Wealth and Law

Brent chats with Anna N’Jie Konte about what financial planning moves people should consider before the end of 2025. They talk about contributing to retirement plans and determining whether to make Roth conversions. They also discuss tax loss harvesting, charitable giving, and other tax sensitive options for planning. Anna N’Jie-Konte is a Certified Financial Planner and the founder of Poder Wealth Advisors. She is a wealth advisor, speaker, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping ambitious women build, enjoy, and protect their wealth. You can find Anna at About and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/annanjie/. This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with T.J. Ryan about important terms to make your trusts better. In this second part of that conversation, they discuss the importance of crafting the distribution provisions of a trust. They get into powers of appointment, spendthrift clauses, and what to do to anticipate incapacitated beneficiaries. T.J. is a Senior Partner at the Phoenix law firm of Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold LLP. T.J.’s practice encompasses virtually all aspects of family estates, from estate and business planning, to probate and trust administration, to litigating contested estates – an area in which he has achieved a strong track record for positive results. A Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), T.J. Ryan focuses his practice on personal and business planning, including estate planning, estate administration, business entity formation, and trust and probate litigation. T.J. can be found here: T.J. Ryan, Trust & Estate Litigation and Estate Planning Attorney This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Eric Freeman about the real estate provisions in OBBBA. They talk about the importance of bonus depreciation, Opportunity Zone 2.0, New Market Tax Credits, and analyze what the industry could look like under this new tax regime. Eric Freeman is a Principal for BeachFleischman, where he leads the Real Estate Practice and serves as a member of the Tax Department. Eric has spent most of his accounting career focusing on real estate transactions and partnership taxation. He consults with clients on complex transactions, including multi-asset exchanges, mergers, consolidations, buy-outs, cost segregation studies, and transaction formation. His client base includes real estate developers, property owners, and property managers who operate with 2 million to 7 million square feet of real estate, both multi-family and commercial. Eric has a depth of knowledge and experience with international issues related to inbound and outbound real estate transactions. Additionally, he has written articles and provided numerous presentations and consultations on qualified opportunity zone funds. Eric has worked in public accounting since 2012, and he is a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice in Arizona. Eric can be found here Eric Freeman | CPA | Principal Eric’s YouTube channel is here: Eric Freeman CPA – YouTube This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent and John Strohmeyer chat about sham trust schemes. They explain what the structures and hoped for results are and then break down why they do not work. They also speculate about why people buy these schemes. John Strohmeyer is the owner of Strohmeyer Law PLLC, in Houston, Texas. After earning his B.S. in Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin, John spent four years working for the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, primarily as the Night Manager, before beginning his legal education. He earned my J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 2009, then earned a Masters of Law (also known as an “LL.M.”) in Taxation in 2010 from the New York University School of Law. While John’s time at NYU was the end of his formal education (at least for now), he has gone on to become Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Tax Law and Estate Planning & Probate Law. John has been recognized by his peers as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers by Thompson Reuters in 2019, 2020, and 2021, a Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers by Thompson Reuters in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019; “Rookie of the Year” in 2016 and Outstanding Substantive Committee Chair in 2017 by the State Bar of Texas Tax Section; a 2015-2017 Fellow of the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law of the American Bar Association; and a Young Leader of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. John can be reached at john@strohmeyerlaw.com, (713) 714-1249. His show is available on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDaKULB-A6Ru4tKfpZl8ozg and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/strohmeyerlaw. This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Naomita Yadav about the tax and planning challenges of high-net-worth individuals migrating to the United States. They talk about global mobility, how tax can cause unexpected issues, and how one might plan for that transition effectively. Naomita Yadav is a partner in the private client and tax team of Withersworldwide. She has a diverse and well-rounded tax background, including experience in both income tax and estate and gift tax matters, which makes her particularly suited for families with existing complex trust structures. She also has experience with cross-border families as well as nuances of visa designations and the interplay with tax laws. Interestingly, her own family is situated in three continents. Naomita advises families with generational wealth in the context of changing circumstances and passage of time such as multi-generation wealth planning for family members who are beneficiaries of trusts settled by prior generations. This particular mix of experiences and knowledge enables Naomita to act as a proficient adviser for the globally mobile high net worth family. She also advises clients on tax, estate and succession planning related to cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Naomita received her bachelor’s degree from Yale, her MBA from the University of Michigan, and her juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. Naomita can be found here Naomita Yadav | Private client and tax attorney | San Francisco | Withersworldwide This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Michael Preis, Chief Investment Officer at TCI Wealth Advisors, about how federal policy in the United States can affect investment strategies. They talk about the importance of planning and how a client focused approach is different from just pure asset allocation. Finally, they talk about crypto and where it fits into the current investment landscape. Michael Preis is the Chief Investment Officer at TCI Wealth Advisors, where his role is to help deliver an investment experience that gives their clients the greatest odds of success, anchored in long-term planning and rooted in time-tested principles. Michael is passionate about demystifying investment markets, but even more so about helping clients build the confidence that comes from a sound, disciplined approach. Prior to finding a professional home at TCI, Michael spent 15 years with Dimensional Fund Advisors serving the independent advice industry. He earned my MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. He is also a CFA® Charterholder. Michael can be found here: Michael Preis, CFA® – TCI Wealth This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Tony Yu about the important differences between China, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam from a cultural, monetary, and planning perspective. They discuss how to adjust to those differences, understand where they may be coming from, and enjoy the rich tapestry of those nations. Tony is the owner of DSG Wealth and Trust Law. He graduated cum laude from UCLA with degrees in Business–Economic, Communications, and Accounting. Tony is fluent in English, Mandarin, Spanish and Taiwanese. Tony was a Trust Attorney at Holland & Knight LLP,  the largest trust law firm in the US and a former clerk at the Los Angeles Probate Court. ​In 2008 and 2012, the Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine recognized Tony Yu as a “Rising Star” in law (top 2.5% of attorneys). Tony is also the 2nd Generation Owner of DSG Insurance, which was founded in 1986 by his father, Castor Yu. Utilizing Tony’s diverse legal, accounting, and financial planning background, DSG specializes in Business Protection, Tax & Business Planning, and Wealth Transfer. Tony can be found here: http://www.dsgtrustlaw.com/ And here: https://www.dsgpcins.com/president/ This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates.If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/.Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and its impact on estate planning for ultra-high net worth families. He gets into the increased estate tax exemption, tactics for using and managing high exemptions, opportunity zones, and the increases to qualified small business stock exemption, and the SALT cap, among other things. This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Wallis Tsai about how to avoid the many bad life insurance policies with objective analysis. They discuss how to avoid those bad life insurance policies, war stories of nightmare scenarios, and good use cases for the right insurance. Wallis Tsai is the founder and CEO of AboveBoard Financial. Wallis developed a passion for quantitative analysis (and let’s be honest, Excel spreadsheets) during her 10 year career at Goldman Sachs, first as an investment banker and then as an investor for an elite hedge fund group. At Goldman Sachs, Wallis was a member of a four-person team managing the multi-billion dollar Americas and European financials portfolio. She developed the fund’s perspective on financial regulation, US housing market, banking and capital markets. As an expert in the insurance industry’s inner workings, Wallis often found herself advising friends and colleagues on personal finance matters. She was repeatedly appalled by how often they got terrible advice from the industries that she knew so well and decided to follow her dream to offer financial services the right way. Wallis delights in making wonky financial topics engaging and accessible (like our “truth vs. BS” scale to rate insurance sales lines) and has taught classes on how to avoid insurance rip-offs at Harvard Business School. Wallis enjoys taking in the wonders of New York City with her husband, two kids, and rescue dog. Wallis can be found here: About Us | AboveBoard Financial This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/

Brent chats with Evan Unzelman about the many creative uses of charitable remainder trusts. They talk about modifying the trust, selling the income interests, contributing the income interests to new trusts, and using CRTs as IRA beneficiaries. With 20 years of specialized experience with charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), Evan Unzelman is largely regarded as one of the nation’s foremost experts on CRTs. Over the last two decades, he has reviewed thousands of CRTs and worked with tens of thousands of CRT beneficiaries, their families and their advisors on all facets of CRT planning. From up-front design and CRT structure (Standard CRUT, NIMCRUT, CRAT) to complex CRT administration to CRT secondary planning, Evan provides unmatched insight at every stage of the CRT lifecycle. Evan’s experience with CRT secondary planning – sales, gifts, and rollovers of CRT income interests – is particularly deep. Prior to forming CRT Experts, he was President of a charitable planning firm where he helped develop the secondary market for CRT income interests and personally oversaw the successful completion of sale transactions for thousands of CRT beneficiaries across the U.S. Evan is a trusted resource for trust and estate attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors on all aspects of CRT planning (sales and exchanges of CRT income interests in particular) and structured CRT Experts’ service offering to be complementary to those of most tax, legal and financial advisors. CRT Experts does not manage or custody assets and does not provide tax, legal, financial or insurance advice. Evan is a sought-after speaker (partial list of speaking engagements below) and writes frequently on CRTs for a variety of audiences. His articles have appeared in publications such as Estate Planning, the National Association of Estate Planners & Council’s Journal of Tax & Estate Planning, Taxation of Exempts, Atlanta Bar Association’s The Mortmain, Wealth Strategies Journal and Atlantic Trust’s Trusted Advisor. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Evan graduated from Pacific Lutheran University (summa cum laude) in Tacoma, WA, where he earned degrees in Finance and Economics. Evan can be found here: About | CRT Experts This material is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the speaker as of the date noted and not necessarily of the speaker’s firm or its affiliates. If you are enjoying the podcast please SUBSCRIBE and leave a REVIEW, and if you want to learn more about Brent go to https://wealthandlaw.com/team/. Legal Disclaimer: https://wealthandlaw.com/legal-disclaimer/