Our services
Legacy & Succession Planning
Through collaboration with clients' legal and tax professionals, we assist in developing strategic wealth transfer and succession plans. Whether it's protecting family assets, establishing trusts, or ensuring business continuity, Acclivus provides guidance that promotes both stability and legacy.
Our approach
How we help
01
Start with what you want to happen
Legacy planning begins with intentions — who, what, when and with what guardrails — then builds the structure to match. We facilitate that conversation before any paperwork.
02
Coordinate with your attorney and CPA
We do not provide legal or tax advice. We work alongside your legal and tax professionals so insurance and beneficiary structures execute the plan they draft.
03
Use life insurance with precision
Life insurance can equalize inheritances, cover estate settlement costs, or fund a buy-sell agreement for a family business. Placed correctly, it turns intentions into guarantees.
Common questions
Have more questions?
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?
That is a legal decision for you and your attorney. What we do is make sure your insurance, annuity and retirement account beneficiary designations actually match the plan your attorney drafts — a mismatch there overrides the documents.
How does life insurance fit into legacy planning?
It delivers a defined, generally income-tax-free amount to your beneficiaries at exactly the moment it's needed — liquidity for taxes, equal inheritances, or continuity for a business.
What's the difference between a revocable and irrevocable trust?
That distinction, and which one fits your situation, is a legal decision made with your attorney. What we help coordinate is making sure your insurance and account beneficiary designations are titled correctly to fund whichever structure your attorney puts in place.
Do beneficiary designations really override my will?
Yes, for accounts and policies that name a beneficiary — retirement accounts, annuities and life insurance pass directly to the named beneficiary regardless of what your will says. This is one of the most common and most costly planning gaps we find.
Can life insurance help cover estate taxes?
For estates large enough to face estate tax exposure, a life insurance policy can provide liquidity so heirs aren't forced to sell property or a business to pay the tax bill. Whether your estate is in that range is a conversation we'd have alongside your tax advisor.
How often should a legacy plan be reviewed?
At minimum after any major life event — marriage, divorce, a new grandchild, the sale of a business, or the death of a named beneficiary. We also recommend a standing annual check simply because tax law and family circumstances both shift over time.
Quick check
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Three quick questions about legacy & succession planning — your answers go straight to a licensed advisor, who replies with guidance specific to your situation. No generic packet.
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How ready is your retirement plan, really?
Eight questions reveal which gap to close first — income, health coverage, care costs or legacy. Most people find at least one they hadn't thought about.
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