Are you a Procrastinator? (If so, read this later!)
A USA Today poll found that the #1 reason people had not yet created a will was procrastination. Procrastination is prioritizing less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable things even though the latter may be more important. I often tell clients, “It you […]
Basic Guide To Estate Planning
Since estate planning attorneys are deeply involved in the intricacies of the field, they sometimes forget that many people don’t really understand what is involved. View image | gettyimages.com That’s why it is usually good to review the basics. An article on cheatsheet.com does just that. Estate planning zeroes in on you being able to […]
Be Careful About Estate Plans After Divorce
If you are newly divorced, you’ve likely got a lot on your mind. But don’t forget to update the financial arrangements that take effect upon your death. View image | gettyimages.com If you don’t, some assets could end up going to your former spouse or his or her family. An article on marketwatch.com illustrates what […]
The Importance of Beneficiary Forms
Did you know that a beneficiary form, such as life insurance beneficiary form, supersedes beneficiaries who are named in someone’s will? Are you surprised? Recently I attended a seminar where 5 out of 6 people thought the exact opposite-that a will supersedes a beneficiary form. One attendee commented, “That’s not intuitive. I thought a will […]
Frequent Estate Planning Mistakes
Estate planning done right isn’t easy – that’s why there are lawyers and financial advisors who focus on helping people with their estates. http://gty.im/153349919 If you review your documents, ensure that they are signed and pick the right experts, you should do well, according to an article on cnbc.com. However, there are errors that people […]
Estate Planning Not Only For The Wealthy
A widely held misconception says that estate planning is only for the wealthy, as a way to save on taxes. http://gty.im/102070486 A story on cnbc.com says that nothing could be further from the truth. Estate planning is about giving what you want to whom you want, how you want and when you want – with […]
Is A Trust For You?
Is a trust necessary for you or can you get by with a simple will? http://gty.im/101687451 There are several factors to consider when deciding if you should spend the money needed to set up a trust. Here are a few, says an article in Forbes: What part of your estate can you protect from probate? […]
Estate Planning: Should You Get A Prius Or A Hummer?
Estate plans can be viewed like cars. Some folks prefer a Prius, because they need good gas mileage. Others choose a Hummer, because they need the room and the poor gas mileage isn’t a concern. The estate planning comparison is between having a will and an estate plan, says an article on nwitimes.com. The author […]
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. A story in Time compared the two. The writer was distraught as her computer was, in essence, given its last rites. But since she had backed up everything important on the hard drive, her anxiety was […]
A Few Things You May Not Know About Wills
If you care about who gets your assets after you die, you know you need a will. However, there are many things about wills that a lot of people don’t know. Here are four of them, says a story on DailyFinance.com: 1) You have to follow formalities, even in the digital age Laws concerning […]