“Trusts are excellent vehicles for probate avoidance, ease of transition of funds to one’s beneficiaries upon death, asset protection planning and estate tax planning.” It’s not always obvious which type of trust is the best for an individual, says a recent article titled “Which is Best for Me: A Revocable or Irrevocable Trust?” from Westchester […]
Important Questions to Ask When Investing in a Vacation Property According to the National Association of Home Builders, in 2018 there were approximately 7.5 million second homes, making up 5.5 percent of the total number of homes.[1] These homes are not only real estate that must be planned for, managed, and maintained, they are also […]
Questions You Should Ask Your Estate Planning Attorney Creating an estate plan is a personal and often emotional undertaking, making the selection of your estate planning attorney of the utmost importance. Here are some questions you should ask your estate planning attorney to determine if they are the right person for the job. Why […]
How to Keep Your Child’s Inheritance Out of Your In-Law’s Hands About 40 to 50 percent of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. Regardless of how you feel about your child’s spouse, you must face the possibility that they could become your child’s ex-spouse. Should that day come, the money you […]
Right of Occupancy Trust: A Trust to Protect Your Home and Your Loved Ones Estate planning is about protecting you and your loved ones. Sometimes this can be a difficult endeavor when there is a loved one who may require additional support at your death. While you may want to give as much as possible […]
Think Your Estate Plan is Complete? Make Sure You’re Not Missing These Important Points Roughly two-thirds of Americans do not have an estate plan, according to a recent survey from Caring.com.[1] If you are among the minority of US adults who have prepared a will, living trust, and other end-of-life documents, you may think that […]
Do You Update Your Estate Plan as Often as Your Resume? A resume is a snapshot of your experience, skill set, and education that provides prospective employers insight into who you are and how you will perform. Imagine not updating your resume for five, ten, or even fifteen years. Would it accurately reflect your professional […]
Once you’ve bought an annuity or a life insurance policy and named your beneficiaries, you may never think about those beneficiary designations again. However, that could be a big mistake.
Updating Your Estate Plan: How Many Tweaks Are Too Many? If your life or the law has changed since you signed your last will and testament (will) or trust agreement, you need to update your document. You can make updates to a revocable living trust by way of an amendment or a complete restatement of […]
While a Last Will can help ensure that one’s wishes regarding the distribution of their estate upon death are followed, it is the living trust that allows the estate to avoid probate.
