When you turn 18, you are legally allowed to make an estate plan. You’re an adult in the eyes of the law and you can begin putting that plan in place. However, if you ask most 18-year-olds if they have an estate plan, they’re going to tell you that they haven’t even...
Estate Planning
3 common estate planning mistakes to avoid
Creating an estate plan is a responsible step to take as you age. However, to ensure that your estate plan remains legally binding and represents your wishes, you must ensure you aren’t making some of the most common mistakes. Knowing what the mistakes are is the...
Why should you set up a power of attorney designation?
Most adults know that they need to have an estate plan in place. What many don’t realize is that having powers of attorney designations is also important in estate planning. Most people need two of these designations – one for their health care and another for...
Estate planning when you have a loved one with special needs
If you have a loved one with special needs, you should tailor your estate plans to protect their interests. Leaving them their share of your estate through a will, or in the hands of their siblings may not be the best way to go about it. A lot could go wrong, such as...
Thinking of using a DIY estate plan?
A quick search on the internet will bring up a variety of “do it yourself” estate planning websites. While you might be tempted to use a site like this to make your final plans, you could run into some serious problems. You could end up leaving out some very...
Estate planning basics
Estate planning is one of those things that everyone should do in order to ensure that their wishes are carried out when they pass away. Unfortunately, many people don’t know where to begin or simply don’t want to deal with making plans for their future heirs. They...
How do you choose a guardian for your minor children?
One of the primary reasons for creating a will is to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of when you are no longer around. If you are a parent to minor children, it is even more important that you have a will. Besides ensuring that your little ones have an...
Including your children in the estate planning process
It is not uncommon for children to feel uncomfortable when their parents bring up estate planning topics. Naturally, they don’t want to think about something happening to you, or the day that you are no longer around. Nonetheless, this is an important discussion that...
An estate plan should reflect your current circumstances
While estate planning is extremely important, it is not an easy topic to approach directly. Nobody wants to think about their own death, but the benefits of a sound estate plan far outweigh the negatives. When you have finally made that positive step and tackled your...
Life insurance and your estate plan
If you have a life insurance policy and you're doing your estate planning, you're likely thinking about how the two are going to work together. In fact, that life insurance policy may be one of the most valuable assets that you own. One thing that you need to make...