The more you know, the better your plan

We recently put together a Wyoming LLC for a married couple who had just completed our Private Wealth planning service. They have been buying properties in a popular expat jurisdiction and are looking for a way to protect these assets from domestic claims.

We work with a lot of independent business owners and entrepreneurs across the spectrum. Many of their plans are very different from each other. But when it comes to "foundational" tax planning, a solo 401(k) retirement account often plays a part.

There are many tax opportunities for the ultra-wealthy. There are also some good options for people with smaller nest eggs. But what if you're in the middle -- you earn a good living or have at least $500,000 in savings and want to save on tax?

Over the years, I've heard some "great in theory, not in practice" planning ideas. Many are taken from a proven tool and warped into something that just doesn't work well anymore. Captive Insurance is one of those things.

Last week, one of our Private Wealth planning clients asked about a dynasty trust. She'd read that it let people pass their wealth onto their children, grandchildren and generations beyond tax-free. Virtually forever.

A client called me a few weeks ago. He wanted to know the best way to avoid the new Corporate Transparency Act, which makes Anonymous LLCs in the US a thing of the past.

When it comes to retirement planning, self-directed Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) offer a flexible and potentially lucrative option for savvy investors.

Last week, I had a call with a successful entrepreneurial client who was deeply worried about capital controls. She had worked for many years to build up an eight-figure nest egg and didn't want to lose it to a predatory government through outrageously higher taxes or being forced to convert some of her investments into bonds from a bankrupt federal government. She certainly didn't want to run the risk of outright confiscation.

When I was first introduced to Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) back in 2010, I didn't think it possible. It promised extremely strong asset protection, estate and legacy planning benefits, and a legal way to grow millions of dollars in a tax-deferred (and sometimes even tax-free) way?

I was on a Discovery Conference with a client a few days ago who had recently signed up for our elite Private Wealth service. For most clients, the Discovery is a chance to be really clear what they are hoping to get from the planning.