Many people come to us seeking guidance
on concerns and questions such as:
Are you looking to grow your money in Tax-efficient ways?
Is building financial security for your children and generations to come a Dream of yours?
It’s hard enough to raise a family with both of you trying. What if it were one of you alone?
Do you ever worry about outliving your retirement assets or income?
Which of your estate's assets would you want sold first in order to pay estate taxes?
Darinka Lora-Stepan and Associates provides individuals and families with innovative, cutting-edge solutions and services to help them grow, protect, and conserve their wealth. No matter what stage of life you're in, we understand the importance of prioritizing your financial future, so we work alongside you to help you get started, stay on track, and achieve your goals. Taking into account your needs, goals, and tolerance for risk, we will work with you to bring clarity to what you want to achieve and how to get there; and we'll be by your side every step of the way. Some of our key services are detailed below.
Asset Accumulation and Protection
There are numerous financial strategies and retirement income strategies that can help you accumulate assets for the future, protect your business and personal assets from liabilities, and safeguard asset transfer to children and grandchildren. We can help you figure out what the right course of action is for your specific situation and objectives.
401(k) and IRA Rollovers
When you leave a job or retire, you have a decision to make regarding your 401(k) money. While leaving those assets in the former employer's plan is an option, a rollover can be a consideration. Working with your tax advisor, we can help you determine the right course of action for you. This may include: leaving the funds in your existing plan, if permitted, rolling them into your new employer's plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted, rolling them over to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or taking a cash distribution. Each choice offers advantages and disadvantages, depending on your specific needs, personal circumstances and the retirement plans, such as the desired investment options and services, applicable fees, expenses, and withdrawal options, as well as the required minimum distributions (RMDs) and tax treatment of the applicable options. We do not offer tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your personal situation.
Disability and Extended Care Needs
To execute a sound retirement strategy, asset and income protection are a must. Designing a strategy that accounts for costs for extended periods of care and disability insurance can help create the necessary balance in a portfolio to ensure stability and protection of assets.
Charitable Planning
Charitable giving allows you to support the organizations and causes that matter to you, while often providing immediate income streams and reducing your tax burden. Numerous charitable giving strategies exist, and we can help you design and execute a charitable giving strategy that is in alignment with your personal and philanthropic goals. Please seek tax advice from your own tax advisors.
Estate Planning
A well-engineered estate conservation plan can help minimize tax liability and ensure that loved ones are protected. We will work with you and your advisors to assess the impact of state and federal taxes on your estate and suggest strategies to help minimize those taxes while meeting your family’s needs. We do not provide tax advice. Please consult with your own advisors for tax advice.