Advanced Equities Wealth Management

Shielding Your Assets

Advanced Equities Wealth Management looks at each client's financial life in its totality, and we believe that integrated financial planning is not just about accumulating wealth. It's also about protecting your business assets and personal savings, through qualified plans, estate planning and business risk management, from losses created by unexpected events that can significantly damage your finances.

Inherent Protection—Qualified Retirement Plans

Advanced Equities Wealth Management Pension Services specialists help clients with plan designs and qualification issues, counting on legal counsel with extensive ERISA experience and actuarial resources well versed in large and small defined benefit plans. Their expertise strives to guide you to take advantage of the tax law changes enacted recently under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA), as well as the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

These laws may increase retirement savings opportunities to as much as $200,000 or more annually in tax-deductible net earnings inside IRS-approved plans. Just as important, however, is the fact that qualified retirement plans, by their very nature, are protected by ERISA law. Meaning, high-income professionals who participate in such retirement vehicles may enjoy protection from creditors.

Moreover, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 makes significant changes to bankruptcy laws affecting retirement plans and IRAs. The Act exempts qualified retirement funds from the bankruptcy estate, including Code Section 401(a), 403 and 457 plans and IRAs, subject to a $1,000,000 limitation on contributory IRAs. The Act also states that all retirement funds that are tax-exempt under Sections 401, 403, 408, 408A, 414, 457 and 501(a) of the Code are beyond the reach of creditors in bankruptcy.

Due to the fact that qualified retirement funds are exempt from the bankruptcy estate (other than contributory IRAs over $1 million), as well as from judgment creditors, we believe maximizing your retirement assets is a critical component of sound financial planning.