Estate and Trust
Structuring wealth that survives you requires precision, foresight, and a willingness to have difficult conversations.
Who This Is For
This service is for individuals and families whose financial lives have grown complex enough that a will alone is insufficient — those with business interests, philanthropic commitments, blended families, or wealth intended to span generations.
What We Do
Estate Document Architecture
We review your current estate documents and identify structural gaps. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives — each must be coordinated with your financial strategy, not created in isolation.
Trust Design and Administration
Charlotte designs trust structures appropriate to your situation — revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and generation-skipping arrangements. Each trust has a specific purpose and tax rationale.
Beneficiary Coordination
Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, insurance policies, and investment accounts must align with your estate plan. We audit and coordinate these annually.
Generational Wealth Transfer
Richard works with families on the human dimension of wealth transfer — conversations with children and grandchildren about inheritance, responsibility, and values. The legal structure means nothing if the family is not prepared.
The Process
Discovery
A 45-minute conversation to understand your situation, goals, and priorities.
Analysis
Charlotte and Richard review your financial picture in detail — accounts, documents, tax returns, estate plans.
Design
A comprehensive strategy is designed, presented, and refined based on your feedback.
Implementation
Every recommendation is executed, coordinated across accounts, advisors, and institutions.
The Multi-Generational Plan
An NVC family with two adult children and a family business structured an estate plan that coordinated trust design, succession planning, and a charitable vehicle.
Read the full story →The NVC Ecosystem
Estate and trust documents are executed with DeShawn Pruitt, NVC's most trusted notary. When estate matters involve litigation, we refer to Marcus Hargrove at Hargrove and Associates.
Explore Further
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a trust?
Not everyone does. A trust is appropriate when your estate has complexity — business interests, blended family dynamics, significant real estate, or generational transfer goals. Charlotte can assess this in a Discovery Call.
How often should I update my estate plan?
We recommend a full review every three years, or after any major life event — marriage, divorce, birth, death, business sale, or significant change in net worth.
Do you work with my attorney?
Yes. Charlotte coordinates directly with your estate attorney to ensure the financial strategy and legal documents are aligned. If you need an attorney, we refer to Marcus Hargrove at Hargrove and Associates.
What about charitable giving in my estate plan?
Charitable vehicles — donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, private foundations — can serve both philanthropic and tax goals. Richard specializes in designing these strategies.
If this describes your situation, a Discovery Call is the right first step.
Schedule a Discovery Call →Fiduciary Commitment
Charlotte Westbrook (CFP®, CFA) and Richard Van Meer (CFP®, CIMA®) serve as fiduciaries. They are legally and ethically bound to act in your interest. Meridian Wealth Group is a fee-only registered investment adviser — no commissions, no proprietary products, no conflicts of interest.
Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation.