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Estate Planning & Tax Strategies

Maximize Your Legacy with Expert Guidance and Efficient Tax Solutions

Secure Your Legacy for Multi-Generational Wealth

Helping You Define Your “Why?”

Estate planning is a responsibility that extends across multiple generations, ensuring the longevity and protection of your assets. Rather than simply helping you answer the question of “Where do I want my stuff to go?”, we delve into the deeper and more complex concerns regarding the transfer of wealth. Our approach encompasses not only the distribution of your assets but also the preservation and growth of your wealth for future generations.

We work with you to create a comprehensive estate plan that addresses your unique goals and circumstances, considering aspects such as tax implications, legal requirements, and family dynamics. By focusing on the long-term impact of your decisions, we help you create a lasting legacy that provides financial security and stability for your loved ones. Our expertise in estate planning ensures that your wealth is transferred efficiently and in accordance with your wishes, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your financial future.

Our Philosophy

Commitment to Excellence

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At Granite Harbor Advisors, we focus on creating and preserving multi-generational wealth by understanding your family's unique goals. We believe wealth is more than just financial; it encompasses the values, traditions, and aspirations passed down through generations.

Our role is to be a vital link for families, ensuring the true purpose of your wealth is effectively transferred from one generation to the next. This involves managing finances and fostering communication about your family's legacy.

Collaborating with your estate attorney and tax professionals, we provide tailored estate and tax planning strategies to protect and preserve your wealth for the future.

Ultimately, we aim to help you leave a meaningful legacy that reflects your family’s values and aspirations, ensuring your wealth serves a greater purpose for generations to come.

Our Process to Estate & Tax Planning Strategies

Tailored Solutions for Long-Term Financial Security and Efficiency

Estate Planning

After thoroughly understanding the goals and objectives of your family, we engage in a collaborative process with all stakeholders to develop a robust "multi-generational" wealth plan. This involves conducting a comprehensive review of your existing strategies and documents, such as wills and trusts, to identify any inconsistencies with your stated goals. Working closely with trusted advisors, we help update or establish necessary strategies for gifting, sales, and asset coordination, including liquid investments, life insurance, and entity structures. Our dedicated team takes on the responsibility of coordinating these financial instruments designed to ensure seamless execution of your wealth plan.

Tax Planning

Our experienced advisors are dedicated to seeking solutions that safeguard your investments and estate by minimizing the impact of taxes and preventing potentially devastating losses to your financial plan. At Granite Harbor Advisors, we employ a comprehensive planning approach that leverages advantageous tax laws, working closely with your tax advisors to optimize wealth creation and minimize tax liabilities. With our network of support, we craft customized tax reduction strategies that prioritize your long-term financial well-being and help create a lasting legacy.

Our Commitment

Your Path to Financial Success: What to Expect Next

Once a plan has been established and implemented, it must be periodically maintained. We establish an appropriate review schedule to determine if updates are necessary based on legislative impacts, circumstantial changes, or administrative updates.

We will include a comprehensive review and management strategy of the financial instruments involved. We review the strength of those instruments to ensure a consistent alignment is kept with your family’s goals and objectives.

Comprehensive estate planning extends beyond any single generation. At Granite Harbor Advisors, our business succession and continuity plan will help ensure each generation to follow continues to have the same thoughtful experience. You worked hard for your wealth, and it is our commitment to protect and preserve that wealth for generations to come.

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Benefits of Estate & Tax Planning

Securing Your Legacy and Maximizing Financial Efficiency

Minimize Taxes for Maximum Wealth Retention

We help to mitigate all types of tax exposure including income tax, capital gains tax, estate tax, gift tax, and generation-skipping tax.

Custom Planning to You

Every family is different, so should their estate planning.

Flexible Long-Term Planning

Ensuring strategies have the necessary flexibility to adapt to long-term uncertainty provides stability and resilience over time.

Future Generational Support

We help to address concerns regarding education, medical needs, and potential financial difficulties for future generations.

Provide for Philanthropic Goals

Assets can only go to three places in the end: to family, to charity, or to the IRS. When charity is a priority, we help to maximize those aspirations.

Preserve Family Privacy

Effective estate planning can help preserve the privacy of your family's financial information by avoiding the public probate process.

Resources for Estate Planning

A Selection of Granite Harbor Resources Focusing on Estate Planning

The Trade Off Between Basis Adjustment and Estate Taxation
6 minutes read

The Trade Off Between Basis Adjustment and Estate Taxation

Contributed by: Brian W. Sak, CFP, CLU, ChFC For high-net-worth individuals, preserving family wealth across generations often involves balancing two competing priorities: minimizing estate taxes and maximizing the capital gains tax benefits through a basis adjustment. These two objectives frequently intersect, particularly when deciding whether to leave assets in an estate or transfer them into a…
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You've Made Gifts to Trust. Now What?
5 minutes read

You've Made Gifts to Trust. Now What?

Contributed By: Brian Sak CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Congratulations! By making gifts to a trust, you’ve taken a significant step towards optimizing your financial future and taking advantage of the current tax environment prior to the potential TCJA (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) sunset. This proactive move helps protect your wealth, ensuring that it benefits your family and future generations. However, this is only…
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Secure Your Business Legacy: The Power of Buy-Sell Agreement Planning for Business Owners
6 minutes read

Secure Your Business Legacy: The Power of Buy-Sell Agreement Planning for Business Owners

The Power of Buy-Sell Agreement Planning for Business Owners As a business owner, ensuring the long-term success and continuity of your enterprise is usually at the very top of the list of priorities. One of the essentials that can help you achieve this goal is effective buy-sell planning. This article delves into the significance of buy-sell planning for business owners and highlights the key strategies…
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Ensuring Your Legacy through Estate Planning: Preparing for the Inevitable
6 minutes read

Ensuring Your Legacy through Estate Planning: Preparing for the Inevitable

During a recent estate plan meeting, one of our most trusted partner estate attorneys shared a thought that deeply resonated with us and our clients. She emphasized, "Leaving your family without a plan in place is one of the most inconsiderate things you could do." We couldn't agree more. When a loved one passes away without a proper plan, it can cause significant stress, unintended burdens, and consequences…
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Supreme Court's Decision in Connelly v. United States: Implications for Business Owners with Buy/Sell Agreements
4 minutes read

Supreme Court's Decision in Connelly v. United States: Implications for Business Owners with Buy/Sell Agreements

On June 13, 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its decision in Connelly v. United States, a landmark case that has significant implications for business owners with entity redemption buy/sell agreements. This ruling has reshaped the landscape of estate tax calculations and necessitates careful consideration of alternative structures for buy/sell agreements and life insurance policy ownership. Below…
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Estate Planning Before the TCJA Repeal
9 minutes read

Estate Planning Before the TCJA Repeal

By: Brian Sak CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Navigating the complexities of estate planning can feel daunting, especially for ultra-high-net-worth families and business owners. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) tax cuts set to expire on December 31, 2025, now is the time to act. The current lifetime exemption limits are at an all-time high, offering a unique opportunity to shift wealth outside of the taxable…
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