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Rick Handelman

Senior Partner | Trust & Estate Advisory

EDUCATION

Ithaca College - B.S. in Business Administration
New York University - M.B.A.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Trust & Estate Planning & Strategy
Family Guidance
Trust Administration

Rick Handelman

Senior Partner | Trust & Estate Advisory

Rick Handelman is the Senior Partner at Meyer Handelman Company, where he has served client families since 1978. As one of the firm’s longest-tenured members, Rick brings nearly five decades of experience and deep relationships across the families MHCo serves. His focus today centers on trust and estate strategy—working closely with each family’s trust and estate attorneys to ensure that multi-generational plans are thoughtfully structured and faithfully executed.

Rick plays a central role in guiding the wealth transfer strategies that help patriarchs and matriarchs preserve and pass on what they have built. He is actively involved in tax planning and return oversight, and serves as trustee for many of the families the firm represents—a responsibility that reflects the deep trust these families place in both Richard and in MHCo.

Rick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ithaca College and a M.B.A. from New York University.

Outside of work, Rick enjoys golf, travel, and is a devoted NY Rangers fan, and played hockey recreationally until the age of 60.

Every family is different, and every plan should reflect that. I work closely with each family’s trust and estate attorneys to build strategies that honor what the patriarchs and matriarchs have built while preparing the next generation to carry it forward. The goal is never just to transfer assets — it’s to transfer values, vision, and a sense of stewardship alongside them. After nearly five decades of doing this work, I’ve found that the best plans are the ones built on honest conversation and long-term trust.

Coordination is at the heart of what we do at MHCo. I work side by side with each family’s trust and estate attorneys, CPAs, and other advisors to make sure everyone is aligned. Too often, families have good advisors working in silos — my role is to bring those pieces together so that the estate plan, the tax strategy, and the investment approach all reinforce one another. When everyone is on the same page, families get better outcomes.

Serving as a trustee is one of the most personal responsibilities I carry. It means a family has placed their confidence not just in the firm, but in me individually, to act in their best interest — often across generations. I take that seriously. It requires deep familiarity with the family’s circumstances, careful judgment, and a commitment to being accessible and responsive. It’s a role I don’t take lightly, and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

When you’ve been with a firm since 1978, you’ve had the privilege of watching families grow — children become parents, grandchildren come into the picture, and priorities evolve. That long-term perspective changes the way you think about planning. I’m not just looking at this year’s tax return or this quarter’s allocation. I’m thinking about what the family will need ten, twenty, thirty years from now. That kind of continuity is what a multi-family office like MHCo is built to provide, and it’s what keeps me engaged in this work after all these years.

Rick Handelman

What is your approach to multi-generational wealth planning?

How do you coordinate with a family’s outside advisors?

What does it mean to serve as a trustee for client families?

How has your experience at MHCo shaped the way you work with families?

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