Estate planning is more than documents. It’s a conversation about what you want your wealth to accomplish — and whether the people who will inherit it are prepared for what that means.
Most families have done the legal work. Few have had the family conversation that makes the legal work meaningful.
The attorney did the work. The trust is signed. The will is in the filing cabinet. The beneficiary designations are on file — though nobody’s checked whether they still reflect the current family picture.
And the adult children have never read the documents, don’t understand their roles, and will be encountering this information for the first time at the worst possible moment.
That’s the gap we help families close. Not by replacing the attorney — by coordinating the conversation that makes the legal work real.
We coordinate with your estate attorney to review existing documents — wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiary designations — and identify what needs updating as your family and financial situation evolve.
Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, life insurance, and annuities often supersede the will. We help families audit all designations across all accounts and ensure they’re coordinated with the overall estate plan.
We help families have the conversations that documents can’t have: what the wealth is for, what responsibilities come with it, and whether the next generation is prepared for what they’ll receive.
For families with charitable goals, we coordinate the giving strategy with the estate and tax picture — donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, and other structures that can accomplish both philanthropic and financial objectives.
Stonehearth Capital Management does not provide legal or tax advice. Estate, trust, gifting, and charitable strategies involve complex legal and tax considerations; we coordinate with clients’ estate attorneys and tax professionals when appropriate. Clients should consult their attorney or CPA regarding their specific circumstances.
Estate planning works when families are prepared — not just when the documents are signed. We help families close the gap between the legal work and the family conversations that make it real.
Learn how we help families prepare the next generation →Estate planning conversations often connect naturally to the situation of widows and widowers — who are navigating an inherited estate picture for the first time.
Understanding what you have and what comes next after losing a spouse →“Jamie and the group at Stonehearth Capital Management are wonderful! They were extremely helpful in creating a plan my wife and I felt comfortable with to manage our retirement. They also assisted in helping us set up a trust and will. They are very competent financial advisors... and nice people!”
The Google reviews copied above are from individuals who provided public feedback about Stonehearth Capital Management. No compensation was provided for these statements. Experiences may not be representative of all clients and are not a guarantee of future results or success. View additional client feedback.
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The first conversation is about understanding your situation — not presenting a proposal. No preparation required. No documents to gather. No commitment to make.