Ask ten people whether they have an estate plan, and many will say yes. Ask when they last reviewed it, and the answer is often “a while ago” or a long pause. An estate plan that isn’t reviewed periodically may no longer reflect your current wishes or circumstances.
It isn’t because people don’t care. Estate planning can be complex, it often involves several different professionals who rarely communicate with one another, and once the documents are signed, they frequently sit untouched as life continues to change.
A marriage, a new grandchild, the sale of a business, a move to a new state, or even changes in your financial situation can all leave an estate plan out of date. Unfortunately, many people don’t discover those gaps until they’re needed most.
That’s the gap we’ve set out to close. At Equilibrium Wealth Advisors, we have always believed estate planning is an important part of a well-rounded financial plan. Today, we’re expanding our ability to help clients move that planning forward through greater coordination and a more connected planning experience.
Our role is to coordinate the process, help keep everything organized, and help keep your financial plan, tax strategy, and estate planning aligned. We work to connect your investment strategy, tax planning, and estate planning so each piece supports the others, communicate with the appropriate professionals when needed, and revisit your plan over time as your life and financial goals evolve.
The result is a more connected planning experience. Instead of your investments, taxes, and estate plan existing in separate silos, they work together as part of one coordinated strategy. Rather than juggling multiple professionals independently, you’ll have one team helping coordinate the process and keeping your overall financial plan aligned.
As life changes, your financial plan should evolve with it. Estate planning is an important part of that process, and we’re excited to make it an even more connected part of the guidance we provide.
If you’d like to learn more about how estate planning fits into your overall financial plan, ask your advisor at Equilibrium Wealth Advisors during your next review or reach out to our team anytime. Contact us at (412) 991-1385 or request an appointment online.
For specific disclosures on how our estate planning setup works, view our estate planning disclosures.
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Important Disclosures:
Securities and advisory services offered through EWA LLC dba Equilibrium Wealth Advisors (a SEC Registered Investment Advisor).
* Contents for information purposes only and nothing herein shall constitute an offer to buy or sell securities, nor does it amount to tax, legal or investment advice.
* Government bonds and Treasury Bills are guaranteed by the U.S. government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value. However, the value of fund shares is not guaranteed and will fluctuate.
* Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds but normally offer a higher yield and are subject to market, interest rate and credit risk as well as additional risks based on the quality of issuer coupon rate, price, yield, maturity, and redemption features.
* The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. You cannot invest directly in this index.
* All indexes referenced are unmanaged. The volatility of indexes could be materially different from that of a client’s portfolio. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment. You cannot invest directly in an index.
* The Dow Jones Global ex-U.S. Index covers approximately 95% of the market capitalization of the 45 developed and emerging countries included in the Index.
* The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.
* Gold represents the afternoon gold price as reported by the London Bullion Market Association. The gold price is set twice daily by the London Gold Fixing Company at 10:30 and 15:00 and is expressed in U.S. dollars per fine troy ounce.
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index is designed to be a highly liquid and diversified benchmark for the commodity futures market. The Index is composed of futures contracts on 19 physical commodities and was launched on July 14, 1998.
* The DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index measures the total return performance of the equity subcategory of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) industry as calculated by Dow Jones.
* The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly known as “The Dow,” is an index representing 30 stock of companies maintained and reviewed by the editors of The Wall Street Journal.
* The NASDAQ Composite is an unmanaged index of securities traded on the NASDAQ system.
* International investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability and may not be suitable for all investors. These risks are often heightened for investments in emerging markets.
* Yahoo! Finance is the source for any reference to the performance of an index between two specific periods.
* The risk of loss in trading commodities and futures can be substantial. You should therefore carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. The high degree of leverage is often obtainable in commodity trading and can work against you as well as for you. The use of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains.
* Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.
* Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.
* Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.
* The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee it is accurate or complete.
* There is no guarantee a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.
* Asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss.
* Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.
In 15 minutes we can get to know you – your situation, goals and needs – then connect you with an advisor committed to helping you pursue true wealth.