Your wealth took a lifetime to build.
Make sure it outlasts you.
Estate planning isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy. If you’ve built real income, real assets, and real goals for your family — a coordinated plan is the difference between a legacy and a tax bill.
Most high earners are one missed plan
away from a preventable loss.
California has some of the highest probate costs in the nation. Federal estate taxes hit 40% above the exemption threshold. Lifetime income taxes, without optimization, compound quietly for decades. The gap between what you accumulate and what actually transfers to your family isn’t random — it’s structural. And structure can be fixed.
Without a trust, your estate goes through probate — a public, court-supervised process. Statutory attorney and executor fees in CA are set by law and can consume 4–7% of gross estate value.1 A $3M estate can lose $60K–$100K+ before your family sees a dollar.
If you earn $300K–$500K in California, you’re in the top federal and state brackets. Without planning, that drag compounds over a career into seven figures of avoidable tax. The right strategies — harvesting, SALT optimization, retirement contributions — change the math.
The 2026 federal exemption is $15M per person ($30M MFJ), made permanent by the OBBBA. For estates approaching those limits, the 40% rate on the excess is significant. Strategic gifting and irrevocable trusts can remove assets — and their appreciation — from your taxable estate now.
A will alone is a starting point, not a plan. The real work is coordinating your investments, retirement accounts, insurance, and business interests with the legal structure — so every piece works together when it matters most.
¹ California Probate Code § 10810. Source: opelon.com
Financial strategy and legal precision,
working together.
Estate planning at RYSE is a coordinated process — not a one-time document handoff. We bring the financial layer; your attorney brings the legal structure. Together, we build a plan that actually holds.
Every component of a complete estate plan.
The cornerstone of California estate planning. Keeps your estate out of probate, maintains privacy, and allows seamless asset transfer — without court involvement or statutory fees.
A will works alongside your trust to capture any assets not already titled in it. We ensure your legal documents and financial accounts are aligned so nothing falls through the cracks.
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and financial accounts pass by beneficiary designation — outside your will and trust. Misaligned designations are one of the most common and costly estate planning mistakes.
Tax-loss harvesting, Roth conversion strategy, SALT optimization ($40,400 cap in 2026), maximum retirement contributions, and income-timing strategies coordinated to reduce your lifetime tax burden.
Annual exclusion gifting ($19,000/recipient in 2026), irrevocable trusts (SLATs, ILITs), family limited partnerships, and GRATs for estates approaching or exceeding the exemption threshold.
Donor-Advised Funds, charitable remainder trusts, and strategic giving plans. Under 2026’s OBBBA rules, donating appreciated stock to a DAF eliminates capital gains entirely.
Advance healthcare directive, HIPAA authorization, and durable power of attorney. Your attorney prepares these; we ensure they’re coordinated within your broader financial plan.
We review your estate plan annually as part of your ongoing advisory relationship — updating for life changes, tax law updates, and evolving goals. An unreviewed plan silently becomes outdated.
See exactly what your estate plan is worth.
Personalized estimates based on 2026 tax law. Adjust the inputs to match your situation.
The wealth you built.
How much actually transfers?
Most high earners are surprised to see how much quietly disappears — and how much of it does not have to.
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Enter your numbers above to see a personalized analysis of what a coordinated estate plan could mean for your family.
Most high earners in California are on track to lose a meaningful portion of their accumulated wealth to income taxes and probate fees — not because the rules are unfair, but because no one built a plan around them.
Enter your giving details above to see how a Donor-Advised Fund compares to writing a check directly to charity under 2026 tax rules.
The OBBBA introduced a 0.5% AGI floor on all itemized charitable deductions and a 35% deduction cap for top-bracket earners. DAFs remain deductible for itemizers — and donating appreciated stock to a DAF eliminates capital gains entirely.
For illustrative and educational purposes only. Not tax, legal, or financial advice. Estimates use 2026 law: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and OBBBA. Federal estate tax exemption: $15M per person ($30M MFJ). CA probate fees per Probate Code Sec. 10810. “With a Plan” assumes: revocable living trust eliminating CA probate; 20% income tax reduction via TLH, retirement contributions, and SALT optimization; estate tax reduction via annual exclusion gifting and irrevocable trust planning. DAF: 0.5% AGI floor, 35% deduction cap, 60%/30% AGI limits. Appreciated stock assumes 50% basis; applies federal LTCG (20%), NIIT (3.8%), CA rate (13.3%). Actual results vary. Consult a qualified advisor.
Common questions about estate planning.
Your estate deserves a plan as intentional as your career.
Schedule a complimentary review with RYSE Financial. We’ll map your current exposure, identify the quick wins, and outline what a coordinated plan looks like for your specific situation — no obligation.