PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

A PROACTIVE TEAM APPROACH

We believe that a coordinated effort among our clients’ accounting, legal, financial, fiduciary, and banking advisers ensures that plans are professionally orchestrated, integrated and implemented. In the process of working with us, you will soon learn that developing strategic partnerships with other professionals is a key part of our philosophy and we go out of our way to refer qualified clients to our strategic partners when appropriate.

We facilitate this team approach through our planning process which enables the advisory team to provide input and have access to the client’s comprehensive financial plan and related documents.

AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR OTHER ADVISERS

Our strategic partnerships with other advisers (e.g., attorneys, CPAs, investment advisers, trustees, banks) also involve serving as an independent and confidential resource to address clients’ financial planning needs. Services can be provided behind the scenes through other firms or via direct client interface – on a case-by-case basis. Simply put, our goal is to add to other professionals’ credibility – through technical intelligence and comprehensive resources – delivered objectively, promptly and thoroughly. Several of the processes and services we provide to other advisers include:

SERVICES
  • Review and analysis of life insurance and annuity contracts, illustrations and pricing decisions
  • Evaluation of insurance company strength and performance
  • Insurance policy monitoring and management so that policy performance and benefits remain on track and continue to met the client’s objectives
  • Identification of life settlement options and their probable costs
  • Second opinion underwriting consulting to help avoid the risk of being denied coverage or the surprise of receiving a premium offer significantly higher than planned
  • Private briefings for accountants, attorneys, investment advisers, and trusees on insurance issues to assist with adviser due diligence

CPA & INVESTMENT ADVISER PARTNERSHIPS

Many of our planning strategies include tax-sensitive issues. As a result, we place high importance on coordinating our efforts with CPAs and other investment advisers to provide insight into areas impacting clients’ tax, executive benefits, and estate planning issues.

Through our many years of partnering with CPAs, we understand the importance of objectivity, confidentiality, transparency and competency for the engagement in our working relationship. As a result, we are regularly called upon by CPAs and other investment advisers to provide resources and technical support. At the same time, our practice is to proactively involve tax advisers in our process of developing and implementing planning strategies for clients in areas such as:

  • Personal and Business Income Tax Planning
  • Sale or Purchase of a Closely-held Business
  • Business Succession Planning
  • Estate Tax and Liquidity Planning
  • Life Insurance Tax Issues
  • Complex Insurance Structures
  • Business Valuation and Buy-Sell Arrangements

ATTORNEY PARTNERSHIPS

When developing and implementing complex financial, tax and estate planning strategies for clients, we place high importance on coordinating our efforts with legal advisers to provide insight during the execution of legal documents that impact the client’s plan. At the same time, we proactively involve legal advisers in our process of developing and implementing planning strategies for clients in areas such as:

  • Estate Planning, including inter-generational issues
  • Trusts
  • Business Succession Planning
  • Life Insurance and other Risk Management Planning
  • Asset Protection Strategies
  • Income, Estate and Gift Tax Planning
  • Special Needs and Elder Care Planning
  • Charitable Planning Strategies