Hi Reader,
When Prince passed away in 2016, the world lost a legend 🎤
But he also left behind something far more common and costly:
No will. No trust. No plan.
💡 Estate problems don’t start when you’re wealthy.
They start when you wait.
Here’s what happened:
⚖️ Courts took control
🏛️ Government got priority
💼 Fees piled up for years
⏳ Estate tied up for 6+ years
The result?
💰 Tens of millions in taxes
💸 Millions more in fees
📉 Less than half left for heirs
This isn’t just a celebrity issue.
In places like El Dorado Hills:
🏡 High home values
📈 Growing investments
⚖️ 2–5% lost to probate/fees
Same formula:
Growth + taxes + friction = wealth lost
Example:
$20M estate →
💸 ~$3M lost today
Wait 10 years (growth):
$20M → ~$39M
💸 ~$10M lost
⚠️ It’s not what you have today.
It’s what you have later and how much is exposed.
The good news?
You can control this.
Estate planning is about:
📍 Where growth happens
📍 What gets taxed
📍 What stays with your family
But timing matters.
⏳ The biggest mistake isn’t bad investing…
…it’s waiting.
Because once time runs out, so do your options.
The government already has a plan for your money.
Do you? 🤔
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David N. Waldrop, CFP®
Owner of Bridgeview Capital Advisors, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor.
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