What you've built should land where you want it.

Who gets what, and how

Most money doesn't pass through a will at all. Retirement accounts, insurance and many bank and investment accounts go to whoever is named on the account — even if the will says something different. We review every account's named beneficiaries and how each is titled, so they match what you actually want.

What your heirs will owe

• Inherited retirement accounts. Most children who inherit one must empty it within ten years — often during their own highest-earning years, at their highest tax rate. Paying some of that tax yourself, at a lower rate, can leave them more.
• Ordinary investment accounts. Investments held in a regular account can pass with their built-up gains wiped clean for tax purposes. That changes which accounts you spend first and which you leave.
• Giving to charity. If you plan to give, which account the gift comes from can make a large difference to what's left for family.

Protecting your spouse

When one spouse dies, income often falls while taxes rise. We plan the survivor's income in advance and make sure the person who handles less of the money today knows where everything is and what to do.

Working with your attorney

We are not attorneys and we don't draft wills or trusts. We review your documents against your financial plan, point out where they don't match, and work alongside your estate attorney — or help you find one — so the legal side and the money side say the same thing.