Probate is a process to transfer the assets after someone dies. For example, when a homeowner passes, probate allows for the home to be sold or transferred, if necessary, even though the owner is no longer alive to sign a deed.
Retiring ahead of schedule may seem like a dream, but it is doable with the proper planning. Depending on when you were born, the normal retirement age is currently 66 or 67. If you’re planning to retire five, 10, or even 15 years early, one of the most important things to consider is how to make your savings last for the long haul.
During estate planning, one of the situations that you must plan for is the possible sale of real estate, artwork, and especially operating family businesses. What is sometimes overlooked in planning is what happens after there has been such a sale.
There tends to be a lot of excitement in the air as one approaches retirement. Contemplating how to spend one’s golden years represents the culmination of decades of hard work and the ability to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. While the enthusiasm is warranted, it’s also crucial to make some important financial planning decisions before the fun begins.
Although there is often a progression of complexity in estate planning, this progression generally follows stages in life rather than specific ages.
Small businesses are often caught up in growth cycles, profits and ensuring that products arrive to consumers on time. The life of a small business owner is a hectic one with many owners failing to follow basic estate planning and business law practices.
For example, did you name someone as an heir who is no longer in favor with you or—worse yet—has died? Who should get what they would have gotten? Are there now new people in your life—be they family members or not—whom you might wish to share in what you may have?
Somewhere between a corporation and a partnership lies the limited liability company (LLC). This hybrid legal entity is beneficial not just for small-business owners but is also a powerful tool for estate planning.