Death Cleaning
If you do not declutter your house, somebody else will have to do it when you die. This is part of the thinking behind Swedish death cleaning, a morbid-sounding practice that is actually quite liberating, both for ourselves and our loved ones.
How Far in Advance Can I Begin My Estate Planning?
When to start planning for your estate depends on your goals and the size and complexity of your estate. If your estate involves business interests, multiple properties, significant investments, or complex family dynamics, creating a comprehensive plan may require more time.
What Do I Do If I Want to Undo My Revoked Will?
When life circumstances change, you may alter the decisions you have made in your estate planning documents. You might choose to revoke your will at some point. But what if you have a change of heart and want to reinstate it? There are different ways to revive a revoked will.
What Happens to My Leased Car If I Die Before the Lease Term Ends?
A lessee, however, does not own their vehicle. They drive it under a car lease agreement that is a binding contract. The contractual obligations of a lease can affect an estate plan, so lessees should understand what is in the fine print of their contract and what happens to a lease after their death.
Beware of Unequal Contributions When Purchasing a House
A home is the largest single investment that most people make. When buying a home with another person, the co-owners must decide how to hold the title so that it aligns with their wealth-building and estate planning goals. Learn about the different types of ownership and how they affect your planning!
How Business Executives Can Set and Meet Their Estate Planning Goals
As a business executive, you are used to strategizing and creating goals as part of your job. But have you devoted time to strategizing and creating goals to protect yourself and your loved ones?
Should the Trustee of My Trust Be Different during My Incapacity Than at My Death?
There are certain characteristics you should look for in any trustee. They should be trustworthy and responsible, capable of making wise financial or investment decisions, and interested in carrying out your wishes as expressed in your trust document. Depending on your particular circumstances, it may be prudent to name different trustees to serve at your incapacity and at your death. On the other hand, some may prefer to have the same trustee serve in the event of both incapacity and death.
You Can Benefit from Giving Gifts
You Can Benefit from Giving Gifts. A benefit of working hard is sharing the fruits of your labor with your loved ones. However, gift or estate tax consequences may impact high net worth clients when they share their wealth. By crafting a comprehensive estate plan, we can address these concerns and protect high net worth clients and their loved ones. The following three types of trusts may assist high net worth clients in sharing their wealth in a tax-advantageous way.
Could a Testamentary Trust Be What Your Loved Ones Need?
There are pros and cons to probate, and after weighing them, some people may prefer to establish a testamentary trust, which is a trust created through a will—even if this means that the person’s money and property must go through probate before the trust is funded and money is given to beneficiaries.
What Not to Include in Your Estate Planning Documents
One important purpose of estate planning is to facilitate the transfer of ownership of your money and property to your family and loved ones when you pass away. For this transfer to be as stress-free and efficient as possible, it is crucial that estate planning documents be thorough and provide the necessary information. Nevertheless, there is some information that should never be included in your estate planning documents.
Home Security Systems and Estate Planning
Estate planning helps bring peace of mind and a sense of security, both in our lifetime and beyond. While we cannot predict our fate, we can at least dictate how our money and property will be distributed and ensure that we provide for our loved ones. End-of-life situations can present thieves with opportunities to take advantage of vulnerable families. A home security system can fit nicely into estate planning goals, providing an extra layer of protection when we are gone—both temporarily and permanently.
What Happens to Your Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay Accounts at Your Death?
In modern estate planning, digital accounts such as PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay must be considered every bit as much as bank accounts, retirement accounts, and other traditional financial and payment accounts. Digital accounts can be conveniently closed upon the account holder’s death, provided they plan ahead. These types of accounts can still be closed without a digital estate plan, but not having an estate plan could make things harder for your loved ones.