Studies indicate stock options have contributed significantly to the sharp rise in the number of households worth $25 million and more. That means there's a growing number of executives who qualify as clients for the services of top-flight wealth...

Whatever happens to the value of real estate in coming years, one thing is certain: It has become and will remain a large, important part of wealthy clients' portfolios. Even in bad times, real estate has the potential for growth and income...

Private equity is a hot investment these days. And while you may be referring your ultra-high-net-worth clients to established private equity firms, don't be surprised if a wealthy client asks you for advice on a private investment opportunity...

Google Estate of Lillie Rosen and you'll get about 20,200 results. The number and breadth of websites devoted to Lillie Rosen and her family limited partnership (FLP) shows the buzz this case generated in the estate-planning community this year...

A new study on high-net-worth philanthropy shows that the rich are different. David T. Leibell and Daniel L. Daniels, partners of Cummings & Lockwood, LLC in Stamford, Conn., report: According to a study released Oct. 26 the Bank of America Study...

Advisors promote trusts as an indispensable component of the estate plan. We tout the importance of trusts for credit shelter and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax planning. We proclaim that trusts protect assets from creditors, including...

From the grandfather clock that stood sentinel in the front hall of the family home to the worn-out tennis racquet Dad always used when letting his kids win a match, many estates include objects that have little or no financial value but are...