Integrated Planning (Estate Value from $2 Million to $20 Million)

3. Foundation & Integrated Planning Visit (1/2 Day Retreat)

At our Foundation and Integrated Planning Visit, we hope to come to a deeper understanding of your family dynamics, and your unique needs and aspirations. We provide you with our professional evaluation of your current legal documents and the structure of assets in your estate. It is our genuine hope that you will use our visit together as an opportunity for your family to reflect on your personal legacy and the activities, people, and organizations that are most important to you and your family. Together we may explore ways in which you might leave a legacy for your family and community.

There is a very real possibility that your estate will continue to increase in magnitude and complexity. We also understand that you would like to keep things as simple as possible. This projected growth in your estate creates opportunities to make your future larger than your past; this growth also creates serious asset protection and tax challenges for you during your life-time and at the time your estate is transferred to your intended beneficiaries. In our experience, families that have gradually accumulated assets rarely comprehend the techniques available to them to protect their assets and transfer an estate of this magnitude. Many don't even grasp the extent of this challenge, viewing their estates as simple (though a bit larger than when they started).

We also set aside time to answer any questions you might have regarding the particulars of the law as it relates to your family and estate. Once your questions are answered, we take you step-by-step through the design of your Foundation Plan and record every reaction, critique, and idea in order to further tailor your plan. (When we implement your Foundation Plan, we evaluate your current and projected asset protection, tax, and possibly business succession needs. If we believe we can achieve extraordinary benefits for your family and estate, we will suggest further planning after implementing the Foundation Plan.)

Based on what we learn during our conversation, we outline our recommendations for your Foundational Plan, including all fees, deadlines, and responsibilities necessary to complete your Foundational Plan. The tasks that lie ahead are explained in order to provide an understanding of each step and the approximate time line. Together, we transform complex financial and emotional considerations into a workable and understandable Foundation Plan.

As with our Initial Introduction, we encourage you to bring your other trusted advisors to this Foundation & Integrated Planning Visit. It is unlikely that we will accomplish meaningful and effective planning together unless we are actively collaborating with your financial and accounting advisors. If you have holes in your advisory team, let us know and we may be able to arrange for an introduction between you and a financial or accounting professional experienced in planning for families and estates like yours.

This Foundation Planning Visit generally lasts 3-4 hours and may take place either in our offices or at a relaxing off-site location of your choosing. Our next meeting together will be your Foundation Plan Signing Ceremony (usually within 1 to 4 weeks).