Do nothing big in month one
A few decisions are time-sensitive. Most are not. The biggest mistake we see is moving fast on big decisions before the dust settles.
A financial advisor for inheritance work in the year after the money arrives. Help making steady decisions in a moment when steady is hard, from a fiduciary CFP serving South Florida and virtual.
A few decisions are time-sensitive. Most are not. The biggest mistake we see is moving fast on big decisions before the dust settles.
Inherited brokerage accounts get a stepped-up basis at death. That changes the tax math on selling and on holding. The strategy depends on the basis.
Most non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit a retirement account have 10 years to draw it down. The sequencing across those 10 years has real tax consequences. We map it.
We work with the executor, the estate attorney, and the CPA. Often we step in for the inheritor specifically, not the whole estate, which simplifies the conversation.
We meet on a real cadence, usually quarterly. The plan flexes as your life and the tax code change. Most relationships span decades.
Offices in Boca Raton and Plantation, plus licensed in all 50 states. Existing clients keep us when they move.
Composite scenarios drawn from real client work, anonymized.
Cash flow stabilized, beneficiaries audited, a draft plan in hand. Most clients feel oriented by month three.
Tax positioning implemented, investment policy in place, the first quarterly reviews done. Decisions start compounding.
The plan has flexed to handle real-life shifts (a new job, a sale, a loss). The pattern is steady decisions, not reactive ones.
The first phone call. If you've just received an inheritance and have no idea where to start, that's a normal place to start. The first meeting is mostly listening and organizing. Decisions come later.
Common entry points and adjacencies:
Spousal vs non-spousal options. The 10-year rule planning for non-spouse beneficiaries.
See inherited ira setup →Stepped-up basis coordination, inherited IRA withdrawal sequencing, estate K-1 tracking.
See tax planning →Receiving an inheritance is usually the right moment to update your own estate documents.
See your estate plan update →Many inheritors also fit one of these:
"After my father passed, the inherited IRA situation got complicated fast. Beth walked us through the 10-year rule, the tax side, and got us a plan that didn't waste the stepped-up basis on the brokerage account."
"I inherited a brokerage account I didn't know existed. Beth pulled the statements, confirmed the stepped-up basis, and helped me decide what to do over the next several years instead of all at once."
"Beth was patient. She didn't try to move money to her platform on the first call. We got organized first. The investment work came later, after I was ready."
Posts our wealth advisors have put together on this topic.
When you inherit appreciated assets (stocks, real estate, etc.), the cost basis is generally stepped up to the fair market value on the date of death. That means if you sell soon after inheriting, the capital gains tax is minimal or zero (compared to what the original owner would have owed). The stepped-up basis is one of the most useful features of inherited assets.
For most non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit a retirement account after 2019, the SECURE Act requires the entire balance be distributed within 10 years. There are some exceptions (eligible designated beneficiaries like minor children, disabled or chronically ill beneficiaries, beneficiaries less than 10 years younger than the deceased). The planning is about how to spread the 10-year drawdown across years where your tax bracket is lowest.
It depends. Inherited cash, inherited brokerage assets, and inherited real estate are generally not taxable to the inheritor at the moment of receipt (the estate may owe estate tax). Inherited retirement accounts (traditional IRA, 401(k)) ARE taxable as ordinary income when distributed to the inheritor. Inherited Roth accounts are generally not taxable. The basis and timing rules are what we plan around.
Depends. The stepped-up basis usually means selling soon after inheriting incurs little capital gains tax. Selling later, after the property appreciates further, means tax on the additional gain. Holding the property for rental income has its own math. The right answer depends on cash flow, family considerations, and the broader plan.
Generally we recommend 6 to 12 months for any irreversible major decision (moving large balances, buying property, making big gifts). The first year is mostly about understanding what you've and getting it organized. The strategic decisions come once the picture is clear.
The first meeting is a conversation, not a sales pitch. We'll talk about where you are, what you're working through, and whether Intercoastal is the right fit. In person in Boca Raton or Plantation, or by video from anywhere.