Probate

DO YOU NEED AN ESTATE PLAN?

DO YOU NEED AN ESTATE PLAN?

You have an “estate”. It doesn’t matter if you own a mansion or a motor home. Rich or poor, when you die you leave behind an estate. For some, this could be real property, an investment portfolio and more. For others, it could be as straightforward as the $10 bill in their wallet and the clothes on their back. Either way, what you leave behind when you die is considered to be your “estate”.

A PRIMER FOR ESTATE PLANNING

A PRIMER FOR ESTATE PLANNING

Estate planning is a task that people tend to put off, as any discussion of “the end” tends to be off-putting. However, those who leave this world without their financial affairs in good order risk leaving their heirs some significant problems along with their legacies.

WILLS AND LIVING TRUSTS

WILLS AND LIVING TRUSTS

Living trusts are created with a clearly defined objective: to avoid probate. Misconceptions about living trusts have spread to the point where people think they can accomplish much more than they really do. Here is a realistic assessment of living trusts. 

WHAT TO DO FINANCIALLY WHEN A SPOUSE DIES

WHAT TO DO FINANCIALLY WHEN A SPOUSE DIES

When a spouse passes away, the emotion and magnitude of the loss can send our lives reeling. This profound change can also affect our finances. All at once, we have a to-do list before us, and the responsibility of it can make us feel pressured. With that in mind, this article is intended as a kind of checklist – a list of some of the key financial matters to address following the death of a spouse.