These all-too-common misconceptions can steer your estate plans in the wrong direction right from the start. Here’s how to overcome them and tips to build the right plan for your family.
Estate planning is all about ensuring that your wishes are met after your death. All estate plans should include a will and powers of attorney. However, in many cases, a trust has additional benefits beyond what can be accomplished with the will and powers of attorney.
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.
The probate process refers to court proceedings that you have to go through when a loved one passes on, and they have left an asset in their name.
When creating an estate plan, it may be necessary to name a trustee to handle your assets.
Build your own medical emergency packet.
The passing of a spouse is a devastating time in a person’s life and one that throws their world into turmoil. While in the midst of grieving, they’re confronted with a multitude of responsibilities requiring their attention — not only the immediate tasks of preparing for memorial services and notifying family and friends, but also beginning to tackle the requisite legal notifications and financial changes.
If you decide to leave assets in a trust for your beneficiaries, consider your designation of trustee carefully. The most important person in the trust framework is the trustee, the one responsible for managing trust assets.
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.
To ensure your estate is settled in the way you want, it’s wise to do a bit of extra planning to keep your documents up to date.