Make sure the money gets where you want it to go
Most people assume their will handles everything. It doesn’t. Retirement accounts, life insurance, and annuities pass to whoever is named on the beneficiary form — no matter what the will says. We align the financial side of your estate so your money goes where you intend.
The financial side, coordinated with your attorney
Steven is not an attorney and doesn’t draft legal documents. We handle the financial side and work alongside Florida estate attorneys so the two match.
- Beneficiary review across all your accounts
- Account titling review — joint, individual, trust, TOD
- Roth conversions as a wealth-transfer strategy
- Life insurance as a legacy and liquidity tool
- Charitable strategies — QCDs and donor-advised funds
- Step-up basis planning for taxable accounts
- Avoiding probate through beneficiary designations
- Wills, trusts, and healthcare directives
- Durable powers of attorney
- Medicaid planning strategies
- Specific charitable trust structures
No Florida estate attorney? We can refer you to one we work with.
What trips families up
After 15 years, the same handful of errors show up again and again. A beneficiary and titling review takes about an hour.
Outdated beneficiary forms
Ex-spouses, deceased parents, or forgotten contingents still listed. The form controls, not the will.
No contingent beneficiary
If the primary predeceases you, the account falls into the estate and goes through probate.
The estate named as beneficiary
Almost never right for an IRA — it accelerates taxes and triggers probate.
Joint accounts that shouldn’t be
Adding an adult child for convenience can create gift-tax issues and creditor exposure.
Trusts that own nothing
A revocable trust only avoids probate for assets actually titled to it. Many sit empty.
No plan for the surviving spouse
Filing jointly to single is one of the largest tax cliffs in the code. Plan before it matters.
You walk away with
- A written beneficiary audit of every account, policy, and annuity
- A titling review of taxable accounts and real property
- A multi-generational tax view, with Roth analysis for your heirs
- A charitable giving strategy, if that’s part of your plan
- Coordination with your attorney so legal and financial match
This delivers the most value if you
- Are 55 or older with meaningful retirement and taxable assets
- Are married and concerned about what happens when one spouse passes
- Hold $500,000 or more in retirement accounts
- Are charitably inclined and want to give more tax-efficiently
- Are a recent Florida transplant with out-of-state estate documents
- Are helping parents organize their financial affairs
If that sounds like you, the next step is a 45-minute conversation. No charge, no pressure.
Four simple steps
Call or book
Call (386) 402-4626 or schedule online.
Bring your documents
Account statements, insurance and annuity summaries, and current estate documents if you have them.
Discovery meeting
Free, about 45 minutes. We review what’s named on each beneficiary line and your goals.
Coordinated strategy
A written beneficiary and legacy strategy, with updates coordinated through your attorney.
Estate & legacy questions
Do you draft wills and trusts?
No. Steven is not an attorney. We coordinate with Florida estate attorneys for all legal document drafting and updates. If you don’t have one, we can refer you.
My will is up to date. Is that enough?
Not usually. Wills don’t control retirement accounts, life insurance, or annuities — those pass by beneficiary form. A beneficiary audit is separate from a will review and often finds items worth a second look.
What is the surviving spouse tax cliff?
The year after a spouse passes, the survivor typically files as single rather than jointly. Brackets compress, the standard deduction shrinks, and the same income carries a higher effective rate. Planning before is far easier than after.
Should my trust be the beneficiary of my IRA?
It depends and requires careful analysis. Naming a trust as IRA beneficiary needs very specific drafting to preserve tax efficiency, and the rules changed under the SECURE Act. This is a conversation between you, your attorney, and your advisor.
Can you help with charitable giving?
Yes — Qualified Charitable Distributions, donor-advised funds, and charitable beneficiary designations are all common. Specific charitable trust structures involve attorney coordination.
Do you work with people outside New Smyrna Beach?
Yes — Edgewater, Port Orange, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona, Palm Coast, Sanford, and the rest of Volusia County.
Make sure the money actually gets where you want it to go.
Schedule a free 45-minute beneficiary and legacy review, or call our New Smyrna Beach office.
Office: 112 N. Orange Street, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 · Mon–Fri, 9:00–5:00
Estate planning coordination provided by Steven L. Rich is limited to the financial account side, including beneficiary designations, account titling, and wealth transfer strategies. Steven is not an attorney and does not draft or review legal documents; all legal document preparation should be handled by a qualified estate attorney. Steven may refer clients to estate attorneys and may receive referral fees or other compensation in connection with those referrals, which represents a conflict of interest. Clients are under no obligation to use any referred attorney.
Investment advisory services are offered by Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC (“Signal Wealth”), a Registered Investment Adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Steven L. Rich is an Investment Adviser Representative of Signal Wealth. Insurance products are offered through New Smyrna Beach Retirement Solutions (“NSBRS”), which is not affiliated with Signal Wealth. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any tax strategies referenced are general in nature and coordinated with your qualified tax professional. This is for informational purposes only and is not investment, tax, or legal advice.