The More You Build, the More There Is to Protect.
What You’ve Built Deserves a Plan That Looks Beyond Today.
For families with significant wealth, the biggest tax decisions rarely come with a deadline. They present themselves at major financial events like a business sale, retirement, or inheritance. Planning ahead helps protect what you’ve built and preserve what matters most.
30 minutes. Free. No tax return needed.
Four things every high-net-worth family should weigh
The team at WealthQuant Advisors looks at these together, because each one changes the others.
The estate tax exemption
In 2026, the federal exemption is $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple, adjusted for inflation, with a 40% rate above it. California has no estate or inheritance tax. Many families fall below the threshold today, but the rules can change, and estate planning covers far more than tax.
Step-up in basis
Most assets inherited at death get a new cost basis equal to their value then, so heirs can often sell with little or no capital gains tax. Assets given during life generally keep the original owner’s basis, so which assets you hold and which you gift matters.
Gifting and trusts
In 2026, you can give up to $19,000 per recipient without using any of your lifetime exemption. Trusts add control, protection, and a way to plan across generations, and they work best when they’re set up before they’re needed.
Inheritance and property
Most non-spouse heirs must empty an inherited IRA within 10 years, and the timing of those withdrawals has real tax consequences. In California, Prop 19 can reassess inherited property to current value, creating a large property tax increase.
Strategies that fit a family’s plan
Your customized tax plan draws on these strategies, depending on where your family is in its transition.
Beneficiary and titling review, step-up planning, annual and lifetime gifting, trusts coordinated with your estate attorney
Donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, and gifts of appreciated stock or property
Diversifying a concentrated or low-basis family holding without a shock tax bill
Roth conversions and withdrawal planning that reduce what heirs will owe on inherited IRAs
A needs-based review of life insurance and liability coverage, and how it fits your estate plan
We build the plan with your CPA and estate attorney, on a timeline that protects every deadline.
Common questions from high-net-worth families
Do I even have an estate tax problem?
Maybe not at the federal level today. But estate planning is about more than the tax: titling, beneficiaries, and who’s in charge if something happens. We start there for every family, then add tax strategy where the size of the estate calls for it.
What is the step-up in basis, and why does it matter?
When you inherit most assets, their cost basis generally resets to their value at death, so heirs can often sell with little or no capital gains tax. Coordinating which assets to hold for the step-up and which to gift during life is one of the highest-value moves in estate planning.
Do I need a trust?
Many California families benefit from a revocable living trust to avoid probate, plus more advanced trusts as the estate grows. Whether you need one, and which kind, is a legal question we work through with your estate attorney. We make sure the financial plan and the documents match.
Will my kids get hit by Prop 19 on our house?
Possibly. Prop 19 limits the old parent-to-child property tax exclusion, so inherited California property can be reassessed to current market value. Some exceptions exist, such as a child who makes the home their primary residence, with limits. We flag the planning steps and loop in your attorney.
I just inherited an IRA. What are the rules?
Most non-spouse heirs must now empty an inherited IRA within 10 years. We build a withdrawal plan that fits your bracket, so you avoid an unnecessary tax spike.
Educational only. Not tax, legal, or investment advice. Estate documents are prepared by a licensed estate attorney, and we coordinate the plan.
See where your family’s plan stands
A free 30-minute Tax X-Ray. We’ll look at your estate, your timeline, and the moves worth considering. No tax return needed.