Category: Will
“If you’ve ever spent time working through your estate plan with a professional, you know how important it is to select and update your beneficiaries. Failing to do so can result in costly mistakes—for you and your loved ones.” Here’s one way to mess up your estate plan: naming beneficiaries not by name, but by […]
“Every adult should have a will in order to determine property distribution after death. However, a will is limited in what it can do. Too often, a will cannot accomplish what you need or even expect it to do.” A last will and testament is an important part of an estate plan, and every adult […]
“One of the most frequent questions asked in estate planning is whether a will is really necessary, particularly when someone has taken steps to avoid the probate process.” A will, also known as a last will and testament, is one of three documents that make up the foundation of an estate plan, according to The […]
“Taking care of these key tasks properly limits the potential for family turmoil and possible legal battles should you become incapacitated, as well as after your death.” Estate planning is a critical part of financial planning, but it is something that many Americans prefer to procrastinate about. However, drafting a will, health care proxy, and […]
“Seventy-seven percent of respondents in a recent survey said estate and legacy strategies were important for everyone, not just wealthy individuals, yet only 24% said they had taken the basic step of designating beneficiaries for all of their accounts.” Think Advisor reported on a survey conducted by a financial services firm that revealed good news […]
“When you create a living trust, you also sign a pour-over will. One of the main benefits of a trust is avoiding a court proceeding on death called probate, which is when wills are used.” If the goal of estate planning is to avoid probate, it seems counterintuitive that one would sign a will, but […]
“Three handwritten documents, dated between 2010 and 2014, were found in Aretha Franklin’s Michigan home in recent months, including one in a spiral notebook found under her couch cushions.” The Queen of Soul’s lack of a properly executed estate plan, isn’t the first time a celebrity died without a will, and it surely will not […]
“I admit that this question stumped me. It was not so much because of what you are asking, but rather why you are asking it in the first place. I’ve tried to come up with a scenario why someone would want to change their will temporarily, but I have come up blank.” People usually make […]
“Thanks to the Internet, everyone has the ability to draft wills, trusts and a variety of other legal documents. Many documents can be produced for less than $100, requiring only a few mouse clicks and filled-in blanks.” While the simplicity and low cost of online legal documents is appealing, the results are all too often […]
“As we approach our 70s, we feel like we have everything covered. We don’t have long-term care insurance, but with the income we have off the farm and with our savings, we feel pretty comfortable. Is0’ everything we have enough?” A family has set up their estate plan. Two sons are already in the farming […]
