Congress has provided many income tax incentives.  However, some of them - oil drilling and agriculture, for example - are fraught with economic risks.  We employ those tools provided by Congress which are economically neutral.  In other words, if you lose money while gaining tax benefits, you are the only one who could have caused the economic loss. Each of these are forms of techniques in common usage. A few of these techniques are quite unusual and only available in selected situations. For example, a 38 year-old might be able to contribute $40,000 to a conventional defined benefit plan, and a 61 year-old might be able to contribute $150,000.

Congress has provided many ways to reduce, defer and - in some cases - eliminate capital gains taxes. The techniques vary depending, in part, on the nature of the assets involved, the timing, and the client's individual characteristics.

Congress has provided so many ways to reduce estate taxes that it is fair to say that the estate tax is strictly voluntary. No matter how large your estate is, it need not be reduced by estate taxes if you engage in thoughtful planning.

The farther in advance the planning begins, the easier and less expensive it is to reach a near-zero taxable estate. However, there are specific techniques appropriate for situations in which planning has been delayed too long.

Many people avoid proper estate planning because they do not like thinking about death. However, an effective estate plan can avoid many potential problems for loved ones if something happens unexpectedly. Estate Planning is generally considered the process by which people develop a plan that ensures that the assets they have worked so hard accumulating during their lifetime are protected and distributed to those they love.