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WEALTH MANAGEMENT | FINANCIAL PLANNING
Estate & Legacy Planning
Coordinate Your Estate Plan, Taxes, and Legacy Under One Roof. For Families Who Have “More to Get Right”
Estate and legacy planning at Heirloom Wealth is not a one-time will review or a product pitch. It is an ongoing, integrated process that connects your estate documents, tax strategy, investments, and family goals so that everything is working together. For high-net-worth families, this coordination can be the difference between a thoughtful, intentional legacy and outcomes that are driven by default rules, outdated paperwork, or tax surprises.
The Problem
A Disconnected Estate Plan in a Complex Life
Having All of Your Important Financial Decisions Handled Under One Roof allows for Unequaled Efficiency for the things that matter
Many successful investors arrive at Heirloom with pieces of an estate plan scattered across different professionals:
A will or trust that has not been updated in years.
Retirement accounts and life insurance with old beneficiary designations—sometimes still naming an ex-spouse or missing newer children and grandchildren.
Investment portfolios managed in isolation from the estate and tax picture.
Advisors who are product-focused or commission-driven, rather than acting as true fiduciaries.
At the same time, your life has likely become more complex:
Multiple properties or rental real estate.
Blended families or second marriages.
Children and grandchildren you want to support—without creating dependency.
Charitable causes you would like to benefit now and/or as your legacy.
Traditional approaches often treat estate planning as a one-time legal task and tax planning as something handled once a year by a CPA who is focused on last year’s return. Heirloom views estate and legacy decisions as part of an integrated, ongoing plan where wealth management and tax strategy are designed together, under the same roof.
Heirloom’s Estate & Legacy Planning Approach
Below is how that work usually unfolds for high-net-worth families.
Our Approach
1. Clarify the Legacy You Want to Leave
The starting point is not a legal document—it is a conversation:
What does “taking care of your family” actually mean to you?
How important is it that children and grandchildren know where the gifts came from and how to steward them?
How much do you want to give away during your lifetime versus at death?
Our Approach
2. Comprehensive Document and Beneficiary Review
Next, Heirloom conducts a detailed review focused on how your assets will actually transfer, not just what it says in your will:
Wills and existing trusts (where available).
Titling on brokerage, bank, and real estate accounts.
Beneficiary designations on 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth IRAs, and life insurance.
Heirloom’s team looks for red flags such as beneficiary designations that are inconsistent with your current wishes, especially around major life events like divorce or remarriage. When clients are separating or have gone through a divorce, Heirloom prioritizes immediate updates to retirement account and insurance beneficiaries so assets do not accidentally pass to an ex-spouse.
The goal is to align the “paperwork reality” with your current intentions, and to keep those details current as life evolves.
Our Approach
3. Evaluate the Role of Trusts—with Specialized Legal Partners
Heirloom does not draft wills or trusts; as a wealth management firm, it is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. Instead, Heirloom helps you understand when you may want to explore trust structures and then coordinates with independent estate attorneys who can draft or update those documents.
Situations where a trust conversation is often appropriate include:
Special needs beneficiaries who may require a special needs trust.
Blended families and multiple marriages where you want to provide for a current spouse and children from prior relationships.
Significant investment or rental property holdings that would benefit from clearer control and distribution rules.
Charitable bequests that you want structured in a thoughtful, tax-aware way
Heirloom identifies issues, models financial and tax impacts, and then works closely with your attorney or our trusted partner firms to implement the legal side..
Our Approach
4. Coordinate Estate, Tax, and Investment Strategies
Estate and legacy planning is inseparable from tax planning and portfolio design. Heirloom integrates these conversations so that decisions in one area do not accidentally undermine another.
Examples of areas where Heirloom assists include:
529 plans and education legacies – For many clients, funding grandchildren’s education is a core legacy goal. Heirloom frequently uses 529 plans, which can accept significant contributions (subject to gift tax rules), grow tax-advantaged, and be used for college, K–12 private schooling, trade school, and more. Unused 529 funds can be moved to another family member—or in some cases converted to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary within specific limits, turning an education gift into a long-term retirement asset for a child or grandchild.
Roth, traditional, and taxable coordination – Legacy-focused clients often want to consider the after-tax value of what heirs receive. While Heirloom does not provide legal or tax advice, the team actively evaluates how different account types may impact beneficiaries and collaborates with CPAs to explore strategies that may improve tax outcomes over time.
Charitable giving built into the plan – Heirloom helps clients who want to “give while living” or structure gifts at death through vehicles such as charitable bequests or charitable-focused trusts, in coordination with estate attorneys.
Investment strategy that supports the plan – Heirloom manages portfolios in-house and maintains an audited performance track record across risk profiles, independently reviewed by a third-party firm. While estate and legacy choices are long-term in nature, having a disciplined, evidence-based investment process provides a foundation for those decisions. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Throughout this process, taxes are a key consideration, but not the only one. Heirloom’s philosophy is to avoid letting tax decisions drive everything, and instead to maximize what you keep over time while staying aligned with your broader goals.
Our Approach
5. Ongoing Reviews and Multi-Generational Conversations
Estate and legacy plans are revisited regularly as part of Heirloom’s review rhythm—often four times per year early in the relationship, then moving to a steady cadence as your plan stabilizes.
Over time, this can include:
CUpdating beneficiaries after births, marriages, divorces, or major life changes.
Bringing in adult children or other key family members for education-focused meetings, when appropriate.
Coordinating with your attorney and tax professionals as laws and circumstances change.
The goal is not simply to have documents in place, but to have an estate and legacy plan that is actively maintained—and understood—by the people it will impact most
What Clients Gain from Integrated Estate & Legacy Planning
While every family and estate plan is unique, clients who engage Heirloom for estate and legacy planning typically experience:
Clarity on “What Happens If…”
You gain a clear, documented understanding of:
Who would receive what, and under what conditions.
How your wishes are expressed in titling, beneficiaries,
and trust language.
How your estate plan interacts with your retirement plan, investment strategy, and tax picture.
Instead of relying on assumptions or outdated documents, you see how the pieces work together in your Live Well Plan™ projections.
Confidence That Beneficiaries Are Protected and Up to Date
Heirloom’s proactive monitoring helps reduce the risk of assets going to the wrong place simply because a form was never updated—especially around major life events such as divorce or remarriage.
For many clients, knowing the following provides significant peace of mind:
Special needs children are provided for appropriately,
Grandchildren have dedicated education resources, and
Spouses and heirs are considered thoughtfully in the plan
Alignment Between Your Values and Your Wealth
Estate and legacy planning is where your values show up in your finances:
Structuring education funds so grandchildren understand the gift and its purpose.
Including charitable organizations or causes that matter to you.
Deciding how much to give now versus later, and to whom.
Heirloom’s role is to translate those values into a practical, mathematically sound plan that is monitored over time—so your intentions do not get lost in complexity or inertia.
Transparency and Fiduciary Alignment
Clients also benefit from Heirloom’s broader firm structure:
Fee-only, fiduciary wealth management—clients pay an AUM-based fee, and Heirloom avoids the commission-driven conflicts of interest that are common in large wirehouses and product-heavy practices.
In-house investment management with audited performance data, reviewed by a third-party firm, across multiple risk profiles.
A culture built from the ground up to eliminate as many conflicts as possible and sit on the same side of the table as the client.
Past performance does not guarantee future results, and estate outcomes always depend on individual circumstances and applicable law. But transparency and alignment are central to how Heirloom structures its work.
Is Heirloom’s Estate & Legacy Planning a Fit for You?
Heirloom’s estate and legacy planning services are especially well-suited for:
High-net-worth investors
with meaningful portfolios, complex tax situations, or multiple account types spread across institutions.
Professionals and business owners
who have accumulated significant assets and now want to ensure those assets support both retirement and the next generation.
Retirees and near-retirees
who are ready to move beyond “Do I have enough?” to “How do I use what I have to take care of my family and causes?”
Families working with a current advisor
but questioning whether their estate, tax, and investment strategies are truly coordinated—or whether they are being steered toward products rather than a plan.
First-time advisory clients
who want a comprehensive, fiduciary relationship that integrates day-to-day planning with long-term legacy decisions.
FAQs
Q: Is having a will enough for effective estate planning?
In many cases, no. While a will is important, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies override a will. If those beneficiaries are outdated, assets may pass to unintended recipients. Heirloom reviews the full picture—wills, trusts, and account-level beneficiaries—to help ensure everything works together as intended.
Q: How does Heirloom help prevent estate planning mistakes?
Heirloom proactively reviews account ownership and beneficiary designations, especially during major life events such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of grandchildren. These reviews help identify red flags early and reduce the risk of assets being distributed in ways that conflict with a client’s wishes.
Q: When might a trust make sense as part of an estate plan?
Trusts may be appropriate in a variety of situations, including blended families, special needs planning, multiple properties, or more complex asset structures. While Heirloom does not draft legal documents, the firm works closely with trusted estate attorneys to help clients explore whether a trust could better support their long-term goals.
Q: What does legacy planning mean beyond passing on assets?
Legacy planning is about intentional impact, not just inheritance. Many clients want to support children and grandchildren in meaningful ways—such as education funding or structured distributions—rather than simply leaving a lump sum. Heirloom helps clients think through how and when assets are transferred so their legacy reflects their values.
Q: How does estate and legacy planning integrate with the rest of a financial plan?
Estate and legacy planning is coordinated with retirement income, tax planning, and charitable strategies to ensure consistency across all areas. By working alongside estate attorneys and incorporating planning decisions into the broader financial plan, Heirloom helps clients create clarity and confidence around both their lifetime goals and the legacy they leave behind.
If you recognize yourself in any of these descriptions and you care deeply about what happens to your wealth after you are gone, Heirloom’s estate and legacy planning may be an important next step.
Schedule A Strategy Session with Our Team
This initial conversation is designed to understand your goals, current situation, and priorities. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, explore how Heirloom’s integrated approach works, and determine whether a longer-term relationship makes sense—without pressure or obligation.
Our Services
A coordinated approach to managing investments, planning, and cash flow, designed to bring clarity and confidence to your financial life today and over time.
Tax strategies integrated with your broader wealth plan, helping inform decisions, improve efficiency, and support long-term outcomes through coordinated planning.
Contact
6400 S Fiddlers Green Circle
Suite 1970
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
3200 Cherry Creek S Dr.
Suite 130
Denver, CO 80209
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