Estate Planning Essentials

We brought in a representative from TIAA as part of our annual speaker series on retirement planning. The video recording is now available by request from TIAA for a limited time.

It's important to understand the fundamentals of estate planning and the benefits of having a solid plan in place regardless of your financial situation. The desire to be tax efficient and keep up with the changing tax environment can sometimes feel like an insurmountable feat. In this seminar, we will explore a number of issues in the estate and tax planning arena including:

• Estate planning basics - an overview of estate planning documents and fundamental planning concepts
• Estate tax planning - the impact of potential changes in both income and estate tax laws may have on conventional estate planning strategies
• Planning with retirement - an analysis of planning strategies specifically appropriate for retirement assets
• Long-term trust planning - considerations when leaving assets to loved ones, including whether or not a trust makes sense
• Gift planning - whether giving to individuals or charities, it is important to know the rules and which assets are best to give

Speaker: James M. Alverson, CFP®, Director of Wealth Planning Strategies for TIAA
James M. Alverson serves as a Director of Wealth Planning Strategies for TIAA, where he provides wealth transfer, estate and tax planning services for clients with the most complex needs. His estate and tax planning knowledge and background allow him to provide specialized financial advice and sophisticated planning strategies to high-net-worth families for every aspect of their financial lives. Jim is located in St. Louis and works with clients mainly in the Southeast and Midwest. Prior to joining TIAA, Jim began worked as Staff Attorney with The Ayco Corporation (a division of Goldman Sachs), a firm providing estate and financial planning advice to senior executives of Fortune 500 firms. In addition, he worked for The Commerce Family Office (a division of Commerce Bank), providing estate, tax and financial planning to ultra-high-net-worth families. Jim is a Director for the Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation. He received his J.D. degree from Albany Law School in 2001 and his B.A. in English from Rollins College in 1998. Jim is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).