If you have a blended family or family members with special needs,
if you or your spouse is a non-U.S. citizen,
if you have a pre- or post-marital agreement or substantial separate property,
if you hold a substantial portion of your assets in retirement accounts, or
if you own your own business, hold an interest in a closely-held business, or own investment real estate, you probably need Complex Planning Services.
Any of these circumstances requires careful planning. This type of planning allows time to really understand how to best protect the assets you have built for the benefit of your family and future generations. The plan includes the Advance Health Care Directive, a durable power of attorney for the management of your finances, a single or joint revocable trust, details of all assets – whether they’re included in the trust or not, and a pourover Will. It might include an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT), if that's appropriate. If you have young children or vulnerable family members with special needs, the plan would include special needs provisions. Your trust might include the appointment of a special trustee or trust protector to manage your business assets or generation-skipping transfer tax provision. If you have an interest in charitable giving during your lifetime or after your death, we can help you with planned giving. We’ll prepare and record the deed to transfer your home into your trust. We’ll also help you to transfer bank accounts, taxable brokerage accounts, and business interests into your trust, and to update beneficiary forms for your retirement accounts and life insurance, as needed. We’ll meet with you as often as needed to review and revise drafts and to execute the final plan. After you’ve signed your plan, you’ll receive your original documents, a customized estate-planning binder with additional copies and instructions, and a flash drive with digital copies of everything. We will check in with you annually to see if there have been any changes in your life or in the lives of your agents, trustees, executors, or beneficiaries that might require a second look. We provide complex planning services on an hourly basis.