A solid estate plan ensures proper distribution of your assets after you are gone. While having a plan in place is important, avoiding common mistakes is equally so. To prevent errors, you must have a good understanding of the process. Get started early...
Estate Planning
What is the difference between first- and third-party special needs trusts?
Parents of children with disabilities often utilize a special needs trust to plan for the financial future of their child. These SNTs are able to manage the beneficiary’s assets while still allowing them to remain eligible for public benefits. Medicaid and Supplement...
When to start the estate planning process?
Estate planning is a crucial step to ensure that your assets and property get distributed according to your wishes after your death. Many people wonder when they should begin the estate planning process, and the simple answer is that it is never too early to start....
Is hiding your estate planning from your kids a good idea?
Parents often hesitate when sharing the details of their estate planning with their adult children. Historically, parents have done this to avoid hurting their children’s feelings, avoiding requests for money now and, naturally, the difficulty of thinking of...
3 tax advantages of creating a charitable remainder trust
If your portfolio includes highly appreciated assets like stocks, bonds or an investment property, you may want to consider creating a charitable remainder trust. This type of trust allows you to make a substantial tax-exempt donation to a charity or charities while...
When should you update your will or estate plan?
Wills and estate plans exist to direct the division of someone's assets after they die. While planning ahead is great, it is also good practice to update your will or estate plan every few years or whenever you experience a significant life event. Here are a few...
Your role as executor will likely require asking for help
How much do you know about your upcoming role as executor? If you do not have experience with the administration of an estate, you may feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are steps to take that will keep your tasks as executor running smoothly. One of those is...
Creating a fair estate plan for your blended family
Second marriages bring years of experience to a new relationship. Along with this, there are often children that become siblings in a new blended home. How can you ensure your estate plan covers them all fairly? Keeping the blended family in mind may force you to take...
Avoid common mistakes in estate planning
Ideally, your property and possessions get distributed among your beneficiaries according to your wishes when you pass away. For this to happen smoothly, a solid estate plan should be in place. Even when people try to plan ahead, mistakes often lead to headaches for...
Would establishing a family foundation help further your goals?
Private family foundations are not reserved for billionaires, although we most often hear about them in connection with famous people. You and various members of your family may be considering establishing this kind of foundation in order to further certain goals that...