As poet Robert Burns mused centuries ago, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Despite thoughtful effort and a concerted strategy, you cannot prepare for every emergency in life. A car accident, sudden illness, workplace injury, or chronic medical condition can force you to reevaluate the core assumptions you...
Category: Money
The Real Story Behind Trust Fund Kids
When we hear the phrase “trust fund kid,” words like “entitled,” “privileged,” and “financially irresponsible” might come to mind. But another word we should associate with “trust fund kid” is “protected.”
What Is a Trust Fund Kid?
According to a Forbes article published in 2021 about...
What Happens to Your Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay Accounts at Your Death?
It has been said that nothing ever dies on the Internet. While this dictum is typically used as a warning that what we put online may come back to haunt us, it is also true that our online accounts can outlive us, and even live in perpetuity. Having a digital estate plan...
Time to Brush Up on Your Estate Planning Etiquette
Important Probate Rules You Should Know
When a person dies, what happens next depends on whether the deceased person had any foundational estate planning documents such as a last will and testament (otherwise known as a will) or trust, who the living relatives are, and their relationship to the...
Winter Planning for a Great Spring
Retirement Planning Update
Although we are still in the midst of winter, spring is on its way. It is important to remember upcoming April deadlines for retirement contributions and required minimum distributions (RMDs), but there have also been some recent developments that may impact your retirement planning.
Celebrate Independence Day by Claiming Control of Your and Your Loved Ones’ Futures
Every year on the Fourth of July, Americans across the country celebrate our nation’s declaration of independence from Great Britain. Yet only about one-third of Americans have an estate plan—meaning that most Americans have given up their independence when it comes to deciding what will happen to them should they become incapacitated...
Silent Trusts: Could I Be the Beneficiary of a Trust and Not Know It?
People who have accumulated a substantial amount of wealth during their lifetime are often reluctant to disclose the full extent of their wealth to their children. Although there may be a number of good reasons for high-net-worth individuals to create a trust with their children as beneficiaries, the phrase “trust fund baby”...