Why Everyone Should Have an Estate Plan
Do you have a will? A durable power of attorney? A health care proxy? If so, no reason to read on. If not, why not? Failure to create an estate plan risks causing discord in your family for generations to…
Five Reasons to Have a Will
Your will is a legally-binding statement directing who will receive your property at your death. It also appoints a legal representative to carry out your wishes. However, the will covers only probate property. (Probate is the court process by which…
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?
Once you've created an estate plan, it is important to keep it up to date. You will need to revisit your plan after certain key life events, including marriage, the birth of children, divorce or the death of a spouse,…
A Letter of Instruction Can Spare Your Heirs Great Stress
While it is important to have an updated estate plan, there is a lot of information that your heirs should know that doesn't necessarily fit into a will, trust or other components of an estate plan. The solution is a…
Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs
Parents want their children to be taken care of after they die. But children with disabilities have increased financial and care needs, so ensuring their long-term welfare can be tricky. Proper planning by parents is necessary to benefit the child…
10 Reasons to Create an Estate Plan Now
Many people think that estate plans are for someone else, not them. They may rationalize that they are too young or don't have enough money to reap the tax benefits of a plan. But as the following list makes clear,…
Four Provisions People Forget to Include in Their Estate Plan
Even if you've created an estate plan, are you sure you included everything you need to? There are certain provisions that people often forget to put in in a will or estate plan that can have a big impact on…
Make Reviewing Your Estate Plan One of Your New Year’s Resolutions
Estate planning is all about five essential documents. Here they are in order of importance: The Power of Attorney for Property The most important estate planning instrument for taking care of you and your family during…
Life Adjustments Call for Updates to Your Will!
As life circumstances change (births, marriages, divorces, and deaths), it may become necessary to make changes to your will. If an estate plan is not kept up-to-date, it can become useless.
Top 10 Reasons Why You Need an Estate Plan
Planning ahead for your own death is a difficult step to take because no one wants to believe it can happen to them; but it will happen. By giving some careful thought to your goals for your beneficiaries, you will be confident that you are really protecting what matters. An estate plan may include some or all of the following: Last Will & Testament, Revocable or Irrevocable Trust, Powers of Attorney, Joint Tenancy designation, and Beneficiary designation.