Cancer. One word that no one wants to hear. As we sat around the dinner table, I clenched my husband’s hand. The cheerful sounds of the bustling restaurant faded into the background as we tried to comprehend what his parents just shared with us: my father-in-law had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma. It was fall of 2018, and we immediately knew our lives were going to change forever, and we would face a difficult road ahead.

If not, I can think of a few reasons why: Finances are private so it can be uncomfortable to talk about. Finances are complicated so it can be hard to explain details about what services you use even if you think they are valuable. It may feel pushy or “salesy” to directly connect people with your financial advisor. What if it doesn’t work out? No one wants to make a bad referral.   At Monument, we, too, make personal and professional introductions.

These are common questions that pop into our heads when we outsource parts of our precious lives to outsiders. However, it’s also why it’s imperative we find and hire professionals who are not only experts in their specialty, but also who we can TRUST. That said, even if you trust your car mechanic, you should still understand the fees they charge for their expertise and know they are reasonable compared to the rest of the marketplace.

The federal government sets a lifetime estate tax exemption amount that can be gifted during life or at death free of taxes. If the value of your gross estate exceeds the exemption amount in the year you pass away, your estate may be subject to estate taxes. Amounts above the exemption will be subject to a 40% tax (as of current law).

When you’ve grown significant wealth over the years and you want to use it to make a positive impact on the world, there are much more effective ways to do that than simple “checkbook giving” to your favorite charities. Each method of charitable giving has its own benefits and setbacks, rules and regulations, so it’s important you see all your options and understand why it’s worth considering one over another.

A SLAT is an irrevocable trust where one spouse (aka “Donor Spouse”) makes a gift into the trust that: Benefits the other spouse (aka “Non-Donor Spouse”), and Removes those gifted assets from their combined estates

Strategic buyers are companies interested in buying your business that already operates in your industry. By buying your company, they have hopes to grow their footprint and take market share more quickly. They tend to be larger, well-capitalized firms that aren’t as concerned with generating cash flow right away. A great example of a strategic buy is T-Mobile’s acquisition of rival Sprint in 2020.

Breaking up is never easy, even if the person you’re trying to “break up” with is your financial advisor (FA). Perhaps your current FA is an old college friend who means well but doesn’t specialize in the services you need.