The TL;DR
Holistic wealth management is a planning approach that coordinates every part of your financial life, including investments, taxes, estate planning, retirement income, risk management, charitable giving, and family legacy goals, within one comprehensive plan.
Rather than managing each account in isolation, a holistic plan connects your decisions to your goals so each move supports your full financial life. At BIP Wealth, your Personal Wealth Advisor builds a plan that adapts to your life’s ever-changing needs.
Keep reading to learn more about holistic wealth management, what a plan includes, and how BIP Wealth has made it the backbone of your strategy.
A traditional view of wealth often focuses on one piece at a time. This could be a brokerage account, a 401(k), or a life insurance policy. Each may be well managed on its own, yet none of them can react to what the others are doing.
Holistic wealth management starts with your lifestyle, priorities, and goals, then builds a plan where every financial decision reflects the full picture.
That coordination matters most as wealth grows more complex. A business sale affects your tax bill, which affects your estate plan, which affects what you can give to family or charity. When one advisor sees all of those threads, fewer decisions get made in a vacuum.
Investment management focuses on your portfolio by selecting securities, monitoring performance, and rebalancing over time. Holistic investment management treats that portfolio as one part of a larger plan, so investment choices reflect your tax picture, your timeline for major expenses, and the legacy you want to leave.
It helps to understand how asset management and investment management differ. The table below shows how a holistic approach expands on traditional investment management, much like the shift from portfolio management to wealth management.
| Investment management | Holistic wealth management | |
| Primary focus | Your portfolio | Your full financial life |
| Core question | How should these assets be invested? | How should every financial decision work together toward your goals? |
| Tax coordination | Often limited to the portfolio | Built into investment, income, and estate decisions |
| Estate and legacy | Usually outside scope | Part of the plan from the start |
| Advisor role | Portfolio manager | Personal CFO |
Your portfolio is built around your goals, your time horizon, and your comfort with risk. At BIP Wealth, it can draw on two sets of strategies:
Your Personal Wealth Advisor selects and adjusts that mix based on the rest of your plan, including your tax situation, your income needs, and the timing of major goals.
Tax planning shapes which accounts you fund, when you realize gains, and how you draw income later. For many investors, a Roth IRA can be a cornerstone of tax-smart investing, especially when it is coordinated with taxable and tax-deferred accounts.
Wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations determine how your wealth passes to the people and causes you care about. Because tax laws and family circumstances change, your estate plan should be reviewed regularly with your Personal Wealth Advisor so it stays aligned with the rest of your plan.
A comfortable retirement depends on more than the size of your accounts. A holistic plan considers how to sequence withdrawals, which income sources to draw on first, and how to support the lifestyle you want without running down assets too early.
Life, disability, and liability coverage protect the plan you have built. A holistic wealth management approach also means planning for unexpected life events such as a job loss, a health challenge, or a divorce, so a single setback doesn’t undo years of progress.
For many families, giving reflects their values as much as their finances. Strategies such as donor-advised funds or gifts of appreciated assets can support the causes you care about while fitting into your broader tax and estate plan.
Legacy planning covers education funding, conversations about wealth across generations, and long-term care for the people who depend on you. This is especially true if your family is caring for a loved one with special needs.
The core benefits of holistic financial planning come from coordination. When every part of your plan answers to the same goals, decisions get clearer and fewer opportunities slip through the cracks.
For most people, financial planning considers what comes beyond short-term market returns. You may want to buy a home, fund a child's education, or start a business. A holistic plan maps each of those goals to specific decisions, and when your goals change, the plan changes with them.
Markets shift, tax laws change, and your priorities evolve. A holistic plan is reviewed and adjusted over time to account for life’s changes. A broadly diversified portfolio across asset classes and global markets gives your advisor room to adjust as conditions change.
Planning for a bright future is exciting, but a sound plan also accounts for what could go wrong, such as a market decline, a tax increase, a job loss, a relocation, or an injury. Thinking through those scenarios in advance can help limit your overall risk and keep your plan on track.
High-risk investments with quick payouts can be tempting, but they aren’t always the way to go.
Think of it like rush hour traffic: you switch into the lane that seems faster, only to find yourself at a standstill a few minutes later, while the cars you passed roll by. Holistic planning keeps attention on durable goals such as a comfortable retirement or the freedom to step back from work on your own timeline, rather than on chasing the fastest lane.
Coordinating investments, income, and estate decisions can help manage and reduce tax liabilities where the law allows. This is especially valuable for estate planning and generational wealth transfers, where the timing and structure of each decision can make a meaningful difference over the years.
If you built a business, your personal wealth and your company are often deeply intertwined. Much of your net worth may be tied up in equity, your income may rise and fall with the business, and the business itself can leave little time to think about your own finances.
Holistic wealth services for business founders address those overlaps directly. That can include:
Holistic financial guidance for business owners also extends to the company itself. BIP Wealth offers 401(k) Plans for Businesses, which can support your team's retirement while fitting into your own long-term plan.
Our approach to holistic wealth management pairs extensive financial research with access to alternative and private-market investments, opportunities that have historically been reserved for the ultra-wealthy.
Every client works with a Personal Wealth Advisor who acts as their personal CFO and is in contact at least quarterly. Across our service lines, the aim is the same: to create one coordinated plan built around you and your family.
Your wealth deserves more than a collection of accounts that may not be working with one another. Connect with a Personal Wealth Advisor to start building a holistic plan around your goals, your family, and your future.
Holistic wealth management is an approach that coordinates your investments, taxes, estate plan, retirement income, insurance, charitable giving, and legacy goals within one plan. Instead of treating each account separately, it aligns every financial decision with your personal goals.
The right holistic wealth manager is one whose structure and services fit your goals. Look for an SEC-registered investment adviser that acts as a fiduciary, coordinates tax, estate, and investment planning under one roof, explains its fees clearly, and stays in regular contact. You can review an adviser's registration and disclosures through the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.
The main benefits of holistic financial planning are alignment with your goals, flexibility as life changes, preparation for the unexpected, a long-term focus, and coordinated tax planning. Because every part of the plan works from the same picture, decisions in one area are less likely to create problems in another.
Holistic investment management builds your portfolio around your complete financial picture, including taxes, income needs, and estate goals. Traditional investment management typically focuses on the portfolio alone.
A holistic plan should be reviewed regularly and whenever a major life event occurs, such as a marriage, a business sale, a new child, or a death in the family. At BIP Wealth, Personal Wealth Advisors are in contact with clients at least quarterly.
BIP Wealth, LLC (“BIP Wealth”) offers investment advisory services and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Registration with the SEC as a registered investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For more information about BIP Wealth, please refer to our Form ADV, available at adviserinfo.sec.gov or upon request.
One of the most common questions affluent investors ask is: "Should I pay taxes now through a Roth conversion, or leave the tax burden to my children and heirs later?"
The answer is rarely simple. A Roth conversion can be one of the most powerful tax-planning strategies available, but timing matters. The decision involves evaluating current income, future tax rates, estate objectives, and the impact of paying taxes today versus preserving assets for future generations.
For households with significant retirement assets, a Roth conversion should not be viewed as a one-time transaction. Instead, it is often best considered as part of a long-term tax-management strategy.
A Roth conversion occurs when assets are moved from a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. The amount converted is generally taxable as ordinary income in the year of the conversion. Once inside the Roth IRA, future growth can potentially be tax-free, and Roth IRAs are not subject to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) during the owner’s lifetime.
In simple terms, a Roth conversion is a decision to voluntarily pay taxes today in exchange for potentially avoiding taxes later.
The primary consideration is whether your tax rate today is lower than the tax rate that will apply in the future.
If you believe future tax rates will be higher—either because of your personal income situation or because Congress raises tax rates—a Roth conversion may make sense. If you expect to be in a substantially lower tax bracket later, delaying taxation may be more advantageous.
The challenge is that no one knows with certainty what future tax rates will be.
For high-net-worth investors, determining the "right" amount to convert often begins with understanding current taxable income. Income may come from multiple sources, including:
Each additional dollar converted increases taxable income and may push income into a higher marginal tax bracket. A thoughtful analysis frequently evaluates whether conversions should be made up to the top of a particular bracket, such as the 24% or 32% brackets, which become important decision points for many affluent retirees. Crossing into significantly higher brackets may reduce the attractiveness of a large conversion.
Rather than converting an entire IRA at once, many investors benefit from a series of partial conversions spread across several years.
Some of the most attractive Roth conversion opportunities occur during temporary periods of reduced income. In many cases, these "gap years" are among the most valuable conversion windows a family will ever have.
Retirement before Social Security. An individual who retires at age 62 but delays Social Security until age 70 may have several years where taxable income is substantially lower than it will be once Social Security and RMDs begin.
Retirement before Required Minimum Distributions. The years between retirement and the start of RMDs often provide significant flexibility for Roth conversions at favorable tax rates.
Business sale or career transition. An executive or business owner may experience a year with unusually low earned income following a sale or transition—those years may provide valuable conversion opportunities.
Sabbaticals or employment gaps. Professionals taking time away from work may temporarily fall into lower tax brackets, creating an opportunity to convert assets at a lower tax cost.
Many affluent investors assume they will be in a lower tax bracket during retirement. Increasingly, that assumption is proving incorrect.
Large IRA balances can create:
The reality is that some retirees discover they are in the same (or even higher) tax bracket after retirement than they were while working. For these families, converting assets while controlling the tax rate may be preferable to waiting for future RMDs to force income recognition.
Historically, many investors viewed traditional IRAs as an excellent asset to leave to children. The rules have changed.
Under current law, most non-spouse beneficiaries must withdraw inherited IRA assets within ten years. As a result, heirs often inherit not only the assets but also a future tax bill.
The timing of that tax bill depends on whether the original owner had already begun taking Required Minimum Distributions. If the owner died on or after their RMD start date, non-spouse beneficiaries must take annual distributions in years one through nine and fully deplete the account by the end of year ten. If the owner died before RMDs began, no annual distributions are required during those first nine years — but the entire balance must still be withdrawn by the end of the tenth year. Either way, the heir has limited flexibility, and the distributions are taxable as ordinary income.
Consider the impact: a child in a high-income profession may already be in a 32%, 35%, or 37% federal bracket. Adding large inherited IRA distributions during peak earning years can create a substantial tax burden.
By contrast, a Roth IRA generally passes to heirs income-tax-free, assuming applicable holding requirements are satisfied. In some situations, parents may intentionally choose to pay taxes at their own 22%, 24%, or 32% rate today to avoid exposing heirs to potentially higher rates later.
One frequently overlooked factor is how the conversion tax will be paid. Generally speaking, Roth conversions are most attractive when taxes can be paid from assets outside the IRA.
Using taxable savings to pay the tax allows the entire converted amount to remain invested inside the Roth account. The more assets that remain in the Roth environment, the greater the potential long-term benefit.
Many investors mistakenly believe they must convert their entire IRA in one year. In reality, some of the most successful Roth strategies involve:
A series of carefully planned conversions over five to ten years can often produce significantly better outcomes than one large conversion.
The decision should never be made based solely on a rule of thumb. Important variables include:
A proper analysis should compare multiple scenarios and evaluate the long-term after-tax results.
Given the importance of tax planning, many investors assume they need to hire a specialist and pay a substantial fee for a Roth conversion study. While complex situations may occasionally require additional expertise, a competent financial advisor should generally be able to evaluate Roth conversion opportunities as part of the normal advisory relationship.
Tax-aware retirement planning is not an exotic service. It is a core component of comprehensive wealth management. Clients should expect their advisor to understand income sources, tax brackets, retirement cash-flow needs, estate planning objectives, and the impact of future Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).
The goal is not simply to determine whether a Roth conversion is beneficial. The goal is to determine how much should be converted, when it should be converted, and how the decision affects the family’s long-term after-tax wealth.
A Roth conversion is fundamentally a tax-rate arbitrage decision. You are choosing whether to pay taxes today or later.
For many high-net-worth families, the best opportunities occur during years of temporarily lower income, before Social Security begins, before Required Minimum Distributions start, or during periods of reduced earned income.
The most successful strategies typically involve careful planning over multiple years rather than a one-time conversion. Most importantly, the decision should be evaluated in the context of the family’s entire financial picture—not just today’s tax return.
When executed thoughtfully, a Roth conversion can reduce future tax liabilities, increase retirement flexibility, and potentially leave a more tax-efficient legacy to the next generation.
BIP Wealth, LLC (“BIP Wealth”) offers investment advisory services and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Registration with the SEC as a registered investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For more information about BIP Wealth, please refer to our Form ADV, available at adviserinfo.sec.gov or upon request.
This commentary is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. Investors should seek tax advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax professional as laws are subject to interpretation, legislative change, and are unique to each individual's particular set of facts and circumstances.
© 2026 BIP Wealth. All rights reserved.
Preparing financially for divorce starts with gathering complete records of your assets and debts, building a realistic post-divorce budget, and understanding how your state divides marital property. Addressing tax consequences, updating beneficiaries, and assembling a legal and financial team early protects your long-term financial security.
Gather your financial documents first: tax returns, bank and brokerage statements, employer-sponsored retirement accounts (401(k)s, 403(b)s), business records if applicable, and insurance policies.
Include debts. Like assets, debts are typically classified as "marital," meaning responsibility for them is often shared. Look for mortgage statements, other bank loans, student loans, and credit card balances.
Complete, accurate financial information supports two things: your financial advisor's ability to identify the most opportunistic way to divide assets, and the going-forward financial plan you build from there.
A budget for life after divorce is harder to build when decisions like whether you'll move are still unsettled. Even so, estimate your future income needs and identify where adjustments may be prudent.
Operating two households costs more than operating one, often by a wider margin than people expect. Planning for that now reduces financial strain later.
You don't need a law degree, but the basics of how your state handles marital property matter. In Georgia, the standard is equitable division: fair, not necessarily equal.
"Fair" is subjective and depends on the specifics of your situation. Courts weigh factors including:
In Georgia, only marital property is subject to division. Separate property generally stays separate, provided it has been handled appropriately.
Tax consequences play a substantial role in what equitable division looks like in practice. If the marital residence has appreciated significantly, keeping it may mean sole responsibility for capital gains tax when you eventually sell.
The same applies to pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, deferred compensation, and stock options. The tax cost of accessing these assets can be significant, so weigh each one carefully before agreeing to a settlement.
Review beneficiary designations on non-probate accounts, and put updating your Will, Trusts, and powers of attorney on your near-term to-do list.
This matters concretely: if you don't proactively change the beneficiary on your IRA, it will belong to your ex-spouse upon your passing, regardless of the divorce.
A strong team supports you professionally through this process.
The process of divorce can be stressful and sad. It also leads to a new chapter, one that can be productive and stable for everyone involved.
Together with your legal and financial team, you can move forward with confidence and a plan for long-term financial security.
If you're navigating a divorce and want to talk through your options, reach out to connect with a BIP Personal Wealth advisor
What financial documents do I need to prepare for divorce? Gather tax returns, bank and brokerage statements, retirement account statements (401(k), 403(b), IRA), mortgage and loan documents, credit card balances, business records, and insurance policies.
How is a 401(k) divided in a divorce? Retirement funds earned during the marriage are typically marital property. Dividing a 401(k) or pension usually requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO), and the tax cost of accessing the funds should be weighed before you agree to a settlement.
What is equitable division in Georgia? Georgia uses equitable division, meaning a fair split rather than an automatic 50/50. Courts weigh the length of the marriage, each spouse's financial contributions, and future earning capacity. Only marital property is divided.
Do I need to update my beneficiaries after a divorce? Yes. Beneficiary designations override your Will. If you do not update them, an ex-spouse can remain the beneficiary regardless of the divorce.
Should I keep the house in a divorce? Not always. A significantly appreciated home can leave you solely responsible for capital gains tax when you sell, so weigh carrying costs and tax exposure against other assets first.
BIP Wealth, LLC (“BIP Wealth”) offers investment advisory services and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Registration with the SEC as a registered investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For more information about BIP Wealth, please refer to our Form ADV, available at adviserinfo.sec.gov or upon request.
This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Investors should seek legal advice based on your particular circumstances from an attorney as laws are subject to interpretation, legislative change, and are unique to each individual's particular set of facts and circumstances. Please consult your attorney before making legal decisions.
The Baseball Division at BIP Wealth extends its warmest congratulations to every player selected in the 2026 MLB Draft this past weekend! We recognize that this accomplishment culminates years of hard work, sacrifice, and support from a lot of people behind the scenes, and every name called this weekend has certainly earned it.
We would also like to specifically congratulate multiple clients of the Baseball Division at BIP Wealth who were drafted this past weekend! We are honored to support you now and at every step throughout your baseball career and beyond. BIP’s 2026 draft class included several first-round picks and combined slot values for our drafted clients topped $37 million this year.
For these players, the work starts now. They’ll begin their professional baseball careers and work tirelessly to become the best players in the game. Within the next couple weeks, they'll sign their Minor League Uniform Player Contracts, ship out to their organization's complex facilities, complete physicals, perform media days, and put a professional baseball jersey on for the first time.
From there, they’ll start the process of working their way through the minor leagues, hopefully en route toward a big league debut—and for some, a shot at a championship. Each player will carve out their own unique path. We’re honored to help them navigate this exciting journey to fulfill a lifelong dream.
BIP Wealth's Baseball Division is made up of former professional players. Our advisors have sat in the same clubhouses and faced the same questions the families we work with are facing now: what to do with a signing bonus, how to build a plan around a career that could last two years or twenty, and how to think about taxes across a schedule that changes states every few days. That perspective shapes how we work with clients from the moment NIL conversations start in college through the draft and into whatever comes after the game.
Draft day is the headline. The work that matters happens well before and long after it—from signing bonus and cash management before a rookie season starts, to tax planning across multiple states, estate planning, to the eventual transition out of the game. We are here for every step of a player’s career.
What is BIP Wealth's Baseball Division? BIP Wealth's Baseball Division is a team of financial advisors and wealth consultants who are former professional baseball players, providing wealth management, tax planning, estate planning, and NIL and signing bonus guidance to baseball players and their families.
How does BIP Wealth’s Baseball Division help players manage an MLB Draft signing bonus? We work with you to build a financial plan around a signing bonus that accounts for taxes, cash flow, and long-term savings, so a player's bonus supports them well beyond their rookie season. We create a comprehensive plan to support the player’s goals for today and tomorrow.
Does BIP Wealth’s Baseball Division work with players before they're drafted? Yes! Our Baseball Division advises many players during their high school and college careers, including NIL planning, so they have a financial foundation in place before the draft.
BIP Wealth, LLC (“BIP Wealth”) offers investment advisory services and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Registration with the SEC as a registered investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
A long-time client recently asked me: "With all the growth happening at BIP Wealth, is the plan to prepare the firm to be acquired?"
My answer was simple: “No.”
I am excited to come to work everyday because we are building something special. I genuinely hope my own children will want to be a part of this firm one day. Selling is not the goal. Serving clients for many years to come and exceeding their expectations are the goals.
It’s interesting to see how most advisory firms are built. When an advisor starts an RIA, the traditional path to personal financial reward at the end of a career is to sell the firm when it is time to retire. That is how the model has worked for most founders. At BIP Wealth, our value proposition, in conjunction with BIP Capital, has given me a different path that creates personal net worth through selective, successful private investments, rather than an eventual sale. That distinction matters. It means my interests as CEO of BIP Wealth and the interests of our clients and team members are aligned in a way that is genuinely unique in this industry.
We are not building toward an exit. We are building a legacy for the future.
This client’s question still deserves a more complete answer because our inorganic growth at BIP Wealth is real, and it is intentional. Here is the thinking behind it.
This is not a prediction because it is already happening, and the pace is accelerating. The firms that will be best positioned to serve clients over the next decade are the ones building the scale and resources to keep up with a rapidly changing landscape. Private market investment offerings that were once out of reach for individual investors are now accessible; however to do this as a fiduciary, you need infrastructure, due diligence, and specialist expertise. The capabilities clients deserve today are simply more resource-intensive than they were ten years ago.
At BIP Wealth, we believe we are significantly ahead of that curve. Our growth—through new partnerships, new team members, and relationships like the one we recently formed with Constellation Wealth Capital—is not growth for its own sake. It is growth in service of our clients.
One thing that is important to us is to have a low ‘client-to-advisor’ ratio so we can give our clients our full attention, along with a high level of personalized service. That commitment does not move. It is the foundation of how we ensure every client receives responsiveness, customization, and the quality of advice they deserve. As we grow, that standard grows with us.
The other thing I have found in our recent partnerships with the teams from The Money Advisor Group in Columbus and Prehmus Financial in Peachtree Corners is something I did not initially anticipate: each acquisition is making us better. When great teams with strong track records join BIP Wealth, they challenge us. They ask questions about why we do certain things the way we do. And we do the same for them. That exchange—different approaches, shared values—raises the bar for everyone, including our clients.
So when someone asks whether this growth will change things, my response is: “Yes, for the better.”
More capability, deeper expertise, and a team that is stronger than any of us would be on our own. The things that define who we are—our integrity, our commitment to our clients’ best interest, and the relationships we have built—those do not change.
We are grateful for the trust our clients place in us. Everything we are building is in service of earning that trust, every single day.
As always, if you have any questions or if we can do anything to serve you and your family better, please let us know.
A few months ago, a colleague mentioned that a friend of theirs was trying to figure out how to exit a sizable real estate portfolio. The timing was good—I had just wrapped up a comprehensive exit planning analysis for a long-time real estate investor, and the parallels were striking enough that I thought it was worth sharing.
My client is 62 years old and has spent decades building a portfolio of nearly 40 single-family residential rental homes. Over the years, he's become genuinely good at finding, renovating, and managing these properties. But he had reached the point in life where he was ready to put the toolbox down. He wanted out of the day-to-day grind. The question wasn't whether to exit, it was how.
Before looking at any specific strategies, we got clear on what a successful outcome actually looked like for him. His goals were straightforward:
That last point turned out to matter more than almost anything else.
We put three main exit paths under the microscope:
Deferred Sales Trust (DST structure).
Attractive because it allows you to defer capital gains at the point of sale and spread recognition of income over time. For investors with highly appreciated assets, this can look very appealing on paper.
1031 Exchange Real Estate Program.
A way to swap out of active management and into a passive institutional real estate structure while continuing to defer taxes. The appeal here was removing himself from the day-to-day without triggering an immediate tax bill.
Staged, tax-managed disposition, selling properties over time.
The more straightforward path: sell homes strategically over a 10-year window, recognize and pay long-term capital gains taxes as you go, and reinvest proceeds into income-producing assets better suited to retirement.
On the surface, the tax-deferral strategies looked compelling. Who wouldn't want to kick the tax bill down the road?! But when we fully modeled the economic impact, including fees, ongoing administrative costs, investment restrictions, liquidity constraints, and the compounding effect of those variables over time, the picture changed substantially.
For this particular client, the most advantageous path was not the most complex one. The staged, taxable sell-down produced the strongest projected outcome for long-term family net worth by approximately $2 million.
The reason comes down to something that often gets underestimated in these conversations: fees compound too, and they compound against you. When you layer in program fees, administrative costs, and the loss of control over how and where your proceeds are reinvested, you can give back a significant portion of the tax savings you thought you were locking in.
By paying taxes along the way—and keeping control of the capital—my client retained more money working for him over the long run. And the math bore that out.
Beyond the numbers, there was something else the staged approach offered that the tax-deferral structures couldn't: flexibility.
Rather than committing the entire portfolio to a single transaction or investment vehicle all at once, my client could sell homes selectively based on market conditions, tenant turnover, maintenance costs, and his own cash flow needs in any given year. When properties sold, proceeds could flow into investment approaches better aligned with where he is in life: lower complexity, more passive income, less operational burden.
That kind of control has real value. It's difficult to quantify, but it's real.
There's no universal "best" exit strategy for owners of multiple investment properties. Deferred Sales Trusts, 1031 exchanges, institutional real estate funds, installment sales, and staged taxable dispositions can all make sense depending on the circumstances.
The variables that matter most include:
For a younger investor who plans to keep accumulating properties, tax deferral strategies may offer compelling long-term advantages. But for an investor approaching retirement—someone who wants less complexity, not more, and who values flexibility above all—a thoughtfully managed taxable exit strategy may ultimately put more money in the family's pocket.
My client got what he came in wanting: a clear path to reduce the operational demands of managing nearly 40 homes, a way to keep the income coming in, and a projected increase in long-term family wealth, all without locking himself into a structure that would limit his options for years to come.
This analysis serves as a strong reminder that sophisticated planning is not always about eliminating taxes at all costs. Often, it is about balancing taxes, fees, control, flexibility, and quality of life to achieve the best overall financial outcome for the client and family.
That's what we did here, and for this client, the answer was simpler than expected.
Common exit strategies include Deferred Sales Trusts (DSTs), 1031 exchange programs, installment sales, and staged taxable dispositions. The best strategy depends heavily on the investor's age, income needs, estate planning goals, and tolerance for complexity and fees.
A DST can be useful for deferring capital gains, but investors should carefully model the full cost including program fees, investment restrictions, and reduced flexibility, all before assuming it's the most advantageous path. In some cases, a staged taxable sale produces a better long-term outcome.
Options include 1031 exchanges, Deferred Sales Trusts, and installment sales. However, a staged sell-down over multiple years while paying long-term capital gains rates can also be highly effective when factoring in the costs and constraints of tax-deferral structures.
It depends on your goals. For investors who want to stay in real estate and continue deferring taxes, a 1031 exchange may be advantageous. For those approaching retirement who want simplicity, flexibility, and control over their capital, a strategic sell-down may produce better overall results after accounting for fees and investment restrictions.
There's no single right answer, but investors in their late 50s and early 60s—particularly those managing a large number of properties—benefit from beginning exit planning well in advance. Earlier planning creates more options and allows for a multi-year strategy that spreads tax recognition and maximizes flexibility.
The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Every investor's situation is different, and strategies that are appropriate for one client may not be appropriate for another. Past results from any planning strategy are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Please consult with a qualified financial advisor, tax professional, and attorney before making decisions about your real estate portfolio or exit strategy.
BIP Wealth, LLC is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Divorce ranks among the most financially complex transitions a person can face. Legal proceedings move quickly, emotions run high, and the financial decisions made during that window can shape a client's life for decades. BIP Wealth has long believed that great financial guidance means showing up for clients during every major life event—not just the milestones worth celebrating, but the difficult ones too.
That commitment is reflected in our firm's growing team of Certified Divorce Financial Analysts (CDFA®s). BIP Wealth is proud to have two advisors who hold this specialized designation: Marcia Mayoue, CFP®, CFA®, CDFA®, in our Atlanta office, and Ashley Arrington, CFP®, CEPA®, CDFA®, in our Nashville office.
A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst is a financial professional who specializes in the financial dimensions of divorce. While a divorce attorney navigates the legal process, a CDFA® focuses on what the numbers actually mean for a client's life going forward. The two work hand in hand, with the CDFA® providing analysis that helps inform settlement decisions and long-term financial strategy.
The CDFA® designation is awarded through the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts® (IDFA®) and requires rigorous coursework, an examination, and a commitment to ongoing education. Professionals who hold the designation are equipped to analyze asset division, evaluate tax implications, model retirement outcomes, and help clients understand the full financial picture before any agreement is finalized.
Working with a CDFA® is most effective when clients engage early, ideally before formal proceedings begin. Simple steps taken at the outset, like gathering financial records, inventorying assets, and understanding account access, can make the difference between a smooth process and one layered with avoidable complications.
A CDFA® can help answer some of the most consequential questions clients face during this time:
A CDFA® also serves as a bridge between legal strategy and personal financial reality. What makes sense on paper in a settlement agreement does not always translate into a secure financial future. Having a CDFA® involved means those two things stay aligned.
BIP Wealth was founded on the belief that every client deserves a personal CFO, someone who understands the full scope of their financial life and helps make decisions with clarity and confidence. That philosophy applies even more during a divorce, when the stakes are high and the path forward can feel uncertain.
Having advisors with the CDFA® designation means BIP Wealth clients going through a divorce don't have to navigate these financial complexities alone. From asset division and tax strategy, to retirement planning and cash flow analysis, the firm's CDFA®s are equipped to provide the kind of grounded, forward-looking guidance that helps clients move from a place of upheaval to one of stability.
Marcia Mayoue was the first advisor on our team to hold the CDFA® designation, and has built meaningful expertise working with clients at every stage of the divorce process—those preparing for proceedings, navigating active settlements, and rebuilding financially in the aftermath. Her experience gives her a deep understanding of how to translate complex financial analysis into decisions clients can feel confident about.
We are thrilled to announce that Ashley Arrington has successfully completed all the requirements to earn her Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation. Ashley's pursuit of this credential reflects both her commitment to her clients and something deeply personal.
“I have seen first-hand the way that divorce can affect a family financially, having helped my own parents through their divorce later in life,” shared Ashley.“I know through experience that seemingly minor details can be a make-or-break financial decision when played out over a lifetime.”
That lived experience informs Ashley's approach with every client she serves. She understands that the decisions made during a divorce are not abstract, they are deeply human, with consequences that extend far into the future. Earning the CDFA® designation gives her an additional set of tools to match that understanding with rigorous financial analysis.
A divorce attorney and a CDFA® serve different roles. Your attorney handles the legal process; your CDFA® handles the financial analysis that informs it. Working with both gives you a fuller picture and can help prevent costly financial mistakes that aren't always apparent from a legal standpoint alone.
The earlier, the better. CDFA®s do their most effective work when engaged before formal proceedings begin. Early involvement allows time to gather records, understand the full financial picture, and approach settlement discussions with clear data rather than reactive decisions.
Yes. Retirement assets are often among the most significant—and most misunderstood—components of a divorce settlement. A CDFA® can model different scenarios and help clients understand the long-term implications of dividing retirement.
If you or someone you know is preparing for, navigating, or recovering from a divorce, BIP Wealth's team is here to help. Marcia Mayoue and Ashley Arrington bring both expertise and genuine care to every client relationship, serving as a support system to clients during one of life's most challenging transitions. Reach out to learn more about how BIP Wealth can support you.
This financial planning checklist outlines the key steps to take as you prepare for the year ahead, better positioning you to navigate market changes, tax updates, and shifting personal priorities with confidence.
The first step in any year-end financial planning checklist is revisiting your goals. If you’re planning for retirement, saving wealth for unexpected life events, or preparing for significant milestones such as your child’s education costs, clarifying your objectives helps anchor your plan and ensures that every financial decision supports the future you want.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Estate planning remains an essential part of any comprehensive financial planning checklist, and 2026 brings an important update. The federal estate and gift tax exemption was originally set to drop at the start of 2026, but the One Big Beautiful Bill that passed in July prevented that reduction and instead increased the exemption.
Beginning January 1, 2026, the federal exemption rises to $15 million per individual or $30 million for married couples, with automatic inflation adjustments beginning in 2027. This change offers more predictability for long-term planning and allows families to revisit their strategies with greater clarity.
As you review your plan, consider the following:
Including your estate plan in your financial planning checklist helps your strategy stay aligned with your goals and the latest tax landscape.
Your investment strategy should evolve alongside changes in your life and the market. As part of your financial planning checklist, take time to evaluate whether your portfolio is still positioned to support your objectives.
A thorough review of your financial management plan may include:
Tax law changes and annual inflation adjustments make it worthwhile to revisit how your savings accounts contribute to your long-term financial strategy. As part of your year-end financial planning checklist, review your contributions to:
The IRS publishes annual updates on retirement contribution limits and tax bracket thresholds to help taxpayers plan effectively. You can also explore how tax planning fits into your broader strategy with one of our dedicated financial advisors.
Retirement planning remains an important part of your financial planning checklist, and several SECURE Act 2.0 updates take effect in 2026 that may influence how you save. The most notable change involves how certain earners make catch-up contributions, along with new rules for plan accessibility and enrollment.
Beginning in 2026, employees who earned more than the inflation-adjusted wage threshold in the prior year must make their catch-up contributions on a Roth basis. The 2025 wage threshold is $145,000, and this number will be adjusted for inflation in 2026.
This update affects:
If a retirement plan does not allow Roth contributions, eligible high earners will not be able to make catch-up contributions until the plan is updated. This makes it important to understand how your employer intends to handle the change and whether updates are scheduled for the year ahead.
A few other SECURE Act 2.0 provisions also take effect in 2026, including:
You should review the details of your current retirement accounts and consider the following steps:
Including retirement updates in your comprehensive financial planning checklist makes sure your contributions remain aligned with the latest rules and your long-term objectives.
Charitable giving strategies look different in 2026 due to the return of itemized deduction limits and the introduction of a 0.5 percent AGI floor on charitable deductions. These updates may influence how and when deductions offer the greatest benefit.
When reviewing your charitable plan in your financial planning checklist, consider:
Navigating financial decisions during a year of legislative changes can feel overwhelming, but you don’t need to handle it alone. A financial advisor can help you interpret new rules, refine your investment strategy, and ensure that your plan remains aligned with your long-term goals.
If you would like support as you work through your financial planning checklist, the BIP Wealth team is ready to help you approach the year ahead with clarity and confidence. Contact us today to be connected with a trusted advisor.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Investors should seek legal and tax advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent estate planning attorney and tax advisor as tax laws are subject to interpretation, legislative change and unique to every specific taxpayer’s particular set of facts and circumstances.