Via empanelled professional
Personal finance advisory for professionals, founders, and high-net-worth individuals.
Personal tax planning, estate planning, succession advisory, and HNI wealth management — connected to empanelled professionals who engage and bill you directly.
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What is personal tax, wealth & estate planning?
Wealth and personal finance advisory provides high-net-worth individuals, professionals, and business owners with structured guidance on personal tax planning, estate management, succession, and investment allocation. Unlike routine ITR filing, wealth advisory looks across your entire financial picture — income, investments, business ownership, inherited assets, and family obligations — to optimise tax, protect assets, and ensure smooth generational transfer. The professionals on Lekha's panel combine CA-qualified tax expertise with financial planning experience.
Who it's for
Is this right for you?
- Salaried professionals with complex tax situations — ESOPs, RSUs, foreign income, or capital gains
- Business owners managing both personal and company wealth who need the two kept clearly separate
- HNIs planning the transfer of wealth to the next generation through estate planning and trusts
- Founders post-liquidity event who need to restructure personal finances after a company sale
- Individuals with significant inherited wealth who haven't set up a formal financial plan
When you need this
- You've exercised a large ESOP or RSU grant and face a significant tax liability
- A family member has passed away and you're dealing with estate settlement and succession
- You want to ensure your business and personal assets are protected from each other's liabilities
- You're planning to transfer your business to children or other family members in the next 5 years
- You've received or are expecting a significant inheritance and need to plan the tax and investment implications
What you get
Key benefits
Holistic view across income and assets
Personal tax planning that considers salary, rental income, capital gains, business profits, and investment income simultaneously — not each source in isolation.
Estate and succession integrated with tax
Estate planning that doesn't account for the tax on asset transfer is incomplete. Our professionals structure succession plans with the tax implications of gifting, inheritance, and trust formation built in.
SEBI RIA-compliant investment advice
For investment advisory, the professionals on our panel operate under SEBI's Registered Investment Adviser regulations — fee-only, conflict-free advice rather than commission-driven product distribution.
Common questions
Frequently asked
What is the difference between a will and a trust for estate planning?
A will is a document specifying how your assets should be distributed after death — it takes effect only at death and goes through probate (a court process) in many jurisdictions. A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are transferred to a trustee (who manages them) for the benefit of beneficiaries — it can operate during your lifetime and avoids probate. Trusts are generally more private, faster to execute, and better for complex asset transfers, but require more upfront setup.
How are ESOPs and RSUs taxed in India?
ESOPs are taxed in two stages: (1) at exercise — the difference between the fair market value on exercise date and the exercise price is taxed as 'perquisite' (salary income) in the employee's hands; and (2) at sale — any gain above the FMV on exercise date is taxed as capital gains (short or long-term depending on the holding period). RSUs are taxed similarly at vesting as salary income. For foreign company ESOPs (common in MNC employees), DTAA provisions may modify the Indian tax treatment.
What is a family trust and when does it make sense?
A family trust (typically a discretionary trust in India) holds assets for the benefit of family members. It can be useful for: protecting assets from individual creditors, managing assets for minor children, avoiding the disputes that can accompany succession, and — in some structures — achieving tax efficiency on investment income. The Income Tax Act has provisions taxing trust income in the hands of the settlor in certain circumstances, so the tax structuring of a family trust requires specialist advice.
What is fee-only investment advisory vs. commission-based?
A fee-only SEBI Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) charges you a flat fee or percentage of assets for investment advice. They do not receive commissions from the mutual funds or insurance products they recommend — so their advice is not influenced by which product pays a higher commission. Most wealth managers in India historically operated on a commission basis; SEBI's RIA regulations created the fee-only model. Our panel includes SEBI-registered RIAs for investment advisory.
Via registered professional
Personal Income Tax Planning & Savings
Empanelled professional · ₹5,000
Estate Planning & Will Drafting
Empanelled professional · ₹15,000
Business Succession & Family Wealth Transfer
Empanelled professional · ₹20,000
HNI Wealth Management & Advisory
Empanelled professional · ₹20,000/mo
Investment Planning (Fee-Only SEBI RIA)
SEBI-registered investment adviser · ₹10,000