Will

Hiring An Estate Planner - 3 Critical Components To Consider

Hiring an estate planner can be a daunting task… Here are a few things to consider as you start the process of figuring out who to hire.

There are three key components you need to make sure you have when deciding on someone to help you with your estate plan. Are they acting in a fiduciary capacity? Are they qualified to give legal advice? Do they know how to coordinate all aspects of your estate and financial plan?

WHO IS YOUR IRA BENEFICIARY?

WHO IS YOUR IRA BENEFICIARY?

Do you have an IRA or a 401(k)? You probably do. You may have both of these retirement savings accounts in your portfolio, or accounts that are similar.While IRAs and 401(k)s are commonplace, many IRA owners and 401(k) plan participants have a hard time answering a common question. They aren’t sure who they have named as the account beneficiary.

A CAREGIVER’S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

A CAREGIVER’S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

A labor of love may come to involve money issues. Providing eldercare to a parent, grandparent or relative is one of the noblest things you can do. It is a great responsibility, and over time it may also lead you and your family to reflect on some financial responsibilities.

ESTATE PLANNING AFTER A SECOND MARRIAGE

ESTATE PLANNING AFTER A SECOND MARRIAGE

Marrying again makes estate planning more involved. How do you provide for everyone you love? Should you provide for everyone you love? How do you arrange to transfer wealth in a way that won’t hurt the feelings of certain heirs?  

AN ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST

AN ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST

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 die without their financial affairs in good order risk leaving their heirs some significant problems along with their legacies.

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.