Estate planning often feels complex, leading many people to rely on assumptions that can have devastating consequences for their loved ones and their legacy. From who can make decisions for you to whether you need an estate plan, common myths can stand between you and a secure future. Let’s debunk these widespread...
Category: Wishes
Choosing the Ideal Trust for Your Wishes
The term estate may bring to mind mansions, vast fortunes, and a level of wealth that many people do not possess. This misconception may lead to the false impression that estate planning is only for the rich and famous, discouraging those with more modest means from seeking professional guidance.
Is It Time for an Annual Planning Retreat?
Do you ever feel like you never have a moment to yourself? Or that even if you manage to carve out some personal time, you are not spending it as effectively as you could be?
Our always-on culture may counterproductively (and counterintuitively) be holding us back from achievement. We...
Estate Planning That Expresses Who You Are: 5 Things to Talk About with Your Family
You intend to pass along your hard-earned money and property through your estate plan, but what about your wisdom? Ensuring that you successfully pass all of this along may call for a family meeting to discuss your finances, your legacy, and your core principles.
Most families lead busy lives,...
Does Your Revocable Living Trust Reduce Your Federal Estate Tax Bill?
Many believe that once they set up and fund a revocable living trust, property held in the trust will completely avoid federal estate taxes after they die. In reality, a living trust does not provide any unique estate tax avoidance strategies.
The primary mechanisms for reducing estate taxes—the unlimited...
Incapacity Planning and Pets
Few US adults have an estate plan. Even fewer have included a pet in their plan. Perhaps you have an estate plan that addresses who will take your pet when you die. But does it address the possibility of your incapacity and the need for a temporary pet caretaker?
Can Someone Else Pay for My Estate Plan?
Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. Every adult should have an estate plan, yet surprisingly, most Americans do not. The perceived cost of creating one is among the most cited reasons for a lack of estate planning.
The consequences of not having an estate plan can become...
Estate Planning Is a Great Way to Help You Celebrate the Holidays
It Is Time to Make Your Estate Planning List and Check It Twice
“He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice. He’s going to find out who’s naughty and nice . . . .”[1]
The estate planning process can sometimes be similar to Santa’s process. You decide who should...
Saying Goodbye Is Hard: How a Comprehensive Estate Plan Can Help
When people think about estate planning, they usually focus on who will receive their money and property when they pass away and how it will be received. However, estate planning can also address your end-of-life wishes—the considerations and expenses involved when it is time to say goodbye to your loved ones. The...
What Happens to My Twitch Account When I Die?
In the digital age, our online presence extends beyond social media. Platforms like Twitch, where users engage with live-streamed content, present unique considerations when it comes to estate planning. Do you know what happens to a Twitch account after an individual passes away? If you die and a loved one needs to...