Commonwealth Independent Advisor

Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

Whitney Drechsler, JD, was previously an advanced planning consultant at Commonwealth Financial Network®, member FINRA/SIPC, the nation's largest privately held Registered Investment Adviser–independent broker/dealer. She left the firm in November 2019.

Information about securities-registered professionals may be found at FINRA BROKERCHECK.

Recent Posts

Financial Guidance for Recent Widows

Guiding Women Through Financial Change After a Divorce

Changes to Pass-Through Business Taxation Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Multigenerational Planning

Trust Planning and IRAs: Helping Your Clients Safeguard Their Assets

Financial Guidance for Recent Widows

Posted by Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

October 23, 2019 at 1:30 PM

Yesterday, we focused on what financial advisors can do to help women navigate the financial implications of the end of a marriage. Today, we’ll discuss how to assist recently widowed clients.

A 2018 UBS Investor Watch Survey found that nearly 70 percent of married women from around the world believe they’ll outlive their husbands. This belief is confirmed by recent U.S. government data showing that women are living longer than men by roughly five years. Yet many of the women who experience a husband’s death are unprepared to handle the major financial issues that suddenly fall on their lap. That’s especially true for women who’ve abdicated control of financial planning and investing decisions to their spouse over the years.

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Topics: Financial Planning

Guiding Women Through Financial Change After a Divorce

Posted by Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

October 22, 2019 at 10:00 AM

Numerous studies suggest that women often defer to their spouses when it comes to making long-term financial decisions, a choice that can put them at a distinct disadvantage in the event of divorce or death of a spouse. Our posts today and tomorrow will focus on the role financial advisors can play in helping their female clients successfully navigate these life transitions.

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Topics: Financial Planning

Changes to Pass-Through Business Taxation Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Posted by Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

June 26, 2018 at 10:00 AM

As a small business owner and/or a financial advisor to small business owners, it is imperative for you to be informed regarding changes to pass-through business taxation under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Some of the provisions are complex and will require you to use the appropriate calculators, as well as to seek advice from a tax counselor or tax preparer. So, to help you lay the groundwork for understanding these changes, let’s take a deeper dive into what’s new for pass-through business taxation under the TCJA, as well as some planning opportunities for you and your clients.

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Topics: Financial Planning

Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Multigenerational Planning

Posted by Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

April 24, 2018 at 10:00 AM

In the next 30 years, approximately $40 trillion will pass from the baby boomers to future generations. Given this sizable transfer of wealth, successful advisors must be equipped to counsel not only their existing clients, but also their clients’ children, grandchildren, and even parents. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at strategies for multigenerational planning, plus how to go beyond the basics in meeting the financial goals of individuals across generations.

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Topics: Financial Planning

Trust Planning and IRAs: Helping Your Clients Safeguard Their Assets

Posted by Whitney Drechsler, JD, LLM, CFP

March 13, 2018 at 10:00 AM

The Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in Clark v. Rameker (2014) had a rippling effect on the financial planning industry and the way advisors address IRA beneficiary designations. The ruling determined that inherited IRAs are not “retirement funds” under federal bankruptcy law, which means that, unlike with retirement accounts, these assets are accessible by potential creditors. This precedent-setting decision continues to have a meaningful effect on estate planning strategies for IRAs.

To guide you through this area of asset protection planning, I’ll discuss the impact this ruling has had on trust planning and IRAs, as well as how you can help your clients safeguard their assets and accomplish other estate planning objectives.

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Topics: Estate Planning

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