Do I Need a Beneficiary for my Checking Account?
Checking accounts don't necessarily require account holders to name a beneficiary.
Do Name Changes Need to Be Made in Estate Planning Documents?
The fact is people’s names often change. People get married and divorced or sometimes just legally change their names.
Dark Side of Medicaid Means You Need Estate Planning
Medicaid recipients over the age of 55 are expected to repay the government for many medical expenses—and states will seize houses and other assets after those recipients die, in order to satisfy the debt.
Joint Tenancy With Children Creates Problems for Parents
As parents age, families sometimes struggle with how to best keep their parents’ financial affairs in order. One common approach is for aging parents to put one or more of their children on their investment accounts, bank accounts and real property.
Can 529 College Savings Plans Be Used Now in Estate Planning?
Thanks to changes in the 2017 tax law, 529 college-savings plans are being used as estate planning tools and to pay for more education-related expenses than ever before, according to InvestmentNews.
Small Business Owners Need Business Succession and Estate Planning
Developing a proper business plan, securing financing, marketing, paying taxes and all of the other small, but significant, details will surely be some of the most challenging yet rewarding work that you will perform in your lifetime.
When Do I Need a Power of Attorney?
In the absence of a durable power of attorney, who has the right to sign for an incapacitated person?
Estate Planning Avoids Probate
It was reported on the news recently that some of Aretha Franklin’s family members have found what they believe to be her will. It was handwritten, stained and crumpled up in a couch. The courts may or may not choose to honor it, depending on whether or not they are able to verify its authenticity.
Elder Law Estate Planning for the Future
You make things easier for the children, by planning for the possibility of a nursing home stay because you take the burden off the children to make crisis decisions for your long-term care costs.
Do You Have a Pet Trust?
A pet trust is a legal arrangement that specifies how your animal companions would be cared for and taken care of financially if you pass away, or if you become ill or disabled and can no longer take care of them yourself.