Investors should be prepared to bear the financial risks of investing in an alternative investment for an indefinite period of time. It is recommended that clients seek the opinion of their attorney regarding the specific legal and tax issues addressed herein. They may earn commissions on investment products, give vague answers about their fiduciary status, or focus more on selling funds than building a long-term pla


Your financial advisor can work with your tax, legal and estate-planning professionals to help ensure you have an estate plan that matches your goals. Irrevocable trusts can be used to provide for a spouse and children from a prior relationship, help ensure that your heirs manage and use funds wisely and minimize federal and state wealth transfer taxes. This pre-meeting assessment for clients helps you determine how much they, their life partners, and their heirs know about investments, other financial tools, and the principles of building and protecting Legacy planning for families wealth. Frequent communication about values the family considers important helps to reinforce those values and ensure their understanding by future heirs. We work with you to determine the best way to preserve, manage, and distribute your assets during your life and after death, including providing gifts and bequests to your heirs, while minimizing your estate taxes.
Education
Your EP Wealth Advisor Legacy planning for families is with you every step of the way to develop an estate plan that is integrated with your wealth management goals. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The best way to help you reach your goals is through education. We’ll be with you every step of the way as we implement your plan and help you make the most out of your money. The Holistic process has been refined from decades of helping client


Unlike a health care POA—which applies to other areas of medical care—a living will only details instructions concerning end-of-life care. A revocable living trust offers flexibility and control while you're alive, and it can help avoid the probate process, making it easier for your loved ones to manage your assets after you're gone. Whether simple or complex, a well-crafted will is a crucial part of your estate plan, ensuring your wishes are respected and your loved ones are taken care of. Your will is a physical document that you create and sign, often in the presence of witnesse


NAPFA has partnered with various organizations to provide members with access to a variety of education and training. "It is rooted in our belief that excellence in financial planning must always serve the public good." Consider volunteering your financial planning expertise or making a donation to support the Foundation's programs. That means they will partner with you to navigate complex financial issues regardless of client Legacy planning for families circumstances and objective

Have more questions? We're ready to help.
By treating your estate plan as a dynamic document, you can ensure that it continues to reflect your wishes and provides the best possible protection for your loved ones. Think about whether you want to support specific goals for your beneficiaries, such as education or starting a business. If you have a family business, you can set goals to ensure its continuation by creating a structured transition Legacy planning for families plan and designating the right individuals to take over. Additionally, gathering usernames and passwords for your digital accounts is essential to ensure that your beneficiaries have access to all your assets, both physical and digital. A good place to begin is with an estate planning checklist, which can guide you through the essential steps, such as creating a will, setting up trusts, and designating power of attorne


The estates of anyone, in any income group, can be sued or suffer from hefty taxation. It’s a vital and completely legal component of both financial planning and estate planning. Specifically, knowledge of how applicable fraudulent transfer/conveyance laws apply to proposed planning (either under the UFTA or UFCA) is absolutely essential. That means aligning wills, powers of attorney, trusts and beneficiary Legacy planning for families designation


Small, proactive steps make a big difference. But getting your estate plan in place is an act of radical self-care and love for your family that can help you feel calm, confident and in control. In the 2025 Wills and Estate Planning Study, procrastination overwhelmingly topped the list of reasons people haven’t created a will or trust. Most people delay estate planning because they assume it’s expensive or overwhelming. "Quite frankly, everyone should have a power of attorney once they turn 18," Sikorski says. It’s a full tool kit — a combination of documents that work together to protect your wishes and make things easier for your family.
Consider prepaying or prearranging funeral or memorial services—this can help relieve the burden on your family after you’ve passed. These designations can override your will, so it’s important to Legacy planning for families check them regularly and keep them up to date. It can offer clarity and comfort to your family if you’re no longer able to process information or communicate your wishes. A living will may include your preferences relating to resuscitation, defibrillators, feeding tubes, and/or life support. You can have multiple POAs with the same person as agent or different people, depending on what you prefe