Estate Planning Insights

The Last Ready Bag

One happy occasion to plan for is the birth of your child.  Planning should include a “ready bag,” which includes everything that you need when heading to the hospital because it is time for the baby’s birth.  It is best to plan for your ready bag before the labor...

How An Estate Plan Can Help to Protect your Children

            One of the more complex topics in estate planning is planning to provide for care for your children and ensuring that the assets you leave behind will be used efficiently and productively for the benefit of your children.             Imagine a young couple...

Who gets my property when I die?

            The answer to this question depends on how the property is titled.  So let’s go through the possibilities.             If the property (say real estate or a bank account) is titled solely in your name, the property will pass in probate.  At your death, a...

No Estate Plan is Complete Until…

            You make absolutely sure that each retirement plan, IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k) or other tax preferred retirement account has been reviewed as to the successor beneficiaries at your death.  Each account or plan will have a unique form to be completed to appoint...

If I have a Trust, Why do I need a Will?

In a well-planned estate planning execution, the trust, will, power for property, power for health care and changes to IRA and 401(k) beneficiary designations are signed and the deed(s) transferring real estate into the trust are all executed, witnessed and notarized...

Who Should Participate When Parents are Preparing their Wills?

It is not unusual that one child is closer to a parent or parents.  It would not be unusual when the parent decides that it is time to prepare a will or other estate planning documents that the parent would call on that child to assist.  The parent may ask...

How An Estate Plan Can Help to Protect your Children

            One of the more complex topics in estate planning is planning to provide for care for your children and ensuring that the assets you leave behind will be used efficiently and productively for the benefit of your children.             Imagine a young couple...

Who gets my property when I die?

            The answer to this question depends on how the property is titled.  So let’s go through the possibilities.             If the property (say real estate or a bank account) is titled solely in your name, the property will pass in probate.  At your death, a...

If I have a Trust, Why do I need a Will?

In a well-planned estate planning execution, the trust, will, power for property, power for health care and changes to IRA and 401(k) beneficiary designations are signed and the deed(s) transferring real estate into the trust are all executed, witnessed and notarized...

Who Should Participate When Parents are Preparing their Wills?

It is not unusual that one child is closer to a parent or parents.  It would not be unusual when the parent decides that it is time to prepare a will or other estate planning documents that the parent would call on that child to assist.  The parent may ask...

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