“The biggest estate planning risk in 2027 may not be a tax issue, but a preparedness problem. As the Great Wealth Transfer accelerates, an estimated $124 trillion is expected to change hands through 2048. Yet many families spend far more time preparing assets for transfer than the people who will inherit them.
“I've worked with surviving spouses who suddenly found themselves managing financial decisions they had never been part of. I've seen heirs inherit significant wealth without understanding the responsibilities that come with it. And I've watched families struggle because important conversations about intentions, expectations and values never happened.
“Those experiences reinforced a simple lesson: estate planning extends beyond transferring assets. It also involves preparing the people who will one day be responsible for them.
“For advisors, that creates an opportunity to help families move beyond documents and tax strategies toward meaningful conversations about readiness, responsibility and long-term stewardship.”
(continued)
● “The Estate Plan Is Only the Beginning: What Advisors Need to Know,” LPL Financial, 10/7/26:
#estateplanning #survivingspouse #beneficiary