Asset Protection & Estate Planning Firm

Estate planning focuses on how your assets will be distributed after your death—through wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations—to minimize taxes and avoid probate. Asset protection, on the other hand, safeguards your wealth during your lifetime from creditors, lawsuits, and other financial risks using legal structures like irrevocable trusts, LLCs, and strategic titling. At Sentinel, we integrate both disciplines to ensure your wealth is protected now and transferred efficiently later, coordinating legal, financial, and tax considerations into one cohesive strategy.

Absolutely. Estate planning isn't just for the wealthy—it's about ensuring your assets go to the people you choose, minimizing court involvement, and protecting your loved ones from unnecessary legal fees and delays. Even modest estates benefit from coordinated beneficiary designations, properly titled accounts, and clear directives for healthcare and guardianship. We focus on the 98% of estate planning that doesn't require a lawyer, working with your existing accounts, insurance policies, and ownership structures to create clarity and control without unnecessary complexity or expense.

Strategic use of trusts, beneficiary designations, and account titling can significantly reduce or eliminate estate taxes and probate costs. We coordinate your taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts to ensure assets transfer efficiently outside of probate, and we work alongside estate attorneys to structure revocable or irrevocable trusts when appropriate. Techniques like annual gifting, Qualified Charitable Distributions, and multi-generational trusts can further reduce tax exposure while preserving more wealth for your heirs and charitable causes. Every strategy is customized to your goals, family structure, and current tax law.

A trust is a legal entity that holds and manages assets on behalf of beneficiaries, providing control, privacy, and tax advantages that wills alone cannot offer. Trusts can help you avoid probate, protect assets from creditors or divorce, and dictate how and when heirs receive their inheritance. Whether you need a revocable living trust for flexibility or an irrevocable trust for asset protection depends on your goals, family situation, and estate size. We review your existing trust documents for consistency and work with estate attorneys to design structures that align with your financial plan and values.

Estate planning is most effective when integrated with your retirement income strategy, tax management, and investment portfolio. We review your wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and account titling alongside your withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversions, and asset allocation to ensure every piece works together. This coordination minimizes lifetime tax liability, protects against unintended consequences, and ensures your wealth transitions smoothly across generations. We also stress-test your plan under different market and longevity scenarios to confirm it can endure the unexpected while supporting your lifestyle and legacy goals.

Yes. We have 25 years of dedicated experience designing financial plans for families requiring lifelong support for special needs dependents. This includes coordinating special needs trusts (SNTs) with estate attorneys to preserve government benefit eligibility, structuring inheritance to avoid disqualification from programs like Medicaid or SSI, and planning for long-term care costs. We work closely with care planners and legal professionals to ensure your loved one is financially secure and well-cared for throughout their lifetime, with tailored strategies that reflect your family's unique needs and priorities.

We recommend reviewing your estate plan every three to five years or after major life events—marriage, divorce, birth of a child, significant wealth changes, relocation to a new state, or changes in tax law. Beneficiary designations, trust provisions, and account titling should align with your current wishes and financial situation. Regular reviews ensure consistency across all planning documents and investment accounts, prevent outdated or conflicting directives, and adapt to evolving family dynamics and regulatory environments. We monitor your plan continuously and proactively recommend updates when circumstances warrant.

Costs vary based on the complexity of your estate, the structures required (wills, trusts, LLCs), and whether legal counsel is needed for advanced planning. Simple beneficiary designation reviews and account coordination are typically included in our comprehensive financial planning services. More complex trust design, irrevocable structures, or family limited partnerships may involve collaboration with estate attorneys, whose fees depend on scope and jurisdiction. We provide transparent guidance on what's necessary versus optional, prioritize cost-effective strategies, and ensure every dollar spent delivers meaningful protection and tax efficiency for your family.