Leave a Lasting Legacy: What Inheritance Are You Passing On to Your Kids?
By Jeff Gilbert
When we think about the legacy we want to leave for our children, it goes beyond just money. We want to make sure our gift to them provides stability for many years. We don’t want to pass on a jumble of assets, debts, and documents that can take a long time to untangle.
Passing wealth on to your children can be a difficult transition, and you want it to be as stress-free as possible. Estate planning can help keep your children from having to face the extra burden of navigating a complex inheritance process while also dealing with grief and making difficult decisions. Helping them experience a smooth and organized inheritance process can be a great gift.
The Importance of Estate Planning
Estate planning should be an integral part of your financial and retirement planning. Failing to have an estate plan may not have a significant impact on your own life, but it will undoubtedly affect the lives of your loved ones after you’re gone.
In the absence of an estate plan, your death will be considered intestate, which means there was no valid will in place at the time of your death. The state in which you lived will determine who inherits your property through a process called probate, which can take anywhere from 6-9 months or even several years without proper planning.
In addition to this process lasting a long time, your inheritors may face expensive fees, predatory claimants, and loss of control over what happens to your estate. Probate can cost up to 3-7% of your total estate value. And because this process becomes public information, this means that greedy creditors or estranged relatives may attempt to claim portions of your wealth.
Good estate planning mitigates these risks and provides your family with a secure plan for how your wealth will be transferred. The professionals in your life, such as your estate planning attorney and financial advisor, can become trusted resources for your family to lean on during this difficult transition.
Create a Lasting Legacy
Additionally, good estate planning incorporates legacy planning, which can be even more beneficial to your inheritors. Legacy planning allows you to incorporate family or financial values into your wealth transfer. If your children aren’t as adept at money management or have made financial mistakes in the past, your legacy planning can help guide them through what to do with their new wealth. Finally, legacy planning may help to protect your grandchildren and encourage generational wealth-building for decades to come.
Set Your Heirs Up for Success
It’s important to consider what legacy you want to leave for your children. The last few years have shown us that the future can be unpredictable, so it’s wise to plan ahead. Even though we may not want to consider our own mortality, having a plan in place can bring some reassurance to our families.
Allow your family to benefit from your legacy by partnering with Balboa Wealth Partners. Our team is committed to helping clients make the most of their finances. We are dedicated to providing guidance and support that will empower you and your family to make financial decisions with clarity, peace, and confidence. Give me a call at 949-445-1465 or email me at [email protected].
About Jeff
Jeff Gilbert is the founder and CEO of Balboa Wealth Partners, a holistic financial management firm dedicated to providing clients guidance today for tomorrow’s success. With over three decades of industry experience, he has worked as both an advisor and executive-level manager, partnering with and serving a diverse range of clients. Specializing in serving high- and ultra-high-net-worth families, Jeff aims to help clients achieve their short-term and long-term goals, worry less about their finances, and focus more on their life’s passions. Based in Orange County, Jeff works with clients throughout the entire country. To learn more, connect with Jeff on LinkedIn or email [email protected].
Advisory services provided by Balboa Wealth Partners, Inc., an Investment Advisor registered with the SEC. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Balboa Wealth Partners and its Investment Advisor Representatives are properly licensed or exempt from registration.
Securities offered through Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.
Balboa offers advisory services independent of Kingswood. Neither firm is affiliated.
