Author: Steve Zeller

Business Exit Planning

Protect Your Business with a Solid Continuity Plan 

Protect Your Business with A Solid Continuity Plan A great characteristic of successful business owners is that they are optimistic people. They have a “can do” attitude, setting their goals high, taking risks, hiring the right people, constantly striving to improve the delivery of their service or product, with a constant drive to build their entity into one of great significance. As a result, the experience of building a successful company may give the owner great pride of their achievements,…

Business Exit Planning

Build a Successful Business Exit Plan by Using a Planning Process 

As a business owner, planning the exit from ownership of your business is probably the single most important decision you will make.  When to exit, how much to walk away with, who to sell it to, what’s the most tax efficient strategy in your circumstance, what timeline is most suitable, and what are the areas of business that need to be improved upon to make it marketable, etc.?  Those are just some of the things that need to be considered….

Retirement Planning

Preparing Your Runway for a Smooth Landing into Retirement – Part 2 

In Part 1 of this series, “Preparing Your Runway for a Smooth Landing into Retirement”, we discussed four important areas to address in the development of a retirement plan, which was “Painting Your Picture”, determining your cash flow requirements, thinking through inflation assumptions, and determining your sources of income. There are nine other areas and/or issues to address that I think are important in completing a well-rounded plan. Your Potential Risks in Retirement – I mentioned inflation is a potential…

Retirement Planning

Preparing Your Runway for a Smooth Landing into Retirement – Part 1 

Planning for a successful retirement is like any other type of financial planning, in that it is an ongoing process, and it takes time. Depending on where you are in the planning stages, is key in determining how much time you want to allow yourself. Aside from that, there are several important areas that you want to address in your planning journey. Everyone’s planning picture is different, in having different needs, parameters, expenditures, investment assets, family dynamics, retirement lifestyle preferences,…

Life Lessons

Embracing the Principles of “Natural Law” for Improving Ourselves, Our Lives, and the Lives of Others 

The study of “Natural Law” seems to be something of the past. It is surprising that it isn’t really a common topic in high school philosophy classes, and even in college classes. However, for those who are familiar with the concept of “Natural Law”, know that its principles are inescapable within our existence. Understanding it and applying it within our lives can prove to be very beneficial towards our achievements, our relationships, and our happiness. Natural laws affect our lives,…

Business Exit Planning

New Year Resolutions for the Business Owner : 10 Things to Consider Before the New Year 

For many business owners, the end of the year is not only a time for reflection on the events, accomplishments, challenges, etc., that occurred during the year, but also to gear up for the coming year. Although, it may be easier to take the time off and wait until the New Year to begin your business goals and resolutions, it can be very beneficial, from a business and personal standpoint, to finish the planning in December. Instead of treating January…

Family Legacy Planning

Welcome Letter 

Welcome to the Family Fortunes Blog- The desire of informing clientele and other interested readers with the latest thoughts on managing and protecting family wealth and the family business, has fueled my motivation to create this blog. There are many variables within tax laws, financial markets, family dynamics, managing a business, legal matters, and life in general, that can affect the value and stability of wealth within the family. It makes sense to research and write about the timely issues…

Family Legacy Planning

Creating an “Ethical Will” As Part of Your Family Legacy Development 

Many affluent individuals and families are becoming more and more familiar with the concept of passing on wishes and instructions to loved ones in the form of a written document or a video recording. Several years ago, a movie titled “The Ultimate Gift,” was based on this concept, where James Garner was the character who had passed away, communicated his instructions and requirements on a video tape to the youngest family heir. It was a very effective tool in the…