Do It Now: Name a Guardian for Your Minor Children
Parents with minor children need to nominate a guardian in case both parents die or become incapacitated (unable to manage their own affairs) before their children reach adulthood. While the likelihood of that happening might be slim, the consequences of not naming a guardian are serious.
5 Things Every New Parent Needs to Know About Wills
While legal documents are the last thing you want to think about, creating a will and other estate planning tools is one of the most loving things you can do for your child.
What to Do After a Loved One Dies
As the person in charge of winding up your loved one’s affairs, you may find yourself juggling many tasks: planning the funeral, coordinating with relatives arriving from out of town, and meeting with an attorney to start the legal process of paying for final expenses and any outstanding debts so the money and property can be distributed to the appropriate recipients. Be sure to take care of yourself during this emotional time.
Estate Planning Facts for the Holiday Season
Every year around the holidays, stores and malls across America are transformed into winter wonderlands, complete with elves, ornaments, artificial snow, and larger-than-life decorations. Many children stare in wide-eyed wonder […]
National Regifting Day: Regifting for Your Future
During the holidays, we usually receive at least one gift that, let’s face it, falls a bit flat. When we were young, it might have been an itchy sweater from […]
12 Estate Planning Steps to Take This Holiday Season
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.” —The Twelve Days of Christmas A partridge in a pear tree? Lords […]
When a Trustee Becomes a Burden: Knowing When to Fire Them
Serving as a trustee of a trust carries significant responsibility and duty not just to you as the trust’s creator but also to the beneficiaries who depend on accurate, faithful administration.
The True Cost of Inheriting a Home
While a house can be a generous gift that might seem like a windfall, the financial and practical realities of owning a home can quickly turn that gift into a burden for heirs who are not fully prepared.
How to Make Your Inheritance Last
The initial mix of excitement and grief when receiving an inheritance can lead to impulsive financial decisions. One of the most important steps you can take is to resist the urge to immediately make significant decisions.
How a Directed Trust Can Change Everything
The estate planning world, long rooted in tradition, has relied on time-tested tools such as trusts to plan for what happens to a person’s money and property. However, a nontraditional variation known as a directed trust has gained traction in recent years for offering today’s families more of what they want: customization, control, and flexibility.