Wealth Enhancement Estate Planning Services

Sentinel Asset Management is a comprehensive financial services firm committed to supporting individuals and families pursuing long-term financial security. We specialize in retirement income planning, estate planning, tax management, and legacy planning, with 100+ years of combined advisory experience and 5 offices across the U.S. Our approach integrates investment goals, income needs, tax considerations, and family priorities into one cohesive strategy designed to preserve what matters most.

Sentinel Asset Management operates as a fiduciary, meaning we are legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times. Our recommendations are guided by your unique financial situation, goals, and values—not commissions or product sales. Every strategy we recommend is stress-tested, transparent, and aligned with your long-term success, ensuring you receive advice you can trust throughout your relationship with us.

Our estate planning service coordinates legal, financial, and personal considerations to minimize tax exposure, avoid probate, and ensure efficient wealth transfer. We organize assets across taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free categories, review titling and beneficiary designations, and collaborate with estate attorneys for trusts or complex instruments. We focus on the 98% of estate planning that doesn't require a lawyer—accounts, insurance policies, and ownership structures—ensuring your wealth reaches the right people gracefully and on your terms.

We use strategic tax management techniques including Roth conversions, Qualified Charitable Distributions, tax-efficient gifting, and multi-account withdrawal sequencing to minimize your lifetime tax liability. By coordinating when and where assets are held and withdrawn across all three tax categories, we help preserve more of your estate for your beneficiaries. Every strategy is modeled, stress-tested, and aligned with current IRS rules to maximize efficiency and compliance.

Trusts are powerful tools for protecting and directing wealth, but they're not necessary for everyone. We evaluate your specific situation—estate size, family complexity, privacy concerns, and tax exposure—to determine if a trust is appropriate. When beneficial, we collaborate with qualified estate attorneys to design trusts that minimize taxes, avoid probate, and ensure assets transfer efficiently. Our focus is recommending structures that genuinely serve your goals, not unnecessary complexity.

We conduct thorough reviews of all beneficiary designations across your accounts, insurance policies, and retirement plans to ensure they align with your estate plan and current intentions. Outdated or conflicting beneficiary designations are one of the most common estate planning mistakes—they can override wills and trusts entirely. We verify consistency, recommend updates when life circumstances change, and coordinate designations with your overall wealth transfer strategy to prevent unintended consequences.

Yes. We've supported families with special needs for 25 years, providing dedicated financial planning designed for lifelong support. We coordinate with estate attorneys and care planners to structure Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, and other vehicles that preserve government benefits while ensuring quality care. Our goal is to provide financial security and peace of mind for families navigating complex care requirements and long-term planning needs.

Initial estate planning typically takes 4-8 weeks depending on complexity, including asset inventory, beneficiary reviews, tax analysis, and coordination with attorneys if needed. Simple plans with clear asset structures move faster; multi-generational legacy planning with trusts and specialized needs takes longer. Estate planning isn't a one-time event—we conduct ongoing reviews as your life circumstances, tax laws, and family situations evolve to ensure your plan remains current and effective.