Family finances can be a big issue in any circumstances. It’s even more significant with blended families, where two sets of often well-established financial histories and philosophies try to merge into one. Kiplinger’s article entitled “Yours, Mine and Ours: A Checklist for Blended Family Finances” says that a blended family is one where people have remarried, either … Continue reading What Does a Blended Family Need to Know about Finances?
Category: Blended Families
What If Your Spouse Refuses Estate Planning?
Blended families are quite common in the U.S. A married couple may have a small child—but one spouse may also have children from a first marriage. The spouse may be concerned about assets and protecting those older children in estate planning. A spouse on a second or third marriage may insist on a prenup with … Continue reading What If Your Spouse Refuses Estate Planning?
Ask Mom if She has a Will
The family was baffled. Not only was the will out of date, but it was also unsigned and the person named as executor had died a decade before their mother died. Grandchildren born after the will was created were not mentioned and personal possessions left to some people in the will had been given away … Continue reading Ask Mom if She has a Will
Intestacy is Possibly the Worst Mistake for Families of Modest Means
Thinking About Not Writing a Will Because You Believe You Don’t Have Enough Resources? Think Again. Writing a Will is something most of us know we eventually have to do, but none of us really want to start. Some people believe it is too complicated. Other people don’t want to think about death. Some folks believe that the law … Continue reading Intestacy is Possibly the Worst Mistake for Families of Modest Means
Are You Ready for 2026?
You may not be thinking about Jan. 1, 2026. However, if your estate is worth $5 million or more when the first day of 2026 arrives, your estate planning should begin now. According to an article from Forbes, “Is 2026 An Important Year For Your Wealth?,” the reduction in the estate tax exemption will revert to the 2010 … Continue reading Are You Ready for 2026?
Is Spouse Automatically Your Beneficiary?
People make a grave error when they don’t have a will because they think their surviving spouse will automatically inherit all of their worldly goods. The laws of intestacy work differently, as explained in an article “Estate Planning: The spouse doesn’t always get everything” from nwi.com. The surviving spouse rarely receives everything under the intestate laws. This often … Continue reading Is Spouse Automatically Your Beneficiary?
How to Protect Your Loved Ones from Being Disinherited
Even if you’ve updated your wills, power of attorney, trusts and documented your end-of-life wishes, you haven’t finished with your estate plan, says an article, “On the Money: Do not disinherit your loved ones” from the Aiken Standard. Forgetting to update beneficiary designations for retirement plans at work, IRAs, life insurance policies, mutual funds, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, … Continue reading How to Protect Your Loved Ones from Being Disinherited
How Does Estate Planning Work for Caregiving Children?
This situation requires considered estate planning to protect the arrangement, both for the parent and child, in the event of the parent’s incapacity and what may happen, if and when the parent needs to move to a care facility and/or passes away. If the child is caring for the parent at the parent’s home, the … Continue reading How Does Estate Planning Work for Caregiving Children?
Do I Need a Will If I’m Leaving Insurance Policy to a Beneficiary?
If you aren’t thorough with your estate planning, you could create conflict, even with the best of intentions, says an article from yahoo! Entertainment titled “Life Insurance Beneficiary vs. Will: Do I Need Both?” Your life insurance beneficiary designation supersedes your will, so you’ll need to have your life insurance policy and your will aligned to save heirs … Continue reading Do I Need a Will If I’m Leaving Insurance Policy to a Beneficiary?
Protecting Inheritances in a Blended Family
Blended families have estate planning challenges differing from traditional families, explains a recent article from The Record Courier, “Estate Planning for Blended Families.” A blended family is one where one or both partners have children from a prior marriage. The details vary, but the concern is the same: the possibility for the children to be disinherited if after … Continue reading Protecting Inheritances in a Blended Family