Estate Planning

Having your own company affords you many benefits. However, for most individuals, your business may be the single largest asset you own. When added to your other assets, your heirs could be facing an estate tax dilemma. Federal taxes can reduce the value of an estate by as much as 35% (based on 2011 estate tax rates).

You've worked hard and accomplished a great deal. Now you want to preserve those rewards and preserve your legacy for your family. However, passing your legacy on to your family requires planning.

Without proper planning, the IRS may end up being your largest beneficiary or partner. The result - your loved ones may be left with far less than you had hoped for.

Estate planning is the process of arranging assets in a manner that helps to meet lifetime financial objectives, and simultaneously helps provide for survivors' needs and the disposition of property at death. A carefully implemented estate plan can help to:

Create and conserve assets during life.
Reduce death taxes and estate settlement costs to assure that cash is available to pay unavoidable death taxes and costs.
Provide an orderly distribution of assets that meets the estate owner's objectives and intentions.
Provide more stability and family harmony.

Proper estate planning allows you to better distribute what you have to whom you want, when you want, usually at a lower cost to your estate. It can help ease the burden to your family by minimizing the taxes payable at your death. There are estate planning strategies that can help you preserve your legacy for future generations.

Working with your other professional advisors, we can provide you with an analysis that can help you assess your potential estate issues now and in the future. The strategy today can help assure the best for your heirs tomorrow.

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