231.421.7711

How We Helped Tom and Mary
Build Their Legacy

The Story

Tom and Mary have done a great job building wealth and living within their means. With multiple homes and properties, strong retirement savings, and no debt, they’re in a solid position.

Now that they’ve secured their future, they want to help their children and grandchildren while also incorporating their passion for giving back. They are considering ways to include charitable funding in their estate plan.

Additionally, Tom and Mary would like to spend more quality time with their family and travel to new destinations together. To achieve these goals, they wanted an advisor they could sit down with—someone who would coordinate their portfolio and create a coordinated plan that takes their family’s needs and their philanthropic interests into account.

Their most pressing questions were:

  • What’s the best way to protect our assets and pass on our wealth without incurring heavy taxes?
  • How can we fund our grandchildren’s college education?
  • Can we include charitable funding?

The Challenge

  • Tom and Mary’s finances felt disorganized despite working with multiple advisors
  • Their estate plan hadn’t been updated in over 15 years
  • They were worried about missed opportunities to grow and protect their wealth
  • Tom and Mary wanted to work with someone local who they could sit down with and could bring everything together

Our Approach

After meeting them in person, we helped Tom and Mary get organized and establish a plan by:
  • Consolidating and simplifying their investment portfolio
  • Creating a tax efficient funding plan for their grandchildren’s college education
  • Establishing an estate planning solution that included their charitable funding and transferring wealth to their next generation

Tom and Mary’s Results

Tom and Mary now feel confident that their finances are in good order and that their family will be taken care of in the future.

After working with Tom and Mary, they now have:
  • A streamlined investment portfolio consolidating their investments into a well-organized portfolio
  • A tax-efficient plan that will maximize their contributions toward their grandchildren’s college education while minimizing their tax burden, allowing for more funds reserved for their intended purpose
  • An updated estate plan that integrates their philanthropic goals with efficient wealth transfer strategies, helping to ensure their charitable contributions reflect their values and support meaningful causes
  • A new focus on creating lasting memories with their family through planned travel and quality time, reinforcing their commitment to family

The above hypothetical example story is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation.
It does not involve an actual client and may not be representative of your experience.

Explore Additional Tips & Insights

Be Aware When Buying or Selling a Second Home

This article was published in the May 2025 issue of the Traverse City Business News and can be read in ...

Read More

How To Preserve Your Wealth: Strategies For High-Income Earners

This article was published at Forbes.com in December 2023 and can be read in its entirety below. Click here for a link ...

Read More

Market Volatility: Investing in Uncertain Times

With everything happening in the world right now, it’s understandable to feel unsettled. The combination of uncertainty—whether economic, political, or ...

Read More

Would You Like to Have a
Conversation?

We're committed to your financial well-being, taking the time to
get to know you and guide you toward financial security.