Estate planning allows you to help ensure that your affairs are always current. Routinely reviewing and updating your estate planning lets you confirm that you agree with the instructions you have outlined for beneficiaries. You might wonder if you should loop family...
Estate Planning
Estate planning strategies to keep your estate out of probate
Your assets do not have to go through probate - the often lengthy, costly and stressful court-supervised process of settling an estate. Avoiding it can ease the handling of your estate and reduce the risk of issues like executor misconduct or disputes among loved...
Will your estate plan impact your connection with family members?
A large part of an estate plan is about naming beneficiaries, which many people often assign to close relatives and friends. Other parts of the estate plan can include the executor of the estate, powers of attorney and child guardian. These are very important roles...
Should you discuss your estate plan with your family?
It is always a dramatic scene in a movie—loved ones are gathered around an attorney, waiting to hear the family patriarch's last will and testament. There is shock and anger as people discover they have been cut from the will, and much drama ensues. In real life, a...
Does your estate plan need to be updated?
You should be commended if you have already created your estate plan. After all, more than half of Americans have not taken the time to plan for their death or incapacitation. But if you believe that once you have created an estate plan, you can place it in a safe...
Estate planning: Stay in control with advance medical directives
Do you ever feel concerned about your medical care if you become unable to make your decisions and speak for yourself? It is a common concern for many as they approach their senior years. Advance medical directives can empower you to shape your future health care...
Incentivizing a beneficiary to keep working
Are you worried that leaving an inheritance is going to cause your beneficiary to stop working? Maybe you’re leaving them enough money that they could instantly retire. You’re happy to be able to provide this type of financial security, but you’re worried that they...
Do not let avoidable mistakes wreck your estate planning efforts
As you likely know, estate planning is a means of arranging for the distribution of your assets after your death. It is critical to have such a plan to help ensure that your loved ones receive their inheritance and to protect them from needless financial hardships....
A DIY will can expose you to unnecessary risks
In today’s digital world, do-it-yourself (DIY) options for creating legal documents, including templates for wills, are readily available online. They may seem cost-effective and convenient, but they can expose you to pitfalls that may have serious consequences for...
5 estate planning myths
Making an estate plan is among the most forward-thinking actions anyone can do while alive. However, estate planning is a challenging procedure, and people frequently get it wrong. As a result, you might have received inaccurate information about how estate plans...