In this interview, Managing Director and Co-Head of Planning Group Elizabeth Kearns highlights what sets our estate planning approach apart from other wealth management firms.

 

We serve as our clients’ estate planning advisors, meaning that we review their documents, help them think through various issues and scenarios, and ultimately propose strategies that help them meet their goals. We work closely with our financial planning team to understand the full picture of each client’s net worth and assets, including whether their wealth is increasing or decreasing over time, which helps us determine their potential estate tax liability. This allows us to tailor our recommendations to the client’s unique situation — both in the near term and in the coming years.

 

Our deep bench of financial and estate planners is key. Because we work in concert with our clients’ financial planning team, we’re able to see the big picture and model out different strategies to mitigate estate taxes. For example, our estate planning team might suggest that a client place significant assets in a trust, and our financial planning team can provide a detailed look at what that means for the client’s long-term financial security. We offer this same level of in-depth planning for every single client, regardless of how much they invest with us.

 

In addition, we work very closely with our clients’ outside advisors — such as CPAs and estate planning attorneys — who appreciate how in-tune we are with what’s going on in our clients’ lives. Because we have intimate knowledge of all aspects of their financial life, we can proactively make sure their estate planning evolves with their changing circumstances.

 

How does CCT’s intimate knowledge of clients help secure their financial futures?

Because we know the ins and outs of each client’s situation, we can help them assess how much they’re able to give away without jeopardizing their own financial future. Giving away a large sum of money and, in theory, never touching it again is a very big step for our clients. But we explain that there are various ways to transfer wealth, with some even permitting you to retain indirect access to the money. Our detailed knowledge of each client’s finances coupled with our ability to walk them through various scenarios helps put them at ease with making these big decisions.

 

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