Pour-Over Will with Testamentary Trust – Never Use One as Your Primary Estate Plan

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Apr 24, 2025 | Blog, Estate Planning

A pour-over will with a testamentary trust should never be used as your primary estate planning document. A pour-over will is an estate planning tool that directs your assets to be put into your trust after you die. You can use a pour-over will to fund a testamentary...

Who Will Help Your Spouse with Investing After You Are Gone?

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Apr 18, 2025 | Blog, Estate Planning, Fiduciary Standard, Retirement Planning

Have you been managing the family wealth yourself for a long time and your spouse is either not interested or not capable of managing the investments if you are gone? Do you fear that your spouse might be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous financial salesperson?...

Nine Reasons to Never Buy Annuities

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Mar 20, 2025 | Blog, Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning for Retirement

Annuities are among the worst investments an investor can make for their retirement. In this article, we will explore nine reasons why you should never buy an annuity. All Gains are Taxed as Ordinary Income Annuities do not qualify for favorable tax treatment in the...

Never Buy an Annuity! No Stepped Up Basis. 100% Ordinary Income Tax.

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Feb 16, 2025 | Blog, Estate Planning, Tax Planning for Retirement

There are many reasons you should never buy an annuity; high fees, limited investment options, and surrender charges to name a few. But the number one reason to never buy annuities with after-tax funds is the tax structure. When you purchase standard investments like...

How to Tell if Your Trust is Funded. Fix Your Estate Plan!

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Jun 7, 2024 | Blog, Estate Planning

Over my career as a financial advisor I have met with over 300 wealthy families to discuss their estate and retirement plan.  About 80% of the time, assets that should be in a trust, are not in the trust.  Trust funding is one of the most common estate...

How to Fund Your Trust in Three Steps

by Ethan S. Braid, CFA | Jun 6, 2024 | Blog, Estate Planning

Over the last 25 years I have advised hundreds of wealthy families with their estate plans. In my experience, around 80% of the time, there will be mistakes with trust funding. The most common mistake is simply not funding the trust. Many wealthy families assume that...