What I Do

In collaboration with the client’s other advisors, we develop a unified plan which combines the client’s legal, tax, philanthropic and business matters to accomplish the client’s specialized objectives.  These often include:

• Solidifying the client’s control over his or her affairs;

• Assuring the continuance of the client’s lifestyle through tax-free conversion of paper profits;

• Protecting the client’s wealth and income from legal judgments;

• Eliminating or substantially reducing capital gain and income taxes;

• Managing the value of the client’s business interests;

• Facilitating the client’s ability to pass value, responsibility, and work stewardship ethics to the client’s heirs;

• Eliminating or substantially reducing excise, gift, estate and generation skipping taxes;

• Keeping the client’s affairs free from publicity

Clients

Clients are high net worth individuals and families with differing backgrounds, vocations and personalities, who have much in common:

• A need to bring order to their affairs;

• An enthusiasm to help loved ones and causes they care about, and the resources to do so meaningfully;

• A distaste of publicity, bureaucracies, waste and red tape;

• The desire to expand their horizons far beyond present boundaries.

The Planning Process

Generally, the process takes place in several discrete steps.  The first step is to meet with the prospective client and other advisors to determine whether or not my services will be especially valuable.  If so, then based upon the client’s needs and desires, the engagement parameters are formulated and agreed to, including fees, deadlines and responsibilities.

The next step is a detailed review of the client’s existing situation, including all financial information, existing estate planning documentation and other relevant data, in order to determine the starting point for future work.  This step is followed by a series of meetings with the client and other advisors to determine and articulate the client’s planning objectives.  These objectives are critical in developing the planning strategies.

Once client objectives are agreed to, various strategies are thoroughly tested and analyzed, the plan is built and illustrated through the use of narrative, graphs, charts, models and schedules in a comprehensive, understandable strategic planning book.  Upon presentation of this preliminary plan, the client’s reactions, criticisms or other ideas are taken into account to prepare the final plan.  The final design book is then prepared and presented for client approval.

Once the plan is approved by the client, implementation is assigned to the appropriate advisors for immediate action.

Schedule

The review and design phase outlined above are generally completed within 60-90 days of starting the engagement; implementation may take an additional 90-120 days.

2 - 3 Hours	Initial meeting with prospective client and other advisors, as appropriate.
1-3 Weeks	Review of client’s existing situation Financial Information Tax Returns Existing Estate Planning Documents Business Documents Other documents as necessary
3 - 6 Weeks	Design meetings with client and other advisors, as appropriate. 3-5 meetings of 2-3 hours each to develop specific, measurable objectives for the plan. Testing and analysis of various strategies Build plan Create preliminary design book
1 - 2 Weeks	Preliminary plan presented to client in a comprehensive, understandable, strategic planning book.  Narrative, graphs, charts, models and schedules.  Modify plan as necessary based upon client reaction, ideas and criticisms.
1 - 2 Weeks	Final plan submitted to client for approval, with schedule, legal fees, estimated out-of-pocket expenses and responsibilities assigned.
90 – 120 Days	Implementation of planning strategies.

Fees

All fees are quoted on a flat fee basis, in advance, based upon the effort to be spent, the creativity of the solutions developed, and the quality of the results that will be obtained.  The fee for the review/design portion of the engagement and the implementation portion are quoted separately.

My practice is devoted to helping these clients achieve these important goals and to create lasting legacies. Please review a sample of recent cases by clicking here.