The Quorum Private Wealth guide to trusts

Trusts (or trust funds) are one of those financial planning terms that starts to feel diluted over time. People have a general sense of what trusts are, but many would be hard pressed to define the specifics. Given how important trusts can be to a strong financial, estate, and tax plan, we want to spend some time getting into the details and specifics of trusts. We’ll cover what trusts are (and how they work) as well as common types of trusts and when you might consider using them.

How to navigate taxes on a ‘big money event’

The goal of financial planning is to build and optimize wealth. Too often, we see people worry about their financial wins, like selling a business or cashing out of a profitable investment, instead of celebrating them. This hesitation is nearly always tied to taxes: How much of my potential profit will I owe to Uncle Sam? Are there strings attached to this windfall? What’s the catch?

Annual Financial Checklist

Use this checklist once a year to help evaluate how your life, priorities, and finances may have shifted. We can use your answers as a jumping off point in our next meeting.

How contingent fee attorneys can lower their taxes

Contingent fee attorneys fight hard for their clients, who are often victims of horrible accidents or other tragedies. But when it comes to paying taxes on those contingent fees, however, these attorneys become victims…of the progressive tax system.

How GRATs work

Grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) are a type of irrevocable trust used ahead of big-money events where assets will increase in value over a short period of time, like IPOs or the sale of a business.

Do women need to take a different approach to wealth?

When it comes to women and money, the financial services industry sometimes misses the mark. Certain assumptions—like the idea that women are more risk averse than men—can be circumstantial rather than inherent. To that end, I want to dedicate some time to the unique challenges women face when it comes to financial planning, plus strategies to face those hurdles head on.

Michelle Le

Send your kid to college: A checklist

Sending your child to college tends to come with complex emotions—they’re entering the “adult” phase of their lives but may still be dependent on you in many ways. This checklist can help you set them (and you!) up for a successful transition.