Estate planning

Savvy inheritance planning can alleviate HNW clients' concerns that their wealth will be squandered or lead to squabbling among heirs. Here's how advisors can conduct the most effective family meetings to tackle these delicate issues.

Working on family governance can be a slow process, but both clients and their advisors benefit - with clients having peace of mind and advisors providing a premium value-add for high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

What is this wealth supposed to accomplish? Many HNW clients confront this question as they contemplate what to do with their fortunes beyond providing for their families. Here's how their advisors can help.

As advisors work to minimize the estate tax burden, what about an analysis of how estate taxes will be paid? Here’s a simple solution for covering the bill.

The so-called Crummey technique has the IRS concerned, so planners might want to alert HNW clients before the opportunity is reined in.

Advisors and their HNW clients too often shy away from difficult conversations about inheritance planning. Here are some ideas for advisors to help start the dialogue.

Portability shelters up to $10.68 million from transfer taxes for couples in 2014, but HNW clients can benefit from additional tactics.

For wealthy and high-profile clients, privacy can be hard to attain. But most people don't want their personal lives made public, especially when they are going through a divorce. Here's how planners can help.

HNW clients face steep income and estate tax in some states, so a legal move to tax-friendlier territory can pay off.

Prenups can help HNW clients and heirs in case of divorce or death, but advisors must avoid offending these spouses-to-be.

A smoother prenup process can ease clients' embarrassment and protect their financial well-being.

Advisors need to spend more time helping clients plan for long-term care and inheritance allocations before problems arise, says one advisor and author.

Tax law changes may make it harder for advisors to show how specialized services are vital. Here's how to adapt.

An estate plan reflects the present state of clients' lives, with an overlay of applicable laws. Here's how to tell when a plan needs an update.

While spending years in litigation over a single piece of art is unusual, family fights over valuable or sentimental personal property left by a deceased loved one are far from uncommon. The mess involving a Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett offers an important estate planning lesson for advisors.

Many considered Dec. 31, 2013, the final date for year-end tax planning, but there are numerous planning actions that you can take in 2014 retroactive to 2013. Here's a quick and easy guide to help with planning.

Rather than leaving an account to heirs, it may be smarter to designate a charitable remainder trust as the beneficiary.

The IRS has released the final regulations for the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax that was imposed as part of the Affordable Care Act.

November's hot stories were a wide ranging lot. Check out this month’s big winners.

Recent studies have found that as people age, many lose their ability to make sound financial decisions. So what can be done to safeguard elderly clients’ hard earned assets?