Category: Uncategorized

Madison Eubanks

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Jun 11, 2024

A beneficiary deemed owner trust (BDOT) is a specialized type of trust in which the beneficiary is considered to be the owner of the trust for income tax purposes. This structure is typically used to achieve income tax benefits.   In this article, we’ll discuss the requirements, benefits, and drawbacks of a beneficiary deemed owner trust, and when one could be a good option for clients.  What is a BDOT?  A BDOT is a sophisticated trust strategy where the beneficiary of the trust pays income taxes on the trust’s income. This is done through specific provisions in the trust document that...

Rachel Pettis

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Feb 12, 2024

February is a short month, but that doesn’t mean we’re short on new features. The Vanilla team has been working hard and are excited to bring three high-impact new features in February: Enhanced Projections Collaborative Onboarding Auto-calculations for Charitable Gifts Let's dive in. Visualize the future value of an estate with the new Projections Wealth advisors play a crucial role in helping their clients understand the full picture of their wealth both today and in the future. Generalized financial planning tools are helpful for understanding how assets grow and fall over time. But they fall short when it comes to...

Simona Ondrejkova, CFP

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Feb 06, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way business is done in many industries. With about 42% of large-scale organizations actively using AI tools in their business, the financial services industry is no exception.  Individual use of large learning models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Bard has also grown exponentially, including AI-powered software and AI based financial advisors.  This begs a couple of very important questions. What does the rise of AI mean for the potential future of financial advisors, their clients, and individuals seeking out financial advice? And how can advisors leverage AI in their business to maintain a competitive edge,...

John Costello

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Jan 18, 2024

Vanguard is introducing new and enhanced intergenerational wealth and legacy planning capabilities through a partnership with Vanilla, an innovative provider of digital estate planning tools and solutions. The offer was successfully piloted to a small cohort of eligible advised clients in Vanguard Personal Advisor Wealth Management over the past year and will scale to provide ultra-high-net-worth Vanguard investors with a powerful visualized approach to help manage and achieve their current and future estate planning objectives.  Launched in 2015, the Personal Advisor suite of advice offers is Vanguard’s industry-leading hybrid advice service that combines a sophisticated online experience and underlying technology...

Vanilla

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Jan 11, 2024

Vanilla adds more than 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech to C-suite Vanilla, a leading provider of estate planning software, today announced the appointment of Marc Dorfman as Chief Revenue Officer. Marc brings extensive experience in sales and customer success to Vanilla, with over two decades of driving revenue growth and leading high-performing teams in the financial services and fintech industries.  Throughout his career Marc has excelled at forging strong client relationships and navigating complex sales cycles, working with the largest asset and wealth managers in the world. In addition to guiding their investment strategies, Marc has...

Simona Ondrejkova, CFP

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Nov 06, 2023

Digital marketing offers advisors a great opportunity to expand your client base, increase your authority in the industry, and grow your business. Because digital marketing allows you to reach a wider audience of qualified prospects faster, it’s also more scalable than simply relying on in-person networking, cold calling, or other more traditional ways of acquiring financial advisor leads. Yet when it comes to online marketing, what works in other industries doesn’t necessarily always work for financial advisors. With a basic grasp of the following digital marketing strategies for wealth management, you’ll be able to connect with qualified prospects, increase awareness...

Daniel Brockley

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Oct 24, 2023

It used to be simple. Well, relatively simple. Physical possessions and properties were documented in trusts and wills, and when someone died, the executor would collect the keys and doll the possessions out. (Okay, I’m skipping probate and a few rather essential steps here, but you get the drift). What happens, though, when there is no physical possession – when there is no key? What happens when the assets in question are non-tangible? When they exist only in the digital world? Vanilla recently held a partner webinar with Kitces.com, where Jeff Levine outlined some key considerations that advisors and clients...

Daniel Brockley

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Jul 20, 2023

For Mariner Wealth Advisors paraplanner Gillian Cassidy and team, estate planning is always part of the conversation with a new client. In their onboarding process, the Mariner Wealth Advisors team inquires about existing estate plans and any life changes that may have happened since their estate documents were drawn up. They upload existing docs into Vanilla and walk through where it stands as well as potential opportunities to improve the strategy with the client.  So, when a new couple came to Gillian and team, they naturally asked about their current estate plan. What they found surprised and saddened them.  Gillian...

Daniel Brockley

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Jul 13, 2023

We want the best for our kids–for them to be happy, healthy, and love one another. And after a lifetime of working hard and weathering the ups and downs of the market, it can be heartening to know that the toils of your labor might help set up your children for success along their own paths. But money often serves as a magnifying glass, enhancing opportunities when things go well or fraying family relationships when jealousy or greed creep in. And as you consider how to leave your estate to your children, you may have a nagging feeling you can’t...