Author: Steve Zeller

Family Wealth

Handling Sudden Wealth: A Guide to Protecting, Managing and Utilizing Sudden Wealth 

If you are a person that has just had the experience of a “sudden wealth” event, congratulations and be careful. The experience of sudden wealth, whether it is a sizable inheritance, a legal settlement, a business-related windfall, or a lottery win, is a life changer. It can be a blessing or a curse depending on how well you prepare yourself emotionally and financially. Sudden wealth requires careful consideration and planning.

Family Legacy Planning

Begin the Journey of Developing a Family Legacy with a Family Retreat 

In my previous article, “Preserving Family Wealth is a Generational Effort,” I mentioned that “Wealth equals capital, which equals potential (Wealth = Capital = Potential).”  In other words, a healthier way to view family wealth, is to view it as capital that can be applied in a way that maximizes the well-being, purpose, love, productivity, family unity, and the positive impact the family can have on the community and causes that are near and dear to them. These attributes are capitalized on when a Family Legacy focuses on the three forms of family wealth (or capital), which are financial capital, human capital, and intellectual capital.

Family Legacy Planning

Preserving Family Wealth is a Generational Effort 

Wealth within a family can be a double edged sword. It can serve as an incredible resource to benefit its family members, but it can also be destructive and divisive. Destructive in the sense that if not properly tended to and respected, wealth can destroy the purpose and outcomes of individual family members, and divisive in the sense that it can damage the bond between family members and cause a splintering of the family.

Life Lessons

Asking Powerful Questions 

Asking questions is a powerful way to lead yourself to deep understanding. Asking questions helps lead to personal breakthroughs. Asking questions is an important tool for effective listening, learning, understanding, gaining clarity and a useful tool to help develop a personal vision for yourself.

Family Wealth

Considering the Roth IRA Conversion after the Secure Act 

Considering the Roth IRA Conversion after the Secure Act After the passage of the SECURE Act, in December of 2019, many laws were included that impact IRA inheritances, IRA distribution rules, and IRA and other Retirement accounts in relation to estate planning strategies. Please reference my previous article which discusses these areas at a greater length. But one area that has always presented planning opportunities, and still continues to do so, is the Roth IRA conversion. When we refer to…

Family Wealth

The SECURE Act: Some Planning May Be Required 

Surprise! Surprise! In the month of December, 2019, Congress passed the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement” Act, known as the SECURE Act, and President Trump signed it into law. Although, this law does have some minor reliefs or enhancements within it, it pretty much throws out the “Stretch IRA” provision of the past. Overall, this new law can be viewed as another step to increase tax revenue by the forced acceleration of IRA or retirement plan withdrawals. Keep…

Life Lessons

Live Each Day to the Fullest 

Live Each Day to the Fullest – by S.H. Payer A good friend of mine read this poem about living life, to me. It was written many years ago, and it really says it all. Here it is: Live each day to the fullest. Get the most from each hour, each day, and each age of your life. Then you can look forward with confidence, and back without regrets. Be yourself, but be your best self. Dare to be different…