Estate planning is the overall process by which a person decides who will inherit his or her property upon death and who will manage his or her affairs in case of incapacitation. Although estate planning is not the same thing as a will or trust, these documents are typically part of the...
5 Key Estate Planning Steps
Over half of all adults in the U.S. do not have an estate plan in place. One explanation for this phenomenon is that many people simply don’t know how to get started with estate planning. This is understandable: estate planning can seem like a daunting task. The reality, though, is that creating...
Different Types of Trusts
A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that gives a third party, called a trustee, the ability to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary. Trusts are flexible instruments that can be arranged in many ways and can specify exactly how and when your assets transfer to beneficiaries. In this article, we examine four popular...
Tips for Preventing Family Squabbles After a Death
A death in the family is always difficult. In addition to the obvious pain associated with losing a loved one, practical matters, such as who will inherit what property, sometimes create additional tension among family members. Although this is unfortunate, it is an extremely common occurrence following a loved one’s death. Luckily, with a...
Is Estate Planning the Same as a Will?
If you are considering starting the estate planning process, you probably have a lot of questions. After all, estate planning is complicated, and there is a lot of information out there on the topic. In this article, we examine the following common estate planning question: “Is estate planning the same as a will?” For...
The Importance of Picking the Right Trustee
A trust is a fiduciary relationship in which one party (the trustor) gives another party (the trustee) the right to hold title to assets or property for the benefit of a third party (the beneficiary). When creating a trust as part of your estate plan, it’s imperative that you choose a trustee that...