance Still Matters in Estate Planning
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 advisor, and us, as the estate planning attorney,…
Help Your Clients Save at Tax Time
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. By engaging your clients in this way,…
8 Red Flags That Your Clients’ Estate Plans Are Out of Whack
How Uncovering Your Clients’ Legal Needs Means More Business for You Estate plans, like complex computer code, can get buggy. As a financial advisor, you have a fiduciary duty to your clients to help them avoid negative consequences of bad planning. That duty includes keeping tabs on legal issues related to estate planning and getting your clients the help they need, when they need it,…