3 Red Flags When Creating Your Will Online
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] If you are looking to create your last will and testament, or will, online, you’ll find dozens of websites that let you prepare a variety of estate planning documents for very little money, and even for free. With so many do-it-yourself online document services out there, you might believe you can create your will […]
What Your Last Will & Testament will (And will NOT) Do—Part 2
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] While having a will is important—and all adults over age 18 should have this document in place—for all but a few people, creating a will is just one small part of an effective estate plan that works to keep your loved ones out of court and out of conflict. With this in mind, this […]
What Your Last Will & Testament will (And will NOT) Do—Part 1
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] All adults over age 18 should have a Will in place. Yet, for most people, creating a will is just one small part of an effective legal plan that works to keep your loved ones out of court and out of conflict. With this in mind, here we look at exactly what having a […]
10 Common Estate Planning Mistakes Your Family Can’t Afford to Make—Part 1
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Because estate planning involves actively thinking about and planning for frightening topics like death, old age, and crippling disability, many people put it off or simply ignore it all together until it’s too late. Sadly, this unwillingness to face reality often creates serious hardship, expense, and trauma for those loved ones you leave behind. […]
Probate: What It Is & How To Avoid It—Part 2
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Unless you’ve created an estate plan that works to keep your family out of court, when you die (or become incapacitated) many of your assets must go through probate before those assets can be distributed to your heirs. Like most court proceedings, probate can be time-consuming, costly, and open to the public, and because […]
Probate: What It Is & How To Avoid It—Part 1
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Unless you’ve created a proper estate plan, when you die many of your assets must first pass through the court process known as probate before those assets can be distributed to your heirs. Like most court proceedings, probate can be time-consuming, costly, and open to the public, and because of this, avoiding probate—and keeping […]
Preventing Family Conflict And Disputes Over Your Estate Plan
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] No matter how well you think you know your loved ones, it’s impossible to predict exactly how they’ll behave when you die or if you become incapacitated. No one wants to believe that their family members would ever end up fighting one another in court over inheritance issues or a loved one’s life-saving medical […]
Think You Are Too Young to Need An Estate Plan? Think Again
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The pandemic has caused Americans to change their behavior in a number of different ways, and one of the most positive of these changes is related to estate planning. For the first time since the study’s inception, Caring.com’s 2021 Wills and Estate Planning Study found that young adults are now more likely to have […]
2021 Estate Planning Checkup: Is Your Estate Plan Up to Date?
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Even if you put a totally solid estate plan in place, it can turn out to be worthless for the people you love if it’s not regularly updated. Estate planning is not a one-and-done type of deal—your plan should continuously evolve along with your life circumstances and other changing conditions, such as your assets […]
Estate Planning 101: Wills vs. Trusts
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Wills and trusts are two of the most commonly used estate planning documents, and they form the foundation of most estate plans. While both documents are legal vehicles designed to distribute your assets to your loved ones upon your death, the way in which they work is quite different. From when they take effect […]