Estate Planning Strategies

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Estate & Legacy Planning

Estate & Legacy Planning with Solutions First Financial Group

At Solutions First Financial Group in Scottsdale and the surrounding area, we help you coordinate your estate documents, beneficiary decisions, and legacy wishes with your overall retirement plan by working alongside qualified estate-planning attorneys and trusted legal partners. We do not provide legal advice or draft legal documents — instead, we collaborate with your attorney (or help connect you with one) so your family isn’t left guessing and your plan works exactly the way you intended.

Advantages of a Coordinated Estate Plan

A thoughtful plan keeps control in your hands and out of the courts, while staying aligned with your income, tax, and investment strategy at Solutions First Financial Group.

  • A well developed estate plan can help reduce or avoid probate to save time, costs, and keep details more private.
  • Direct how, when, and to whom assets are distributed — not just who gets what.
  • Build in protections for heirs from creditors, lawsuits, and divorce where appropriate.

Why Every Family Needs a Plan

Clarity today prevents conflict tomorrow. A complete estate and legacy plan gives your loved ones a clear roadmap instead of hard decisions during an emotional time it can help.

  • Names decision-makers for finances, healthcare, and guardians for minor children.
  • Spells out medical preferences and final arrangements in advance.
  • Reduces the risk of delays, court involvement, and family disputes.

The Goal of Your Legacy Plan

The goal isn’t just “who gets what.” It’s about caring for your people, carrying out your wishes, and doing it all as efficiently and tax-aware as possible.

  • Provide financial security and timely distributions for the people and causes you care about.
  • Align beneficiary designations, trusts, and titling with your broader Solutions First Financial Group plan.
  • Manage potential taxes and expenses with smart structuring and coordinated planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers to common estate and legacy planning questions — so families in Scottsdale and the surrounding area can make confident decisions. Our firm does not provide tax, legal, or estate planning advice or services.

How Solutions First Financial Group Can Help You

At Solutions First Financial Group, we partner with your legal advisors to coordinate your estate and legacy plan with your income, tax, and investment strategy — so your documents, beneficiaries, and wishes all work together.

With the help of an estate planning attorney, you can help ensure your beneficiaries are taken care of and that assets are distributed in ways that are most beneficial to everyone involved.

Many people assume that a will is more than enough to convey their wishes for their estate after they pass. Unfortunately, with only a will, your plans are effective upon your death and usually require probate court proceedings to work.

If you become incapacitated, your assets may be placed under the control of a court-appointed conservatorship. Even when your distribution plans are honored, it’s easy for loved ones to see an inheritance as a windfall. Too often, a person’s legacy is quickly spent by grieving family members — leading to most inheritances being gone within just a few years.

With a more complete plan, you can address incapacity, stewardship, and long-term protection so your legacy is preserved instead of squandered.

A last will and testament is a signed and witnessed document whose terms go into effect when you die. With it, you can designate beneficiaries, name guardians for young children, and pick an executor for your estate.

Drafting a will is a straightforward way to record your wishes and a great starting point for basic planning. Work with a qualified estate planning attorney to help ensure your will is drafted legally, ethically, and in line with your intentions.

Creating a living trust is one of the most effective ways to help avoid probate. Trusts come in various forms, but their overall purpose is to protect assets for your heirs and streamline how those assets are managed and distributed.

Trusts work by transferring ownership of assets from your name to a trustee, who manages those assets on behalf of your beneficiaries. An estate planning attorney can help set up a trust document that meets your needs and assist in trust administration when the time comes.

When it comes to estate and legacy planning, caring for the most vulnerable family members is essential. Your plan can address the care of young children, special-needs family members, and incapacitated adults.

Work with an estate planning attorney to discuss guardianship options and how to help ensure your loved ones have the support and protection they need if something happens to you.

Without proper estate planning, your estate may be settled according to state law instead of your wishes. Even with a basic will, you risk the details of your estate becoming public and your loved ones spending time and money in probate court.

If your family does face probate, experienced legal professionals can help guide them through the process, but planning ahead can often reduce delays, costs, and conflict.

Estate & Legacy Planning with Solutions First Financial Group

No two families are the same, and no two estate plans should be either. At Solutions First Financial Group, we help retirees and pre-retirees in Scottsdale and the surrounding area align their estate and legacy wishes with their overall retirement strategy in coordination with estate planning attorneys.

During your no-cost consultation, we’ll talk through your goals, the people you want to protect, and the steps needed to coordinate your accounts, beneficiaries, and documents so your plan works the way you intend.

Click below to schedule an appointment, and a member of our estate and legacy planning team will reach out to confirm the details.