Trust & Estate Planning

Strategic estate planning and wealth transfer strategies for individuals and families.

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An estate plan is only as strong as the thought that went into it and the degree to which it still reflects your current situation. Tax laws change, family circumstances evolve, and assets that didn’t exist when a plan was drafted can complicate how it works in practice. A trust structure that made sense a decade ago may need to be revisited in light of today’s rules, particularly with the federal estate tax exemption scheduled to change in the coming years. 

BPM’s Trust and Estate Planning professionals work with individuals, families, and business owners to develop tax-efficient strategies for transferring wealth across generations. We work closely with your estate planning attorneys and financial advisors, providing the tax analysis and planning perspective that makes a well-drafted legal plan work as intended from a tax standpoint. 

Strategies for Preserving & Transferring Wealth 

Estate and trust planning at the high-net-worth level goes well beyond a basic will. We work with clients on a range of strategies designed to minimize estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes while achieving the family’s broader goals. Depending on your situation, that might include irrevocable life insurance trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, or gifting programs structured around the annual exclusion and applicable lifetime exemption. 

For business owners, we bring focused attention to succession planning and the transition of closely held business interests, including valuation considerations and structures that facilitate an orderly transfer while managing transfer tax exposure. 

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Keeping Your Trust & Estate Plan Current 

One of the most valuable things we do for clients is help them review existing plans when something changes, such as a new tax law, a significant shift in asset values, a marriage, a death, or a business transaction. We assess whether the current structure still accomplishes what was intended and identify adjustments worth considering before circumstances make those changes more costly or complex. 

For families with international connections, including non-U.S. assets or family members subject to foreign estate or inheritance taxes, we bring the cross-border perspective needed to address obligations on both sides. 

Take the Next Step in Your Estate Planning 

The most effective estate plans are built before they are needed. Contact BPM to speak with one of our Private Client Services professionals about your trust and estate planning needs. 

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Looking for a team who understands where you’re headed and how to help you get there? Whether you’re building something new, managing growth or preserving success, let’s talk.