Estate Planning

Maybe you have thought about bringing up estate planning with your parents, then talked yourself out of it. You do not want them to think you are worried about an inheritance or questioning their ability to make decisions. At the same time, you know waiting for a...

Parents naturally want to leave a lasting legacy for their children. However, sometimes handing over large inheritance to the child does more harm than good. Whether the adult child struggles with poor financial habits or debts, medical conditions, substance abuse or...

Setting up an estate plan can feel like a task for a different version of yourself; one who is older or has a lot more money in the bank. But before you decide to put off making an estate plan because you think you don't need one, consider some of the invaluable...

Creating your estate plan can give you a great sense of relief and accomplishment. However, even after you've done your planning, there is another step you can take to further reinforce your wishes. An estate plan works best when your loved ones understand your wishes...

It is very common for people to put off estate planning, often until retirement. For example, some reports have found that 66% of Americans do not have an estate plan. When asked why not, 40% said they had not gotten around to it, meaning that the biggest reason for a...

Married people often name their spouses as beneficiaries in estate planning, financial and insurance documents. Their spouse may be the main beneficiary in a will. They may be the beneficiary of a life insurance payout. They may even receive the remaining balance in a...

Many people assume that only adults can create legally enforceable wills. In most situations, that assumption is correct. State laws generally require a person to be at least 18 years old to execute a valid will. However, there are important exceptions that can apply...

Estate planning is not only about what happens to your assets. It’s also about what happens to you in the event of a health emergency that prevents you from coordinating with the medical team as to which treatments you want or don’t want.  For example, some people...

Debt is something that tends to weigh on people’s minds – even when they are contemplating their own mortality. Between mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other obligations, the average American household is carrying about $154,152 in debt.  Many people worry that...

Nothing may weigh more on a parent’s mind than who to name as their minor child’s guardian if something happens to them and the child’s other parent – but that is an essential part of estate planning.  Failing to name a guardian for your minor child will leave the...