There are certain times in life when it becomes necessary to update estate planning documents. If a beneficiary dies before a testator, removing them from the estate plan will often be necessary to keep the documents valid and up-to-date. If someone divorces, they...
People often believe that estate planning is something they can put off until they’re older. Maybe they decide that they’ll make a plan when they retire, for instance. The truth is that everyone could have an estate plan. Any legal adult needs to have a plan in place....
More Americans than ever have come to appreciate the peace of self-directing their own medical care and treatment. Knowing they have a say in their healthcare, whether sick or healthy, gives people a sense of lasting empowerment. Those diagnosed with a severe or...
Powers of attorney are among the most important protective estate planning documents people draft. Even relatively young adults just over the age of 18 would benefit from having such documents in place as they help individuals secure financial and medical support when...
You and your partner have recently had a child. Understandably, you’re looking to the future and you have no intention of going anywhere. Despite the common perception of estate planning being morbid, this is far from the truth. Estate planning can be an important...
A Payable on Death (POD) account is just one tool that you can use when you’re trying to determine how to transfer your finances from your name to someone else’s. Many people accomplish this goal simply by naming their heirs in a will and stating how much money they...
Do you believe you have no control over the circumstances of your eventual death? While this is true in some instances, such as a sudden fatal car accident, it need not always be the case. Modern-day estate planning allows you to plan many aspects of your healthcare...
The last thing you want to worry about when a loved one passes away is handling the legal responsibilities of managing their estate. Unfortunately, a probate application is one of the administrative tasks that need to be done. It’s the only way you are able to...
Trusts are a perennially popular form of estate planning that many people find quite useful. They can be structured in various ways to provide an ongoing source of income over time or a lump-sum disbursement when beneficiaries reach a certain age or achieve specific...
Not so long ago, most people’s approach to estate planning involved drafting a simple “last will and testament” and nothing more. Nowadays, a comprehensive estate plan includes – at minimum – a will, a power of attorney designation, an advance healthcare directive and...