Resources

We will work with Your counsel including attorney, CPA, banker, investment advisor, and property/casualty insurance agent.

We have many clients across the West and also have our own professional relationships to draw from and refer to for services.

5:55

A Timely Cash Infusion Changed His Life

A client took a chance on my advice and it changed his life

4:42

Why Your Business Partner’s Estate Planning Matters

A story of the reasons for business partners to have well thought out estate plans including separate liquidity planning outside of the buy-sell agreement

5:50

Kept the Life Insurance In Force…Thankfully

Always ask someone competent to review your insurance before you let it lapse. My client was grateful for this advice

6:04

Ranch Succession Planning and Family Healing

A story of a ranch family with complex issues that found common ground in proper planning

6:51

The Buy Sell Agreement Summary

An overview of your most important corporate document.

5:16

Family Continuity, Court Avoidance, and Operating/Buy-Sell Agreements

Real life story of a family relationship that was preserved because of a well drafted operating agreement.

3:16

Don't Wait, Protect your Assets and your Legacy

A story of a client who was going through a divorce and ran out of time.

3:19

Estate Tax Mitigation via Buy-Sell Agreements and Valuation Discounts

Taxable estates can benefit from valuation discounts of closely-held company shares. Your discussions on tax mitigation should include both gifting and valuation discount strategies.

3:12

Someone needs to see the full picture

Holistic planning can only occur if all of the relevant facts are considered

4:17

Communication with your heirs is foundational to a successful transition plan

Communication is key to family continuity in transition planning

2:50

Let’s not forget valuation discounts and their uses in estate tax mitigation

Gifting is regularly discussed in estate planning but valuation discounts could offer you more for less

3:45

Do I have a Testamentary Trust?

This is a story of a person who thought he had a revocable living trust but did not. Disaster averted just in time.

5:40

Quarterly Successor Development Meetings

An effective method for developing skills in potential business successors

3:13

What is Net Amount at Risk

This may be the most significant drag on the longevity of your permanent life insurance policy.

3:11

Preserved Policy Benefits/Benefits of a Policy Review

Why is it important to review your life insurance coverage?

5:09

Dovetail Planning Objectives

What will Dovetail accomplish for you?

5:59

Term life conversion; what is all the fuss about?

What are conversion privileges and why are they valuable? This is a story that demonstrates the value of term conversion. Make sure the term life policy you are considering is convertible and the company offers competitive permanent products for conversion.

3:42

How is suicide treated in a life insurance contract?

This is a common questions of clients and the answer can vary between carriers and states. Make sure your agent knows how this cause of death would be treated in the contracts recommended to you.

3:42

Goodman Rule/Unholy Trinity

Make sure your death benefits will not be gift taxable by obeying the Goodman Rule and staying clear of the Unholy Trinity.

4:26

Understand the need, get approved, then buy the insurance

This is a very interesting story of a brilliant business man who delayed purchasing life insurance.

4:52

Death Claim....Denied!

An interesting story of how the contestability period impacted a client's claim.

5:13

Gift/Cost Basis vs. Inherit/Cost Basis

There are three strategies to transfer assets: sale, gift, and bequest. Remember that appreciated assets and the potential long-term capital gain associated with those assets depends on the method of transfer. These concepts must be understood when planning your business succession and asset transfer.

4:11

A Strategy to Create a Market for your Assets

This video describes a real life strategy to solve substantial estate liquidity needs without a fire sale liquidation.

4:02

You may be an Orphan and not know it

Orphan policies (policies without an Agent assigned) may be the rule and not the exception. Here's why this is a problem.

4:29

Business Succession and Family Continuity Planning with a Funded One-Way Buy-Sell

Solve many complex business and succession planning problems with a properly designed and funded one-way buy-sell agreement. Reduce or eliminate long-term capital gain, get your surviving spouse out of the business rollercoaster ride, move the business to the correct successors, provide discounted funding for the transaction, divide the estate equally, and provide estate liquidity. All of this is possible and even likely when this concept is understood and properly implemented. Watch the video then ask me how.

6:25

Risk Of Waiting for the Stars to Align

This is an interesting story of someone who needed life insurance and qualified for the insurance but decided to wait until the stars aligned. They did not align as hoped. This is a cautionary tale for your consideration.

5:23

Life Settlements

My clients benefited greatly from a life settlement in lieu of surrendering their policy for the cash value. These were extraordinary results but illustrate well the reason for considering life settlement.

6:54

Succession and Estate Plan Review

An interesting story of someone who reluctantly allowed me to review their planning and plan documents and the resulting discoveries.

4:38

Tax Mitigation Focus Pitfalls

It is natural to focus on tax mitigation in your planning but this story illustrates that other issues should be concurrently kept in mind.

4:35

Beneficiary Review

An interesting story of someone who did not review his beneficiary designation until it was almost too late.

2:04

Agricultural Business Planning

Closely-held businesses tied to agriculture face unique obstacles and provide unique opportunities in succession, estate, and asset transition planning. Let's start a discussion about your priorities and some options to consider.