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“Beneficiary mistakes can result in retirement plan assets being transferred to unintended beneficiaries.” Beneficiary designations supersede all other estate planning documents, so getting them right makes an important difference in achieving your estate plan goals. Mistakes with beneficiary designations can undo even the best plan, says a recent article “5 Retirement Plan Beneficiary Mistakes to […]
“As family members age and require care, the burden of that care often falls on an adult child. For those that leave jobs to care for family members, it can become a financial hardship for the family.” The idea that a family member or trusted friend may be paid to take care of an aging […]
“Trusts are legal entities that own assets, and all trusts are not alike. They are created by a written trust document with certain provisions that can vary from trust to trust.” There are a few things all trusts have in common, explains the article “All trusts are not alike“, from the Times Herald-Record. They all […]
“When creating an estate plan, one important question to consider is how to handle the transfer of personal property, including your home. A Qualified Personal Residence Trust, or QPRT, is something you may decide to create to minimize gift and estate taxes associated for your heirs.” Qualified Personal Residence Trusts Attorney: What Is a QPRT? […]
“Windfalls can result from fortunate events, like lottery winning, and unfortunate events, like a legal settlement. Whatever the triggering event, a big injection of cash can certainly be a life-changing event in someone’s life.” Few would complain about a financial windfall, but many people report feeling feelings of anxiety, guilt and stress about what to […]
“Creditors typically try to collect on unpaid debt, by going after the decedent’s estate during a process called probate.” When a person dies, it’s not unusual for them to leave behind some unpaid debt. What happens to that debt depends upon how their estate was organized, says the article “This is how your unpaid debts […]
“’Per stirpes’ vs. ‘per capita.’ Making the wrong choice could cause an estate planning disaster.” No one relishes the idea of planning for their own death, but the alternative of not planning and leaving your family members to sort out an expensive mess is a poor way to be remembered. According to a recent article […]
“For example, did you name someone as an heir who is no longer in favor with you or—worse yet—has died? Who should get what they would have gotten? Are there now new people in your life—be they family members or not—whom you might wish to share in what you may have?” An estate plan isn’t […]
“If family members are anxious about each other, sometimes it seems it might be easier if they simply joined households. This is not just due to COVID-19.” Not that long ago, multigenerational living was how most people lived. Since people are living longer, it may become the norm again. In times of crisis like these, […]
“The more you know about Social Security, the more you’ll likely be able to get out of the program.” Famous motivational speaker Zig Zigler reportedly said “If you want to earn more, learn more.” That’s true for careers and investments. It is also true for Social Security. The more you know how Social Security works, […]
