Ascent insightsPersonal legacy planning

Progressing from a “checkbook” donor to a philanthropist can be one of the most rewarding privileges of wealth.

These steps can help you create a legacy plan that both reflects your values and incorporates tax-efficient ways to transfer your assets.

Every family has a unique history that plays an important role in leaving a legacy. Karen McNeill, our Senior Family Historian, explains how history sets the foundation for lasting family preservation.

A variety of factors can impact how you distribute your estate to your beneficiaries. Doing so fairly and equitably may require some creative thinking.

There are so many things to consider when getting engaged including signing a prenup. It may not be the most romantic part of wedding planning, but it can be a very practical decision for both parties.

The best place to start engaging and educating family members of all ages and attitudes toward money is with what matters most: values.

The emotional stages of inheritance often parallel the five stages of grief. Understanding how they correlate, and specifically how to move past the guilt stage, can help you find peace with your inheritance and focus on the future.

Every family tree is full of amazing female role models. Oral history can be an effective way to record their stories and raise the profile of the women in your family.

Seventy percent of wealth transfers fail from one generation to the next. Private family foundations may provide intergenerational families an opportunity to overcome this challenge.

You may have the best of intentions when launching a family foundation, but that’s often not enough to avoid a failure. With proper planning, you can avoid three critical missteps that many foundations make.

Donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions and gifts of appreciated stocks offer prime opportunities to enhance your giving and potentially take advantage of greater tax savings.

Establishing shared family values is essential to your family’s long-term financial wellness.

Family secrets are not uncommon. These “skeletons" can launch potentially challenging but necessary conversations to redefine their family values and goals.

With Ascent’s help, a real estate developer revealed the wealth he’d built to his family and worked together to create a financial plan for the future.

Holidays and year-end gatherings are ideal times to discuss your family’s strategic philanthropic plan and the philanthropy you’re involved in. Doing so can help you find joy in giving back to your community and renew shared values across generations.