--- title: Have A Difficult Conversation Now to Optimize Transfer of Wealth description: Properly identifying assets and goals helps CPAs have an easier time with estate planning, along with having the appropriate products and strategies to help. image: https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Blog/Optimize-Transfer-of-Wealth.jpg --- [![4thought_footer-logo.png](https://www.4tfg.com/hs-fs/hubfs/4thought_footer-logo.png?width=335&height=101&name=4thought_footer-logo.png "4thought_footer-logo.png")](https://www.4tfg.com/) - [![4Thought Financial Group](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/4thought_footer-logo.png)](https://www.4tfg.com/) [![4Thought Financial Group Compass](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/4Though-Compass.png)](https://www.4tfg.com/) - [About 4Thought](https://www.4tfg.com/investment-methodology) - [Our Investment Methodology](https://www.4tfg.com/investment-methodology) - [Management Team](https://www.4tfg.com/management) - [In the Media](https://www.4tfg.com/media) - [Contact](https://www.4tfg.com/contact) - [Services](https://www.4tfg.com/investing) - [Private Individual Investing](https://www.4tfg.com/investing) - [SMAs for RIA /Institutional /Family Office](https://www.4tfg.com/financial-advisors-and-institutions) - [Services for CPAs](https://www.4tfg.com/cpa-investing-services) - [Private Wealth Management](https://www.4tfg.com/wealth-management) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/retirement-plan-services) - [Resources](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) - [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) - [Portfolio Review](https://www.4tfg.com/portfolio-review) - [Investment Performance](https://www.4tfg.com/performance-requests) - [CPA Continuing Education](https://www.4tfg.com/cpe-continuing-education) - [FAQs](https://www.4tfg.com/faq) - [FAQs](https://www.4tfg.com/faq) - [Contact](https://www.4tfg.com/contact) - Log In - [Goldman Sachs Accounts](https://www.folioclient.com/servlets/ProcessAction?identifier=loginFormEntry&user.mode=IAC) - [Wealth Management](https://wealth.emaplan.com/ema/SignIn?ema) - [Consolidated Reporting](https://client.myadvisorlink.com/auth/users/webportal/4tfg) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/rps-login) - - Log In - [Goldman Sachs Accounts](https://www.folioclient.com/servlets/ProcessAction?identifier=loginFormEntry&user.mode=IAC) - [Wealth Management](https://wealth.emaplan.com/ema/SignIn?ema) - [Consolidated Reporting](https://client.myadvisorlink.com/auth/users/webportal/4tfg) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/rps-login) ## 4Thought Investing Resources ## 4Thought Investing Resources [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/) [Investment Strategy](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/investment-strategy) [Personal Finance](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/personal-investing) [Business Finance](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/business-finance) [For Professionals](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/financial-professionals)[Compass and Crosshairs](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/compass-and-crosshairs) SUBSCRIBE Subscribe for free tips and articles to help you lead a smarter financial life. [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) ,[Retirement](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/retirement) ,[Financial Professionals](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/financial-professionals) ,[Financial Planning](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/financial-planning) ,[Pro Tips](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/pro-tips) # Have A Difficult Conversation Now to Optimize Transfer of Wealth Properly identifying assets and goals helps CPAs have an easier time with estate planning, along with having the appropriate products and strategies to help. \[fa icon="calendar"\] Jun 16, 2016 10:56:18 AM by [4Thought Financial](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/author/4thought-financial) ![Have A Difficult Conversation Now to Optimize Transfer of Wealth](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Blog/Optimize-Transfer-of-Wealth.jpg) The subject of what to do with assets after retirement or death is an understandably difficult topic to address. Upset family members, lost documents and the absence of the grantor after death are among some of the difficulties that tax professionals face. But the ultimate difficulty lies in having the conversation in the first place. Tax professionals loathe having these conversations since they can be easily misconstrued. Clients may feel that the wealth transfer conversation is too personal. Jealous or greedy family members can assume that the professional or another family member is making a play for their share, or clients may flat out not have a plan in place and they are embarrassed to talk about it. A tax professional advising a client to allocate a portion of their assets for their wealth transfer purposes is very powerful. The desire to help clients should overcome the fear that a client might reject the conversation and make no mistake, professionals should understand it is not easy for either party. > Providing an aggressive asset allocation may or may not be the best course of action, depending on the client. Besides an asset allocation strategy, investment methodology behind these investments also matter. Providing an aggressive asset allocation may or may not be the best course of action, depending on the client. But other important questions relating to methodology should be “What type of investments are my clients looking at?” or “How will these investments help fulfill my client’s goals?” Addressing these difficult questions now will help avoid more difficult questions later. Mitigating risk and potential tax liabilities, helping clients leave more to their families and doing the right thing is enough to drive a tax professional to explore the topic of transferring wealth.  After all, it is a conversation that CPAs might find themselves having with their own family in the future. ***Did You Know....*** 4Thought helps tax professionals have an easy time of a difficult discussion. We ensure that your clients have more properly titled assets to protect and  transfer to their heirs, avoiding any difficulties in the future. ### Other CPA Resources [CPE Continuing Education](https://www.4tfg.com/CPE-continuing-education) [Optimize Conservation of Capital](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/how-can-cpas-help-optimize-conservation-of-capital-embrace-the-next-generation) [Mitigating Your Client's Risk](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/how-can-cpas-mitigate-their-clients-risk-ask-how-does-this-tie-in-with-the-rest-of-your-finances-cpas) [Diversify The Tax Harvest To Simplify Asset Allocation](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/diversify-the-tax-harvest-to-simplify-asset-allocation-cpas) [Making Difficult Conversations Easier](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/making-difficult-conversations-easier) [Conducting You Client's Tax Strategy](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/conducting-the-tax-strategy-of-your-clients) ## Was this article helpful to you? ### Subscribe to our newsletter for free tips and articles to help you lead a smarter financial life. ### Related posts [![Understanding Risk in Investing - Part 3 - Investment Methods and Risk Premiums](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Understanding%20Risk%20in%20Investing%20-%20Part%203%20-%20Investment%20Methods%20and%20Risk%20Premiums%2010-13-20%20-%20Thumbnail.jpg)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/understanding-risk-in-investing-part3-0-1-0) [![Understanding Risk in Investing - Part 2 - Modern Portfolio Theory Quantitative Tools and Statistics](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/BaseCamp_Archive/attachments/332823384-all-with-graphic.png)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/understanding-risk-in-investing-part2-0-1) [![Understanding Risk in Investing - Part 1 - Common Types of Risk and Risk Management Tools](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Understanding%20Risk%20in%20Investing%20-%20Part%201%20-%20Common%20Types%20of%20Risk%20and%20Risk%20Management%20Tools%2010-12-20%20-%20Thumbnail-1.jpg)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/understanding-risk-in-investing-part1-0) ## Leave a Comment ### Search 4tfg.com This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ### **What Type of Investor Are You?** You have unique investment goals. 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Information throughout this site, including, but not limited to, stock quotes, charts, articles or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources which we, and our suppliers believe reliable, but we do not warrant or guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of this information. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future performance. Neither we nor our information providers shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies, regardless of cause, or the lack of timeliness of, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ANY INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS OR ANY LINKED WEBSITE. Any opinions presented here are subject to change at any time without notice. Any comments or postings are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell securities or other financial instruments. Readers should conduct their own review and exercise judgment prior to investing. Investments are not guaranteed, involve risk and may result in a loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investments are not suitable for all types of investors. \*4Thought Financial Group claims compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). GIPS® is a registered trademark of CFA Institute. CFA Institute does not endorse or promote this organization, nor does it warrant the accuracy or quality of the content contained herein. The GIPS firm definition excludes any third party asset management programs over which 4Thought maintains oversight advisory agreements on behalf of its clients, any arrangements under which 4Thought provides recommendations for client self-implementation, and any assets under advisory but not under direct management (in which 4Thought provides allocation changes or trading signals to third party firms but does not take discretion over the trading of client accounts). 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