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Estate planning 101: Simple ways to handle debt

On Behalf of | Oct 11, 2022 | Estate Planning |

You might have assets or financial accounts you plan to pass on to your kids in case you die. But, like most people, you are more concerned about who gets what. While this is not bad, you should never ignore your financial obligations when planning your estate. This is because things like debts can affect everyone’s inheritance. Luckily, you can handle the debt and ensure nothing affects the amount of money you will leave behind for your beneficiaries.

Here are a few clever ways to handle debt in your estate plan.

Choose designated beneficiaries

This is a significant part of estate planning. This process entails naming a person who will inherit your assets in the event of your death. These assets include IRA accounts, life insurance, pensions and retirement plans. When you name a beneficiary, these assets will not be used to pay your debts.

Joint ownership

Owning properties with a spouse can help minimize debt and safeguard your assets from creditors. For instance, if you jointly own a bank account with your partner, all the money will automatically go to the other owner. On the other hand, if you own properties with your spouse, the asset will only be subjected to claims for debts that are a joint responsibility of both partners, not personal ones.

You can minimize the impact of your debt on your loved ones

If you die, your loved ones might not have enough resources to pay off your debts. That is why your estate planning should address debts. This will help protect the assets you leave behind from creditors.