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The Great Wealth Transfer: How High-Net-Worth Families Are Protecting Their Legacy (Or Losing It)
- haleyn4
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Over the next 20 years, America will witness the largest financial transition in its history. An estimated $84 trillion is expected to move from baby boomers to their heirs. Some families will preserve and grow that wealth for generations. Others will watch it vanish in taxes, legal fees, and avoidable family conflict.
The difference?
Planning.
Or the lack of it.
Certified Financial Fiduciary and Tax Strategist Alan Porter breaks down how the Great Wealth Transfer is unfolding — and why so many families are getting it wrong.
Why This Transfer Matters Now More Than Ever
Between now and 2045, trillions will change hands. But most families aren’t ready. They put off planning, assume their advisors “have it covered,” or think their estate is too simple to worry about.
That’s how legacies disappear.
Without a proactive strategy, families risk:
Heavy estate taxes
Forced liquidation of businesses or property
Costly probate and legal battles
Wealth drained by poor tax planning
Family division and failed transitions
As Alan puts it:
“People don’t lose wealth from bad investments — they lose it from bad planning.”
The Big Mistakes Families Make
1. Procrastination
Waiting until it’s too late. Death and disability don’t send calendar invites.
2. Weak Tax Planning
Not using tools that wealthy families rely on every day: trusts, insurance, advanced tax strategies, and liquidity planning.
3. No Specialized Team
Your general advisor isn't an estate attorney, a tax strategist, or a wealth-transfer expert. Successful families use specialists — not generalists.
How the Wealthy Transfer Wealth the Right Way
High-net-worth families keep their money by making smart moves before trouble hits.
✔️ Cash Value Life Insurance
The Swiss Army knife of wealth preservation.
Tax-free liquidity at death
Tax-free access during life
Pays estate taxes
Equalizes inheritances
Protects assets from probate
Offers long-term care benefits
✔️ Fixed Indexed Annuities
For retirees and business owners who want guarantees:
No market downturn risk
Lifetime income
Compounding growth
Income planning out to age 120
These are how families create stability — not hope.
✔️ Trusts That Actually Work
ILITs to remove life insurance from the estate
CRTs to reduce taxes and create lifetime income
Buy-Sell Agreements for business continuity
A Real Case: $2.2 Million Recovered
Alan recently helped a client reclaim $2.2 million in overpaid taxes.
Read that again.
That’s not “hypothetical money.”
That was hard-earned wealth practically gift-wrapped for the IRS — until Alan’s team stepped in.
No planning? That money vanishes.
Proactive planning? It stays with the family.
Why Business Owners Need This Even More
Business owners face a more brutal version of the Great Wealth Transfer:
Kids often can’t or don’t want to run the business.
There’s rarely enough liquidity to transition ownership.
Family members fight over value and responsibility.
Businesses collapse under poor succession planning.
Life insurance can fund buy-sell agreements.
Annuities can create a reliable retirement income.
Trusts can prevent family disputes.
Without a plan, the business you spent a lifetime building can fall apart in months.
Where Families Should Start Right Now
You don’t fix legacy planning by guessing.
You fix it by getting clarity.
Step 1:
Use the free Retirement Tax Calculator at:
Step 2:
Book a free consultation with Alan to uncover:
Tax exposure
Estate planning weaknesses
Asset protection gaps
Legacy goals
Succession planning needs
Alan brings in CPAs, estate attorneys, and tax strategists to build a plan tailored to your family — not a cookie-cutter template.
Contact Alan Porter
📞 910-551-1046
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