As a business owner who is doing estate planning, passing that business on to your children is a major part of what you want to accomplish. You know well that family businesses often struggle to survive in the next generation. You want to do everything in your power...
Estate Planning
What does having a baby mean for your estate plan?
You may have created the basics of an estate plan when you turned 18 and could no longer depend on your parents to make your medical decisions in an emergency. By drafting advance directives and powers of attorney, you protect yourself in the event of medical...
Common mistakes that could invalidate your will
Creating an estate plan can feel like an overwhelming process. While you may not feel specific urgency to complete your plan, you know it will make the probate process simpler for your loved ones if you have a valid and thorough estate plan. There are many options for...
3 reasons people hire a professional trustee
A trustee has the often unappreciated responsibility of managing assets for the benefit of others. If someone takes time to create a trust but then names someone irresponsible to serve as trustee, then all of their planning could go to waste when the trustee poorly...
3 inclusions in your will that could complicate probate
A will is arguably the most important document in your estate plan. It instructs the executor about how to distribute your property and allows you to name a guardian for your children in case something happens to you. Wills can include information about specific...
What should you know about the Medicaid look-back period?
You are getting older and know that your estate plan is one way to help protect your interests. Something that you may be looking into obtaining in the future is Medicaid, but do you know what it takes to qualify for Medicaid and how to protect your assets from an...
What happens if your family members contest your will?
Two of the main reasons that people invest the time and effort into creating estate plans are to maintain control over what happens to their property and to minimize probate expenses and delays. Unfortunately, if someone in your family challenges your estate plan or...
A trust makes it easier to pass assets to your minor grandchildren
Leaving an inheritance for the people in your family when you die requires careful advance planning. You need to understand what assets you have and what obligations your estate will have to handle after your death. Everything from creditor claims to estate taxes can...
Don’t rely on intestate laws instead of a will
When you are thinking about your estate, do you feel that the intestate laws in your state are going to protect your beneficiaries? The reality is that these laws rarely reflect a person’s true intentions for their assets. By relying on them, they’re leaving the...
Life insurance is part of your assets. Just don’t put it in your will.
One way to provide for your heirs is to buy a life insurance policy. You will leave them all sorts of other assets as well, but the life insurance is money you know they’re going to get at a time when they need it. In this sense, it is part of the assets you are...