Estate Planning
Which type of trust will be the best addition to your estate plan?
Planning for the future can be a difficult process as it will require you to plan for contingencies and consider what you want to happen in the event of your death. These are not easy things to navigate, but you understand how important it is to take steps to protect...
Do the Relatives of Your Ex-Spouse Inherit Under Your Will and Trust?
A recent Minnesota appellate court decided whether relatives of an ex-spouse inherits. Minnesota law is similar to Florida law and this case illustrates the importance of reviewing your documents after a divorce to be sure they reflect your intent. In Matter of the...
Could your family benefit from a special needs trust?
If you are the parent of a child with special needs, you understand the complexity of daily life as you care for him or her. As parents of special needs children age, they begin to wonder what will happen after they are no longer around in the future. While you cannot...
Adult children should discuss estate plans with aging parents
Discussing post-death matters and potential medical needs can be a difficult conversation to have with your parents. While it can be uncomfortable to discuss what will happen if your parents pass away or become incapacitated at some point, it is a necessary...
Which types of advance directives should be in your estate plan?
One of your main goals for your estate planning strategy is to care for and support your loved ones in the future. Through the distribution of assets and careful planning, you can provide for them and leave a legacy that will benefit the generations that come after...
Protecting your financial interests in case of incapacitation
One of the primary benefits of planning for the future is taking steps that will allow you to decide what will happen to your money and assets in the future. Through a will and other estate planning tools, you can have a measure of control over the distribution of...
What should you expect from the probate process?
After the passing of a loved one, you may have the responsibility of settling his or her estate. There is typically much more involved with this process than simply distributing assets according to the terms of the will. In many cases, many or all estate assets will...
What should be in your will?
A will is the basic building block for any complete estate plan. It provides you with the opportunity to outline what you want to happen to your money and property after your passing. In addition to the distribution of estate assets, a will can contain terms that will...
Should I have a living will?
If you think of an estate plan as a tool merely for distributing your assets after your death, you are missing some very important elements that may also benefit you while you are still living. One of those elements is a living will. A living will is a kind of advance...
7 signs you may need long-term nursing care
Thinking about long-term care is not something most people do until they begin to get older. Unfortunately, for many, this comes too late to make plans for paying for that very costly care. The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging assess that about 20% of...