Estate Planning: Protecting Everything You’ve Worked So Hard to Build
When people hear “estate planning,” they often assume it’s something to deal with later. Something for retirement. Something for people with far more wealth than they currently have.
But the truth is, estate planning is not about how much you have. It’s about making sure the life you’ve worked so hard to build is protected, organized, and passed on intentionally.
If you’ve built a business, accumulated investments, purchased real estate, or simply care deeply about the people in your life, estate planning is one of the most important steps you can take to protect them.
And yet, most people delay it.
Not because it isn’t important, but because it feels overwhelming, uncomfortable, or unclear where to start.
My goal is to change that.
What Estate Planning Actually Means
Estate planning ensures your wishes are carried out exactly as intended, and that the people you love are protected and supported if something unexpected happens.
At its core, a proper estate plan answers questions like:
Who should receive your assets
Who will manage your finances if you cannot
Who will make medical decisions on your behalf
Who will care for your children
How your legacy will be structured and protected
These decisions are not just legal formalities. They are deeply personal.
Without clear instructions in place, these decisions are left up to the court system, which may not align with your intentions.
Estate planning gives you control.
A Will and Trust Serve Different but Complementary Roles
One of the most common questions I hear is, “Do I need a will, a trust, or both?”
The answer is often both, especially for individuals and families with growing wealth and complexity.
A Last Will and Testament outlines your wishes, names your executor, and directs how assets should be distributed.
A revocable trust, on the other hand, allows your assets to be managed during your lifetime and distributed efficiently after your death, often helping avoid probate and providing greater privacy and flexibility.
Trusts can also:
Protect assets for children or future generations
Provide structure and control over distributions
Support tax planning strategies
Simplify administration for your loved ones
For many of the ambitious leaders and business owners we work with, a trust becomes a foundational part of protecting their legacy.
Estate Planning Also Protects You During Your Lifetime
Estate planning is not just about what happens after you pass away.
It also ensures you are protected during your lifetime.
For example:
A financial power of attorney allows someone you trust to manage financial decisions if you are unable to do so.
An advance health care directive ensures someone you trust can make medical decisions on your behalf if needed.
These documents protect your autonomy and ensure your wishes are honored, even in unexpected circumstances.
The Biggest Risk Is Not Having a Plan
The number one reason people delay estate planning is simply that they haven’t gotten around to it.
Not because they don’t care.
Not because it isn’t important.
But because it feels like something for later.
Unfortunately, life does not always follow a predictable timeline.
Estate planning is not about expecting the worst. It’s about being prepared so that your family is protected no matter what happens.
It is one of the most powerful ways to reduce uncertainty and create peace of mind.
What This Looks Like at Different Life Stages
Starting your career: You might not have much yet, but you probably have some retirement accounts and maybe a car or some savings. At minimum, get beneficiaries designated on all your accounts (and keep them updated), and consider a basic will and healthcare power of attorney. If something happened to you, who would you want handling things?
Growing your family: Once you have children, estate planning becomes non-negotiable. Your will should name guardians for minor children—people you've actually talked to about this responsibility. Consider life insurance to provide for your family if something happens to you. Review beneficiaries on all accounts; they override whatever your will says.
Peak earning years: As your assets grow, the planning gets more nuanced. You might benefit from trusts to manage how and when heirs receive assets. Consider whether your current life insurance coverage still matches your needs. Think about charitable giving strategies that might also provide tax benefits.
Approaching and in retirement: Estate planning at this stage is often about simplification and tax efficiency. Review how your assets are titled. Make sure beneficiaries are current on all accounts—retirement accounts, life insurance, and bank accounts. Consider whether Roth conversions make sense to leave tax-free assets to heirs. Think about long-term care planning and how you'd fund it if needed.
For business owners: If you own a business, your estate plan needs to address succession. Who takes over operations? How do partners or co-owners get bought out? What happens to the business if you become incapacitated before you're ready to sell? A good estate plan for a business owner includes buy-sell agreements, succession plans, and potentially life insurance to fund transitions.
The Conversation Most People Avoid
The hardest part of estate planning isn't the documents—it's the conversations. Talking to your spouse about what happens if one of you dies. Talking to your kids about your wishes. Talking to your parents about theirs.
These conversations are uncomfortable, which is exactly why most people avoid them. But having them now—while everyone is healthy and thinking clearly—prevents so much confusion and conflict later.
You don't have to cover everything in one conversation. Start with the basics: where important documents are kept, what your wishes are for major decisions, who should be contacted if something happens. Build from there.
Estate Planning Is a Core Part of Comprehensive Financial Planning
At Infinite Heights, we believe estate planning is not separate from financial planning. It is an essential part of it.
You cannot build a complete financial strategy without addressing how your wealth is structured, protected, and transferred.
That is why we integrate estate planning directly into our comprehensive planning process.
Through our partnership with Wealth.com, our clients receive access to a modern, guided estate planning platform designed by estate planning experts, with documents legally valid in all 50 states.
This allows you to create, update, and maintain your estate plan as your life evolves, without the traditional barriers of cost and complexity.
For context, traditional attorney-prepared estate plans can often cost $5,000 to $10,000 and require additional fees for updates.
Our goal is to remove those barriers and ensure estate planning is accessible, integrated, and aligned with your overall financial strategy.
This Is About Protecting Your Family, Your Business, and Your Legacy
If you are an ambitious leader, entrepreneur, or professional building meaningful wealth, estate planning is not optional.
It is a responsibility.
Not just to yourself, but to the people who depend on you.
Estate planning ensures:
Your assets go where you intend
Your family is protected
Your wishes are honored
Your legacy is preserved
It allows you to build wealth with confidence, knowing everything you are creating is secure.
How We Help
At Infinite Heights Wealth Management, estate planning is included as part of our comprehensive planning process.
We help our clients:
Create wills and revocable trusts
Establish powers of attorney and health care directives
Coordinate beneficiary designations and account titling
Ensure estate planning aligns with tax strategy and overall financial planning
Maintain and update estate plans as life evolves
If you are a comprehensive planning client, we provide estate planning, including trust and will creation, as part of the integrated support we offer.
Because true financial planning does not just focus on growing wealth.
It ensures everything you are building is protected.
Ready to Put Your Estate Plan in Place?
If you want clarity, protection, and confidence in your financial future, estate planning is one of the most important steps you can take.
Schedule a conversation with our team to begin building a comprehensive plan that includes estate planning, trust and will creation, and a fully integrated strategy designed to support your life, your family, and your legacy.
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.