There is possibly no other financial planning topic that sparks as much emotion as that of estate planning. Estate planning is, in its most basic form, planning for the transfer of wealth upon one’s death with the intention of minimizing the tax burden while maximizing the wealth transferred. At Tronconi Segarra & Associates, we consider estate planning to encompass even more.
Beyond wealth transference, we assist families in considering matters such as control over the family’s assets; continuance of the family’s business(es); and family dynamics that may impact the disposition of assets, not to mention the influence of family relationships. Retirement planning is often a consideration with estate planning since the tax implications of retirement planning will most likely have an impact on the overall value of the estate. And for those who wish to establish a legacy through charitable organizations, we assist in planning for gifts, contributions and endowments to specific organizations identified or created by our clients.
Often, we work hand-in-hand with the family’s attorney and/or wealth manager in establishing a strategy for achieving the client’s goals for the disposition of assets, and the minimization of tax implications, both during life and for future generations. Our approach in working with each family is unique and tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. We respect each family’s individuality and are committed to helping our client families experience the tangible outcomes of their estate planning.
Estate planning activities will often require the creation or review of other legal and financial documents, such as wills, powers of attorney, insurance policies, health care proxies and trust instruments. Tronconi Segarra & Associates can help facilitate family discussions concerning topics such as techniques for protecting assets, legal ownership of assets, and selecting trustees, executors and beneficiaries, which are instrumental in creating an estate plan.
Following are some of the types of trusts that the experienced estate planning professionals at Tronconi Segarra & Associates can assist with:
- Grantor annuity retained and uni-trusts
- Life insurance trusts
- Charitable lead trusts
- Charitable remainder trusts
- Bypass trusts
- Personal residence trusts
- Family limited partnerships
- Marital deduction trusts
- Revocable lifetime trusts
- Intentionally defective trusts
High Net Worth Individuals
The hallmark of Tronconi Segarra & Associates’ proactive approach to providing tax planning services is integration…our ability to understand and identify tax strategies that take into consideration the potential impact on the tax situation for both the business itself as well as the business owner’s personal tax obligation. They are inherently “joined at the hip.”
We meet with clients throughout the year so that we can stay abreast of changes and events occurring in their lives, and then incorporate that information into our ongoing business and personal tax planning for them. Many tax strategies can only be implemented in the year in which certain changes and events occur, so it is critical that we keep in close communication with our clients all year long to allow the maximum amount of time to do research and calculate various scenarios to identify which would ultimately be the most advantageous for our clients.
During the year, as well as during the actual return is being prepared, we consider numerous issues that could have an impact on a client’s tax obligation, including (but not limited to): projections to determine whether a client will be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and how to best minimize AMT; retirement planning strategies; stock based compensation planning; whether at-risk or passive activity rules can be utilized; strategies that can be utilized in a divorce action; utilizing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to reduce taxable income; and payment planning to minimize tax and underpayment penalties. We will also research a client’s unique circumstances to identify even more strategies that can be considered to help minimize the tax obligation.