What Must Be Done when a Loved One Dies?
It can be hard to move through your daily life after someone you love dies. It may be even harder to embark on the complex tasks required to put their financial affairs in order. However, you can’t afford to put that off.
Working and Collecting Social Security Benefits
For most Americans, Social Security plays an important role in maintaining retirement security. The benefit payments represent an income stream that is free of default, investment, inflation and longevity (outliving your money) risks.
Your Estate Plan Needs to Be Customized
Estate planning documents often are treated like the photocopied permission slip for a child’s field trip. You fill in your name, include the children’s names and dates of birth and sign. The document is filed away to be used if needed, but you really never expect it to be used.
Possible Pitfalls for Special Needs Planning for Parents
Both the state and federal government, administered through the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Medicaid provide disabled individuals with a variety of life enhancing, and sometimes life sustaining, public benefits.
How Do I Incorporate Cryptocurrency into My Estate Planning?
Bitcoin has gone in value from less than one cent in 2010 to a high of $20,000 in 2017, to a value at the end of July 2020 of nearly $11,000. Now the U.S. Congress is holding hearings on the digitization of the dollar, so cryptocurrency has become an increasingly important financial tool for individuals and businesses.
Avoid These Mistakes with Your Estate Plan
Financial planning is an important part of life. Estate planning is one key aspect of planning for the future. It can feel daunting to take on the task, but once it’s done and your future is organized, it usually feels a lot better.
How Does an Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust Work?
This type of trust can be established to benefit your spouse, children, grandchildren and other descendants. However, it may be more appropriate in some situations than others. Getting to know the details of what an IDGT is and how it works can help you decide if it makes sense for you.
Why Is Trust Funding Important in Estate Planning?
If you have updated your estate plan during the Covid crisis and even found a way to sign your documents while maintaining social distance, do not overlook the last step of trust funding.
Estate Planning and Probate Planning
Probate is the court process to distribute someone’s estate after their death, even if there is a will and is notoriously slow in California.
What Is a Will Codicil?
Writing a will is an important part of creating a financial and estate plan. A will allows you to specify how you want your assets to be distributed among your heirs after you pass away. You can also use a will to name a legal guardian for your minor children. However, what happens if you need to change the terms of your will? That’s where a codicil can help.