Many people put off estate planning because it feels uncomfortable or overwhelming. But avoiding the conversation doesn’t make the need go away; it simply makes things harder for the people you care about most.
A little preparation today can significantly ease the burden on your caregivers, financial agents, and estate administrators in the future. Clear legal documents and thoughtful conversations ensure your wishes are understood and respected, whether related to medical care, finances, or legacy planning.
One of the most important (and often overlooked) steps is having Generational Conversations™before decisions are needed. These conversations help families align expectations, reduce stress, and create clarity—making life smoother both now and down the road.
Not sure how to start the conversation?
We’ve created Themes for Family Conversations to help guide thoughtful, productive discussions with loved ones.
How to Get Started With Estate Planning
Estate planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with these essential steps:
1. Prioritize Your Family’s Long-Term Needs
Think through and communicate your preferences for:
Housing and living arrangements
Care management
Financial decision-making
2. Create a Clear List of Assets
Document what you own and where to find it, including:
Bank and investment accounts
Property, titles, and deeds
Valuables and important keys or access details
3. Decide Who Gets What
Outline your beneficiaries and ensure your intentions are clearly documented.
4. Inform Your Decision-Makers
Make sure the right people understand their roles:
Executor
Healthcare agent
Financial agent
5. Gather and Protect Key Documents
Keep critical documents organized and accessible, including:
Wills
Healthcare directives
Powers of Attorney
Insurance policies
Financial statements
6. Ask for a Checklist
Integras Partners has created separate checklists for Retirees and Executors to make the process easier. We can also recommend secure, free online document vaults to store and share your information safely.
The Real Benefit: Peace of Mind
When your plans are in place, the impact goes far beyond paperwork.
Worry Less About Doing the “Right” Thing
Greater clarity during market or economic uncertainty
Confidence that decisions are informed and intentional
Feel Confident in Your Decisions
Increased confidence in career and life choices
Greater peace heading into retirement
Take Care of the People You Love
Children
Partners
Parents
Stay Organized and In Control
Less chaos during critical moments
More time for what truly matters
Gain More Discretionary Time
Fewer last-minute decisions
More freedom to focus on living well
Estate planning isn’t about preparing for the worst—it’s about creating confidence, clarity, and peace of mind for yourself and the people who matter most.
Too often in new client Discovery Meetings, we hear “I wish I knew where all my money is going.” Sometimes folks aren’t even sure how much they have, or where it all is.
You may have created bank or investment accounts upon starting a new job, a friend’s recommendation, or moving to a new city. New credit card offers come in the mail, and like streaming services, old ones don’t always get cancelled.
What comes in and what goes out
Consolidating investment and bank accounts helps form a clearer picture of what you have, what comes in, and what goes out. Some bank accounts offer teaser rates or cash bonuses to attract new deposits, but then the interest rates fall to almost zero. High-yield money markets are often online savings accounts with rates now over 3% that link to your bank checking and typically limit withdrawals to six per month.
So consolidating bank accounts could mean that all your “savings” would earn decent interest and be readily available when needed. This could be huge for you, because once you have “extra” savings, you can make investment decisions that grow your wealth. This can lead to greater freedom in making future life choices.
Growing Wealth might mean increasing your 401(k) contributions, starting a personal investment account, or even paying off car or credit card balances. Because loan rates are usually higher than bank interest, you’re ahead of the game by paying down debt.
A little organization goes a long way:
Consolidate Accounts to take inventory of what you own and where it lives.
• Write down Life Goals now that you see the big picture and track your progress.
• Achieving Goals motivates one to stay financially organized. It also makes spending decisions easier and enjoying life less stressful.
• Protect your Wealth. Free online password vaults allow you to use different complex passwords for everything, and change them often.
• Ask Us for a Checklist. Integras Partners created separate checklists for Young Professionals, Established Professionals, Planning Retirement, and Executors.
Stock prices and corporate earning expectations have disconnected. Now, no price is too high to pay for access to this new AI playing field. The mega cap stocks primarily involved in the AI buildout trade at a Price to Earning (P/E) ratio of 35x. This means you’re paying for the next 35 years of expected earnings! The remaining stocks trade at a more reasonable 21x, yet investors’ appetite for risk has created a blinder to them. Investors seem focused on increasing future growth potential, and at any price.
Once something comes along to challenge the thesis behind all this spending on the buildout, and one of the large players pulls back, risk appetite will cease and these valuations will no longer be supported. Then we see how many billions of dollars have been wasted betting on A.I. and how many companies tied to that model will die. Once the music stops you don’t want to be left standing with high concentrations of these assets. Everyone playing musical chairs will look for a place to land. This is how manias end. No one knows when this will happen. But we know it ultimately will.
The good news is that markets are heading into their most resilient and consistent quarter for returns.
For almost the last 100 years, the S&P 500 has risen 74% of the time in the fourth quarter. Additionally, when the market is positive for the first nine months, it has increased 88% of the time. So, seasonality is on your side for the remainder of the year.
The resiliency of the US consumer is also a big positive. If employment numbers hold, consumers should be able to absorb the coming pass-thru of tariff costs. These higher prices also set the stage for a resurgence of inflation.
Speaking of tariffs (and the lack of inflation associated with them to date), companies have thus far absorbed most of the impact. Many front-loaded inventories trying to sidestep tariffs. Going forward as inventories need to be restocked, retail prices will go up. If the Federal Reserve continues lowering interest rates into an inflationary cycle, inflation numbers could climb in the coming quarters.
The bottom line is that we are in an A.I. driven asset bubble which may continue for a few more quarters, driving stock prices and associated risks up even further.
If the U.S. consumer is willing to pay more of the tariff costs that companies will be passing along, we will see inflation increase. The Fed may be forced to change course at some point with interest rate increases as opposed to decreases. The entire investment backdrop would then change, along with economic activity and economic growth.
There is still time and seasonality on our side before these issues may come to the surface, causing a reset of just how much risk investors tolerate. The sand is running out of the bottle while the music keeps playing. For now, keep listening while keeping an ever-present eye to anything that could be a threat to your well-being.
We are acutely aware of where markets stand and what is most likely ahead once the music stops. Significant investor losses often come from sitting still while frozen by what’s happening. If you would like some feedback and recommendations on your financial situation, contact us.
If you sell an investment property like a rental home or other piece of commercial real estate, you will owe taxes on the gain. Between capital gains tax and depreciation recapture, a taxpayer could pay more than 1/3 of their gain in taxes.
Many investors turn to DST programs to complete a tax-deferred exchange (known as a 1031 exchange). DST programs offer several advantages over finding individual replacement properties.
Some DST programs have an additional feature known as an UPREIT option. In these, an investor may have their DST interests subsequently acquired by a REIT on a tax-deferred basis, in exchange for Operating Partnership units (OP units).
This UPREIT option can provide additional benefits, such as:
Further diversification: A DST may own a handful of properties, while a REIT may own hundreds
Increased income: OP units often have a higher yield than DST interests
No need for future exchanges: An UPREIT transaction ends the ability to complete future 1031 exchanges, but maintains the investor’s tax-deferred status indefinitely (subject to some limitations).
Ability to control the timing of taxes: Deferred tax is not due until OP units are redeemed. An investor can choose if and when to request a redemption.
Liquidity for heirs: Heirs can choose to redeem OP units at stepped up basis. DST interests do not usually provide liquidity to heirs until the properties in the DST are sold.
The 1031 exchange rules are complex. It is advisable to speak with a tax professional and a financial advisor well before an investment property is sold.
Meet Megan. She’s in her early 30s, single, and fairly stable in her career, although she may change employers.
Like most younger professionals we work with, Megan was unsure how to get started. She had a couple of previous company retirement accounts and a Roth IRA she started years ago. She had accumulated a sizable bank account but was unsure how to invest, especially after seeing her parents experience mixed results.
Integras Analysis
Our conversations determined that she was living within her means, but she needed a cash safety net (for unexpected events such as car repairs or job loss). She hopes one day to start a family and own a home. She contributes to her 401(k) but was unsure if she was contributing enough.
Recommendations
Put some of the excess cash in her bank account into a high-yield savings account for emergency / unexpected expenses
Allocate her remaining excess cash into two strategic accounts. First, a moderate account seeking 4% to 5% returns for goals in the next 3-5 years, such as purchasing a home. Then, a growth account seeking appreciation for longer-term goals before retirement age.
A modest increase to her 401(k), to better pave the path to future retirement. A 2% increase for someone earning $100K typically only lowers bi-weekly take-home pay by about $50.
Open a Roth IRA
Consolidate her former company plans to ensure she’s not losing track of these investments.
Results
With her “safety net” in place, Megan started an automatic bank draft of $100/month to her moderate account and is comfortable making monthly contributions to the Roth IRA. Besides tax-free growth, once you’ve owned a Roth for five years you can withdraw up to $10,000 without penalty towards a first-time home purchase! We consolidated her former company plans and helped allocate her current employer’s 401(k). Now, Megan’s retirement investments complement each other, and she has a track to meet her future retirement goal.
