My father only designated my mom as an agent on power of attorney forms, and they have not been updated in many years. Where do you think we should go from here?
Beneficiary designations are a crucial part of estate planning, yet they are often overlooked. Once you have signed your estate planning documents, you need to make sure that your beneficiary designations are consistent with the rest of your estate plan.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents in a recent survey said estate and legacy strategies were important for everyone, not just wealthy individuals, yet only 24% said they had taken the basic step of designating beneficiaries for all of their accounts.
When you create a living trust, you also sign a pour-over will. One of the main benefits of a trust is avoiding a court proceeding on death called probate, which is when wills are used.
Thanks to the Internet, everyone has the ability to draft wills, trusts and a variety of other legal documents. Many documents can be produced for less than $100, requiring only a few mouse clicks and filled-in blanks.
The transition to retirement means different things to different people, as does the actual age in which people turn the page to a new chapter in their life. Many factors contribute to this life-altering decision and many emotions are felt–everything from fear, stress and anxiety to the sheer excitement of being able to fulfill lifelong dreams.
Are you the type of person who signs their will, sticks it in a drawer and never looks at it again? Or are you constantly updating and making small changes to your will, based on which one of your grandchildren has fallen out of favor?
I plan to leave most of my estate to my niece, but I do not want her estranged husband to be able to get his hands on any of the money. They are not getting divorced ‘because of the child.’ What is the most economical way to do this? They live in Missouri and may be moving to South Carolina. I am a New Jersey resident.
