Creating a will is a crucial step in protecting your loved ones and ensuring your final wishes are fulfilled. However, writing a will is not a one-time event. Life changes, and a will should reflect this. Keeping it up to date helps ensure it meets your current...
Estate Planning
How to encourage your parents to begin estate planning
As your parents age, you may begin to wonder if they have their affairs in order. If they haven’t begun estate planning yet, it might be time to encourage them to help ensure the orderly distribution of their assets. Many parents may view such conversations as...
Is it wrong to ask your parents about their estate plan?
If your parents are getting on, you may wonder if they have an estate plan in place. You might want to know whether they have any particular wishes regarding treatment should they fall seriously ill. Or if they have thought about what kind of funeral they want and who...
3 must-have elements for an effective digital estate plan
Our lives today revolve a lot on the digital side of things, from emails to social media accounts and more sensitive digital assets like cryptocurrencies and online subscriptions. When planning your estate, it is crucial to make sure that your digital assets are...
Are “beneficiaries” and “heirs” different?
Two important terms to understand during the estate planning process are “beneficiary” and “heir.” Both of these terms are related to who has the benefit of inheriting assets from an estate after the testator passes away. However, these terms are used in different...
What is a trust, and why might you need one?
If you are creating an estate plan, then you should be aware of your asset protection options. While your will can instruct how your assets are distributed, a will is not the only document that can do this. You can create a trust to do the same. Why would you have a...
3 ways to prepare for making an estate plan
If you are considering making an estate plan, then it is best to keep the momentum going and get it done. Too many people put theirs off, always finding something more important to do and that can leave them and their family vulnerable if something happens to them. To...
Why do people procrastinate estate planning?
It’s very clear that people procrastinate making an estate plan when you look at the statistics. After all, most people will say that having a will or an estate plan is relatively important. But the stats show that 2/3 of Americans haven’t actually written will. So...
5 reasons you should have an estate plan
Most American adults have not taken the time to create an estate plan. It may be that some consider estate planning to be something for the wealthy or elderly. However, everyone can benefit from making an estate plan, regardless of age or net worth. Here are five...
Business succession planning as part of estate planning
If you own a business, a business succession plan needs to be part of your estate planning. Remember that a succession plan doesn’t just detail what will happen to the business if you pass away. It can also influence a transition in leadership whenever you choose to...