Personal advice and wealth management.

As we grow older, I suspect we all have moments in which we wonder whether we’re experiencing normal forgetfulness…or are we showing the first signs of dementia? We may joke about it, but we have to think about the possibility if we’re realistic. Here are four steps to take to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the possibility you may at some point suffer from diminished mental capability or be at increased risk of financial exploitation.

Reluctant to share your financial information with your grown children? Here are some reasons why it might make sense to do so.

If retirement is only five years or less away, you should have a pretty good notion of what life will look like for you in this next chapter. With so many moving parts, it's important to think through the implications of the various decisions you'll make. Have you considered the following six questions?

Wondering how to unequally divide your assets without dividing your family? If you’re thinking about leaving more for one child than the other, it’s important to know your options.

ExxonMobil employees often sign up for the EMSP because a supervisor or a more tenured colleague tells them it’s a good thing to do. But many participants continue to contribute without thinking through a Savings Plan goal or strategy. Have you considered these four questions?

Whether you inherit an IRA from a spouse or non-spouse, there are important steps to execute as an heir and details to address along the way.

You don’t do estate planning just for yourself. The documents the estate attorney produces are important, but there are other things you can do now to show your love for your heirs. Don’t leave behind a mess.

Do you think a financial plan is just about investments? Our blog challenges that thinking, asserting that financial planning is built upon a foundation of what you care about most in life. Read our five reasons to have a financial plan.

People are taking time during the COVID-19 crisis to update their finances and important life documents. Here are four estate plan details you should focus on in light of the current pandemic.

Did the death of the "stretch" IRA hit your estate planning like a sucker punch to the rib cage? What seemed to have happened suddenly in the final weeks of 2019 shouldn't have been all too surprising.

Investec hosted its live "State of the Markets" event on Thursday, January 30th, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston. Clients attending the event heard presentations from John and Daniel Goott, Investec principals, on economic and market events of 2019 as well as on their outlook for investors in 2020.

Late in 2019, the "Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act," ("SECURE Act") became law. Let's take an initial pass at three broad categories of individuals potentially affected by the SECURE Act.

We have all faced the question “What will our loved ones do if something unexpected happens to us?” To address that question, most of us have put safety nets in place. But as more and more of our lives become digital, another question arises: “Have we taken steps to ensure that our loved ones will have access and rights to our digital assets and our online presence?”

Legacy letters are informal documents. They express personal values, offer encouragement, and transmit knowledge or hopes. In general, they leave a qualitative legacy, separate from monetary or property bequests. They lack the legal force of a will or formal estate plan, but clearly help heirs understand the hopes and wishes of those who have gone on before.

Your kids can find out about your estate plan after you’re gone, sitting in an estate attorney’s office as they go through the will or trust document. Or, you can explain your plans and clarify your intentions by having a talk with your heirs yourself. Here are some lessons we’ve learned from discussing our estate plan with our kids.