Becky Cholewka: I wanted to do a quick video on how not to get legal advice because, unfortunately, this is one of the biggest areas that I see a lot of people trip up on. A lot of people are getting legal advice from their tax person, their financial
Setting Up POD or TOD On Your Bank Accounts
Advance DirectivesAsset DistributionAsset ProtectionBeneficiariesBusiness PlanningDebt SettlementDisinheritanceDocumentsEstate PlanningFinancesIndividual Retirement AccountsInheritanceJoint AccountsOnline AccountsProbateWidowsWills
Becky Cholewka says: I wanted to take a moment and give you a couple tips about your checking savings and brokerage accounts. One way to make sure these accounts avoid the probate process is to make sure you have a beneficiary listed on each of your
6 Ways a Lawyer Can Help with Finance
Business PlanningDurable Power of AttorneyEstate AdministrationEstate PlanningEstate TaxesFinancesLife InsurancePower of AttorneyWills
Working with your attorney to create a Durable Financial Power of Attorney (POA) ensures that, in the event you become incapacitated due to illness or injury, your financial affairs continue to be handled properly. With this document, you as
Is your Estate Plan a Trojan Horse?
On January 31st of 2014, the Chinese celebrated the Year of the Horse. Which got me thinking about famous horses: Black Beauty, Secretariat, Trigger, Sea Biscuit, Silver, the Budweiser Clydesdales, Man O’ War, Pokey, and even the Trojan Horse. That fam
Should You Tell Your Kids How Much You Are Worth?
Should your children know how much money you make or how much you are worth? View image | gettyimages.com An article in the New York Times says, yes, sort of. It says you can begin to initiate them into your financial world as early as age 5 or
Can’t Stay Retired?
Some people can't wait for the day they can retire. Others, though, have no plans to quit working. Or they do retire, then decide they can't stand it. An article in the New York Times details the stories of several folks of retirement age who "failed"
Women Have Different Money Needs
Women are different from men in lots of ways. One is in their financial planning needs. http://gty.im/175179565 An article in Forbes outlines the reasons: women live longer than men, earn less, save less and have different insurance needs. They a
Getting Ready For Life As A Single Woman
Widowhood is probable for most women in the United States. Women are four times more likely to outlive their husbands. And they live on average another 10 years. But many are unprepared for the changes in store. http://gty.im/483966547 New widows ar
An Estate Planning Bucket List
Have a bucket list? Want to jump out of a plane? See the Pyramids? http://gty.im/185550597 An article on investopedia.com has a list of things to do before you die, but they all have to do with estate planning. The story lists 16 things. We will
Is Writing A Will Like Backing Up Your Computer?
A little planning prevents a lot of trouble later. Its the same in life as it is in computing. English: Toshiba 1 TB 2.5" External USB Hard Disk Drive (Photo credit: Wikipedia) A story in Time compared the two. The writer was distraught as her comp
9 Ways To Make Things Easier For Your Survivors
When you die, somebody is going to have to settle your financial affairs. It isn't an easy job. So why not make it easier for that person or persons? Here are nine things you should do to make it easier for your survivors to settle up your affairs, acc
Talk About Money Before Heading To The Altar
With wedding bells in your future, you may think that discussing money with your future spouse is gauche. Wedding Bells (Photo credit: Wikipedia) It isn't. Talking about finances may be nearly as important as talking about the reception or honey
Updating your Will with a Codicil
Executing a will is a great way to begin the estate planning process. However, it is important to continually update a will as your circumstances change. Marriage, having children or grandchildren, a major change in your finances, and the sale of a house
I Have a Will, is my Estate Plan Complete?
More and more individuals are turning to the Internet to cheaply create their Last Will and Testament. Although a will is a vital part of any estate plan, a good estate plan includes more than a will. A recent article discusses three additional documents
What if a Parent Won’t Discuss His or Her Estate Plan
Although estate planners are constantly encouraging family members to discuss their estate plans with one another, some people simply refuse to do so. A recent article discusses what to do if your parents insist on staying mum about his or her estate plan