Planning for the future isn’t always easy. There are many things to consider, and you’re probably not ready to think about them. You want to hold onto the belief that nothing is changing, even when you know how important it is to start planning early. If you are...
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Estate Planning
Consider an incentive trust for your heirs
You probably don't want to control every aspect of your heir's future -- but, at the same time, you may have some strong feelings about just handing someone a tremendous amount of wealth with no strings attached. That's where an incentive trust can be valuable....
What does ‘financing death’ mean?
Part of effective end-of-life planning includes figuring out how your loved ones will have immediate access to cash right after you are gone -- including enough money to pay your funeral expenses. That can be a little trickier than it sounds. The average price for an...
What do you need to keep in your ‘end-of-life’ drawer?
You know, sooner or later, your day will come, and your heirs will be left trying to make sure that your final wishes are followed. As a result, you've had a will made and taken other preparations to make things easier. Now, what do you do with everything? What all...
How do I revoke a power of attorney?
There are times when you need to revoke the power of attorney you granted someone in the past. A few weeks ago, we talked about some of the reasons people have for revoking a power of attorney (POA). Now, let's talk about the right way to revoke a POA -- because this...
Could adult adoption make your estate plans easier?
In modern-day America, blended families are common. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than half of American families are the result of remarriages. There are a whopping 1,300 stepfamilies created each day in this country. Unfortunately, the emotional...
Why you need a medical power of attorney
A medical power of attorney takes your healthcare decisions out of your own hands and gives them to someone else. You pick that person and name them in the document. Many people choose their adult children, for instance, or someone else they can trust to make...
The worst mistakes people make when making their wills
When you're contemplating end-of-life issues and your final wishes, it's important to watch out for some painfully common mistakes. Here are the worst estate planning mistakes we see: 1. Deciding to forgo the will You need a will. In fact, every adult needs a will....
How pour-over wills work
Once you set up a revocable living trust to hold your assets, you don't necessarily stop acquiring new assets. What happens if you die before some of those new assets have been added to the trust (or otherwise been assigned designated beneficiaries)? This is where a...
Here’s a great gift idea: A basic estate plan
Everybody struggles to find gifts during the holiday season that express their love for family and friends. While it might seem strange, an estate plan might be an absolutely wonderful gift for someone you love. No matter how young someone is, a basic estate plan is a...