What are the Key Documents in Estate Planning?
It can be easy to overlook, but an estate plan is essential for nearly everyone, whether you have a lot of money or just a little. An estate plan tells your heirs and the courts how to divide up your assets. However, it also helps protect your loved ones from unnecessary hassle and expense – as well as potentially months, even years, tied up in the court system settling your estate.
What are the Worst Things to Leave in My Estate?
If you’re planning an inheritance, be careful about leaving these assets to a loved one. They may create more trouble than they’re worth.
Where Do You Score on Estate Planning Checklist?
Every so often, it’s smart to methodically go through your estate planning documents and see if any tweaks are needed. Here’s a checklist to guide you through that mission.
If I Have a Will, Do I Have an Estate Plan?
While a will is often part of an estate plan, an estate plan covers much more ground.
Why Is Estate Planning So Important?
The word “estate” has always been connected to “ultra-rich” families, those with a lot to leave behind after their death. However, definitions have now changed, and anyone who has anything to leave behind needs to plan their estate.
How Do I Sell a Home in an Irrevocable Trust?
I’m a trustee selling a home in irrevocable trust for a parent who died. There are two beneficiaries who will get the sale proceeds with a stepped-up basis. I’m filing Form 1041 but do I still have to file a Form 1040 to report anything for the beneficiaries?
What Should Same-Sex Couples Know about Estate Planning?
Some people might assume that estate planning is only for the wealthy. However, the reality is that anyone can, and should, engage in estate planning, regardless of wealth. Although creating an estate plan for same-sex couples isn’t totally different than for heterosexual couples, there are some considerations that are unique to same-sex couples.
If My Estate Is the Beneficiary of My IRA, How Is It Taxed?
When an estate is named beneficiary of an IRA, what is the method of distributing it to one individual in the most tax-effective way?
If I Buy a House, Should I have an Estate Plan?
Buying a home is one of the most common triggers for creating an estate plan.
Should a Trust Be a Component of My Estate Planning?
Do I need a trust in case something happens to me?