Category: Incapcity

What Does a Will Do and Not Do?

Estate plans are like life—over time, it changes, people are added and subtracted and your wishes and goals change. Regardless of your income, amount of assets or family circumstances, everyone wants to minimize taxes and facilitate a smooth transfer of property at death. Consider a recent aptly named article titled “Does Your Estate Plan Call for … Continue reading What Does a Will Do and Not Do?

Does ‘Gray Divorce’ Fit into Estate Planning?

According to the Pew Research Center, the divorce rate has more than doubled for people over 50 since the 1990s. According to the AARP’s  article entitled “Getting Divorced? It’s Time to Update Your Caregiving Plan.” A divorce can be financially draining. Moreover, later-in-life divorces frequently impact women’s finances more than men’s. That is because in addition … Continue reading Does ‘Gray Divorce’ Fit into Estate Planning?

Does a Will Protect My Money and My Family?

If you die without a valid will, your state may keep more of your assets than if you have a will. Your family won’t have any control and the court will follow the laws of your state regarding how your assets are distributed. That’s probably not what you want to happen, according to the article “People … Continue reading Does a Will Protect My Money and My Family?

What Is Better, a Trust or a Will?

Estate plans come in all sizes and shapes. One of the decisions in creating an estate plan is whether a trust should be part of your plan, as detailed in this article titled “Trust vs. Will: What They Share (And 6 Ways They are Different)” from Yahoo! Money. Both trusts and wills give control over how assets are distributed. … Continue reading What Is Better, a Trust or a Will?

What Is a Power of Attorney and Is It Important?

Most people realize the importance of the last will and testament. However, they remain unaware of the importance of a durable power of attorney. This document authorizes another person to act on your behalf while you are alive and expires upon death, as explained in an article titled “Power of attorney likely to be first vital … Continue reading What Is a Power of Attorney and Is It Important?

Why Do You Need an Estate Plan?

Everyone benefits from having an estate plan. If you own property, investments, or anything of value, you need an estate plan. If you have family or dependents, you need an estate plan. Estate planning directs how assets are directed, if you become incapacitated or when you die. The checklist for creating an estate plan includes … Continue reading Why Do You Need an Estate Plan?

Why Is it Important to Have an Estate Plan?

By the time you reach your thirties, it’s likely you’ve accumulated some assets—maybe a home, a car, a savings account and some cryptocurrency. However, if you are like most millennials, even though you know you should have a will, you probably don’t. An article, “5 Reasons Estate Planning Is So Important” from The Baltic Times, reports a staggering … Continue reading Why Is it Important to Have an Estate Plan?

Do I Need a Last Will and Testament?

Estate planning encompasses everything from planning for property distribution at death to preparing for incapacity, tax planning and guardian planning for minor children. An experienced estate planning attorney is involved with far more than a last will and testament. However, this is what most people think of when they sit down for their first meeting. … Continue reading Do I Need a Last Will and Testament?

Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid

One reason to review your estate plan is to make sure people you’ve assigned roles to, like executor or guardian, are still living and willing to perform these tasks, according to the article “Five common estate planning mistakes to avoid” from the Idaho Press. Another is to be sure your estate plan is not missing out on any … Continue reading Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid