Estate Planning Checklist, Especially for Procrastinators
Nobody likes to think about dying. However, it happens whether we prepare for it or not. If you don’t do some advance planning, it can cause even more longer lasting pain and grief, not to mention money and strained relations for your loved ones.
Have an Estate Plan, for Your Children’s Sake
After someone’s death, it is typically a time of grief, high emotion, fear of the unknown and confusion. A good estate plan can alleviate some of this.
Be Aware of Probate
Whether you recently experienced the loss of a loved one or are learning how to best prepare and plan your own estate, you’ve likely come across the term and may be wondering, “What is probate?” It’s important to understand what probate is and how the process works.
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples
The number of unmarried couples who live together reached 18 million in 2016, a 29% jump from 14 million in 2007. Among adults age 50 and older, the increase was 75%: About four million were cohabiting in 2016, up from 2.3 million in 2007.
Do Name Changes Need to Be Reflected in Estate Planning Documents?
The fact is people’s names often change. People get married and divorced or sometimes just legally change their names.
Yes, You Do Have an Estate and You Do Need an Estate Plan
Regardless of their actual financial standing, job title and income, many Americans—and probably most federal civil servants—would identify themselves as middle class.
Americans Still Aren’t Planning for The After Life
Seventy-seven percent of respondents in a recent survey said estate and legacy strategies were important for everyone, not just wealthy individuals, yet only 24% said they had taken the basic step of designating beneficiaries for all of their accounts.
Simple Steps to Make the Executor’s Job Easier
One common trouble that many executors overlook: dispersing personal possessions that have little financial value but great sentimental value.
How to be Sure Your Estate Doesn’t go to the Wrong Person
Do you want to disinherit your loved ones? Then simply name the wrong person on your beneficiary forms. That sounds too simple, yes, but everyday individuals die leaving their financial assets to the wrong person.
It’s Important to Keep Your Will Up to Date
When the ‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin died last year, it was believed that she hadn’t prepared any kind of estate plan, including a last will and testament. However, a few months ago, three handwritten wills were found in her home near Detroit. Two were in a locked closet and one was stuffed beneath the cushions of a couch!