5 Things to be Grateful for this Thanksgiving

To say 2020 has been a challenging year would be an understatement. Everything from vacations and relocations have been put on hold, and what used to be a mundane trip to the grocery store now feels like walking through a landmine. And those are just the “small” things. Yes, it’s easy to focus on all that’s gone wrong this year – for us and/or countless others we hear about each day. We say that’s why it’s even more important than ever to count our blessings this Thanksgiving.    Video Chats: Anyone who has been working remotely knows that “Zoom fatigue” is real.  But when we stop and think of all it has made possible this year – from interviews and meetings to even dates and virtual wine tastings – we’ll see what a blessing it truly is. This holiday…

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Navigating Sibling Rivalry Through Succession Planning.

We’ve all seen movies where a person of means passes away, leaving their loved ones to wonder what, if anything, they will inherit. There is the nail-biting reading of the will scene, where one child is shocked to learn they have been disinherited “for reasons known to them,” or offspring no one knew about shows up to claim control of the company and the lion’s share of the estate. A battle ensues, pitting sibling against sibling and ending in estrangement and, inevitably, a mountain of legal fees. While this may seem like the stuff of Hollywood drama, the truth is that even the closest real-life families have been torn apart by money. Here are some factors that may cause problems among your heirs and ways you can avoid them with succession planning. Transparency, transparency, transparency.  The first step is…

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Communication across generations.

You pride yourself on being a great communicator. You can present to any board of directors, woo diverse clients and raise funds for your favorite charities without breaking a sweat. The same feels true when it comes to your children. You’ve bonded during vacations and over their academic triumphs (and failures); you’ve encouraged them to come to you with any problem so you can sort it out together. Yet, when it comes time to talking about your wealth – specifically, what will happen when they inherit it – you may find yourself tongue-tied. Maybe you were raised that talking about money is inappropriate; maybe you don’t want your kids to overly rely on your wealth or let it define them. Whatever the case, current events have reminded us that the time for procrastination is over. Here are some simple…

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