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.
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.
What Should LGBTQ+ People Know about Estate Planning?
The conversation about being prepared for the passing of a partner can be difficult to have but navigating the issue can be more complicated for LGBTQ+ families.
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.
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.
Do I Need an Estate Plan If I’m Not Married?
If you don’t have a spouse or children, you might think you don’t need to do much estate planning. However, if you have any assets, any familial connections, any interest in supporting charitable groups – not to mention a desire to control your own future – you do need to establish an estate plan.
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 changed, and anyone who has anything to leave behind needs to plan their estate. “Estate planning” essentially becomes your family’s guidebook, once you are no longer in the picture. Sounds important? Definitely, and here’s why.
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?
Is a Handwritten Will a Smart Idea?
A holographic will is a will handwritten by the testator (the maker of a will). Holographic wills are recognized in about half of the states in the United States.