Baird recognizes that investment returns are a way to achieve what you want for yourself, your loved ones and the causes you care about. An intimate understanding of your goals, concerns, risk tolerance and time horizon informs every investment and strategy we recommend. Our investment solutions include:

• Brokerage services
• Mutual fund and ETF portfolios
• Best-in-class asset managers
• Private equity
• Alternative investments

Our market experts on the ground in the United States, Europe and Asia provide the truly global perspective you need to navigate the opportunities and potential pitfalls in today’s fast-evolving world marketplace.

You should look forward to and enjoy the next phase of your life confident that you can sustain the lifestyle you’ve established. For most people, that means at least some change in how they look at income, expenses and investing.

Your Baird Financial Advisor has access to the tools and specialized expertise required to address critical retirement-related needs, including planning for the income you’ll need during and after this transition.

While Baird does not provide tax advice, we can partner with your legal and tax advisors to implement strategies designed to maximize the tax efficiency of your investments and plans. Our Financial Advisors have access to deep tax expertise and can help you address important tax concerns related to:

• Capital gains 
• Concentrated stock positions 
• Trust and estate planning 
• Deferred compensation programs 
• Executive stock options 
• Selling a business

With the assistance of Baird’s dedicated wealth transfer specialists, your Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of transferring wealth and identify smart ways to give using a variety of tools, including:  

• Direct giving
• Donor-advised and pooled income funds
• Charitable and family foundations
• Revocable living trusts
• Charitable remainder trusts  
• Life insurance trusts  
• Charitable lead trusts
• Family trusts
• Gift trusts
• Grantor-retained annuity trusts and qualified personal residence trusts
• Family limited partnerships

While Baird Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal counsel, they can work closely with your attorney and other professionals to develop a plan that matches your wishes and ensures your legacy.

With deep risk management expertise, Baird can analyze your financial situation and recommend appropriate insurance-based solutions and strategies to help protect your interests, including:

• Ensuring your income is adequately replaced and debt obligations are met in the event of a premature death or disability
• Optimal use of advanced estate and wealth transfer planning, including estate equalization, charitable legacy planning and other tax-mitigation strategies 
• Business insurance protection, including funding a buy/sell plan, key person protection and other “golden handcuff” strategies
• Using various insured solutions to help create sustainable income during retirement 
• Asset protection in the event of a long term care need 

Baird can also help you determine if income generated by an annuity would be sufficient and appropriate for your unique financial needs.

Business principals and corporate executives often have complex financial concerns that require sophisticated planning strategies. Baird’s Financial Advisors can provide expert advice to manage your unique needs in the context of other important financial considerations such as:

• Succession planning
• Selling a business
• Taxes
• Concentrated stock positions
• Restricted shares and Rule 144 concerns
• Option exercises
• Trading restrictions and Rule 10b5-1 plans

While Baird does not provide tax or legal advice, we can work with your other professional advisors to implement a customized combination of strategies to help achieve your goals while managing your tax liability and meeting your liquidity requirements.

Working with a Comerica Trust Specialist, you and your Baird Financial Advisor can design a trust investment account that:

• Reflects your values
• Provides for lifetime goals
• Helps ensure an orderly transition of wealth for your family

In addition to helping establish a trust, Baird provides detailed, comprehensive and objective monitoring of trust portfolios to keep you apprised of how your trust investments are performing compared to appropriate benchmarks and your objectives.