Has a family member or close friend asked you to serve as their executor, trustee or power of attorney? If you accepted the responsibility, do you know what this entails? Have you been given a copy of the documents you were named under? Do you know when you would begin serving in these roles? These are all important questions to ask or consider.
In situations where both spouses want the surviving spouse to inherit all the assets, which is often the case, a joint trust can be far less complicated to set up and maintain than separate trusts, with less headaches for the surviving spouse.
It is critical that parents and grandparents give careful thought to any gift of money or bequest in an estate plan, when the recipient has special needs.
Your aging mom is finding it harder to do the laundry or cook dinner. Dad is more forgetful, and he really shouldn’t be raking the leaves out in the front yard anymore. The time is coming when your parents are going to need help with daily living. That means you need to start looking for the right place for them to live.
After a loved one passes, one of the biggest hurdles families face is passing wealth onto the next generation. Unfortunately, family dynamics can spur conflict and infighting among descendants.
If you are concerned about incurring debt after a family member’s death or are worried how your own debt will impact your family, here are some things you should know.
The time may come when your elderly mother, father or other loved one cannot fully care for himself or herself. The adult children may not have the time or resources to ensure their relative’s health and safety. At that point, it may be time for him or her to move into a residential facility that can provide the care and services needed.