There are many complex legal requirements associated with being a trustee or administering an estate. We help our clients create an estate plan where they can handle the affairs of an estate without major challenges.

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What To Do After a Loved One Dies

If you’ve been appointed an executor of a loved one’s estate or a successor trustee, and that person dies, your grief – not to mention your to-do list, including tasks ranging from planning the funeral, coordinating relatives coming in from out of town and (eventually) meeting with a trust administration or probate lawyer – can be quite overwhelming. First and foremost, take care of yourself during this emotional time.

To help you with the “business” end of things, here’s a quick estate planning checklist of crucial details that will make the trip to our office to handle legal affairs easier. I know it can be difficult, but some of these things have a deadline, so make sure that you reach out sooner rather than later:

  • Secure the deceased’s personal property (vehicle, home, business, etc.).
  • Notify the post office.
  • If the deceased wrote an ethical will, share that with the appropriate parties in a venue set aside for the occasion. You may even want to print it and make copies for some individuals.
  • Get copies of the death certificate. You’ll need them for some upcoming tasks.
  • Notify the Social Security office.
  • Take care of any Medicare details that need attention.
  • Contact the deceased’s employer to find out about benefits dispensation.
  • Stop health insurance and notify relevant insurance companies. Terminate any policies no longer necessary. You may need to wait to actually cancel the policies until after you’ve “formally” taken over the estate, but you can often get the necessary paperwork started before that time.
  • Get ready to meet with a qualified probate and trust administration attorney. Depending on the circumstances, a probate may be necessary. Even if a probate is not needed, there is work that needs to be done to administer the trust properly. Here’s what you need to gather:
  1. The deceased’s will and trust. If the original of the deceased’s will or trust can’t be located, contact us as soon as possible and bring any copies you do have.
  2. A list of the deceased’s bills and debts. It’s often easier to bring the statements or the actual credit cards into the office rather than try to write out a list, but do whatever is easiest for you.
  3. A list of the deceased’s financial advisors, insurance agents, tax professionals, and other professional advisors.
  4. A list of the deceased’s surviving family members, including their contact information when available. Even if they’re not named in the trust, the attorney will need to know about everyone in the family.
  • Cancel your loved one’s driver’s license, passport, voter’s registration, and club memberships.
  • Close out email and social media accounts, and shut down websites no longer needed. Depending on circumstances, to take these steps, you may need to wait until you’ve “formally” taken over the estate, but you can often learn the procedures and be ready to act.
  • Contact your tax preparer.

You may be thinking about handling all the paperwork yourself. It’s a tempting thought – why not keep things as simple as possible? – but a “DIY” approach to this process might cost you and your family dearly. Read on to understand why.

Consequences of Mishandling an Estate: Examples from Real Life

Example #1: Failing to disclose assets to the IRS.

Lacy Doyle, a prominent art consultant in New York City, inherited a large estate when her father passed away in 2003. He allegedly left her $4 million, but she only disclosed fewer than $1 million in assets when she filed the court documents for the estate. Per the New York Daily News: “She opened an ‘undeclared Swiss bank account for the purpose of depositing the secret inheritance from her father’ in 2006 — using a fake foreign foundation name to conceal her identity… [she also] didn’t report her interest in the hidden accounts — nor the income they generated — from 2004 to 2009.” As a result of these alleged shenanigans and Doyle’s failure to report the accounts to the IRS, she was arrested, and she now faces a six-year prison sentence.

Example #2: Misusing power of attorney.

Another famous case of an improperly handled estate involved the son of a famous New York socialite, Brooke Astor. Her son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of misusing his power of attorney and other crimes. Per a fascinating Washington Post obituary: “In 2009, Mr. Marshall was convicted of grand larceny and other charges related to the attempted looting of his mother’s assets while she suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He received a sentence of one to three years in prison but, afflicted by congestive heart failure and Parkinson’s disease, was medically paroled in August 2013 after serving eight weeks.”

Some Key Takeaways

  1. Seek professional counsel to avoid even the appearance of impropriety when handling an estate.
  2. Bear in mind that errors of omission and accident can be costly – even if your intent was good. An executor who makes distributions from an estate too soon can get into serious trouble, for instance. An executor’s personal assets can wind up in jeopardy if his or her actions cause an estate to become insolvent.
  3. Even if you’re well organized and knowledgeable about probate and estate law, it’s surprisingly hard to anticipate what can go wrong. There are many ways to end up in hot water when you’re handling the estate or trust of a loved one.

We’re here to help you steer clear of the obstacles and free you to focus on yourself and your family during this difficult time. We can help you manage the estate and trust-related concerns. Call us at 1-720-660-9847  today to schedule a free consultation.

Where is the Best Place to Store Your Original Estate Planning Documents?

Estate planning attorneys are often asked where original estate planning documents – wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives – should be stored for safekeeping.  While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, consider the following:

Should you store your original estate planning documents in your safe deposit box?

Many people may believe that the best place to store their original estate planning documents is in their safe deposit box at the local bank.  This may make sense if you have given your spouse or a trusted child, another family member, or friend access to your box.  However, since a safe deposit box is a rental arrangement (you are leasing the box from the bank), if you are the only one who signed the lease and you become incapacitated or die, no one else will be able to open your box.

Usually, the only way for someone else to gain access to your box if you become incapacitated or die is to obtain a court order, which wastes time and money.  If you are not comfortable giving someone else immediate access to your box, many banks will allow you to add your revocable living trust as an additional lessee, which will give your successor trustee access to your box if for any reason you can no longer serve as trustee of your trust.

Should you store your original estate planning documents in your home safe?

Home safes are popular these days, but in order for yours to be a good place to store your original estate planning documents, it should be difficult to move (bolted to the floor!), fire-proof, and water-proof.  In addition, make sure someone you trust has the combination to your safe or will easily gain access to the combination if you become incapacitated or die.

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Should you ask your estate planning attorney to store your original estate planning documents?

Traditionally, many estate planning attorneys offered to hold their clients’ original estate planning documents for safekeeping (usually without charging a fee). Today most don’t want to take on the liability.  In addition, as the years go by, it may become difficult for family members to track down your attorney, who could change firms, become incapacitated, or die.

Should you ask your corporate trustee to store your original estate planning documents?

If you have named a bank or trust company as your executor or successor trustee, this may be the best place to store your original estate planning documents.  This is because banks and trust companies have specific procedures in place to ensure that your original estate planning documents are stored in a safe and secure area.  If you choose this option, make sure one or more of your family members know where your original documents are located.

Find A Secure Place To Store Your Original Estate Planning Documents

Regardless of where you decide to store your original estate planning documents, make sure your family members, a trusted friend or advisor, or your estate planning attorney know where to find them. Otherwise, if your original documents can’t be easily located, then it may be legally presumed that you no longer liked what they said and purposefully destroyed them.

Who Needs an Estate Plan?

If you’re reading this, you need an estate plan. Why? The short answer is “Everyone, age 18 and older needs an estate plan.” It doesn’t matter if you are old or young, if you have built up considerable wealth or if you are just entering adulthood —you need a written plan to keep you in control and to protect yourself and those you love.

The Key Takeaways 

  • Every adult, regardless of age or wealth, needs both a lifetime plan and an after-death estate plan.
  • Planning for incapacity will keep you in control and let your trusted loved ones care for you without court interference – and without the loss of control and expense of a guardianship or conservatorship proceeding.
  • Every adult needs up-to-date health care directives.
  • You need to leave written instructions to make sure you are the one who selects who’s in charge of when and how your assets will be distributed.
  • We all need the counseling and assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney. 

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What is an Estate Plan?

Your estate is comprised of the assets you own—your car, home, bank accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture and personal belongings. No matter how large or how small your estate, you can’t take it with you when you die, and you probably want certain people to have certain things you own.

To make sure that happens, you need to provide written instructions stating who you want to receive your assets and belongings, what you want them to receive, and when they are to receive it—that is the essence of an estate plan. If you have young children, you will need to name someone to raise them in your place and to manage their inheritance.

A properly prepared estate plan also will have instructions for your care (and the management of your assets) if you become incapacitated, even for a short time, due to illness or injury. Without the proper documents in place, your family will have to ask the court for permission to use your assets to take care of you and to oversee your care. That process is out of your control and it takes time and costs money, making an already difficult situation even more difficult for your family.

It might surprise you, but having a plan in place often means more to families with modest means because 1) they can least afford to pay unnecessary court costs and legal fees and 2) state laws, which take over in the absence of planning, often distribute assets in an undesirable way.

What You Need to Know About An Estate Plan 

Don’t try to do this yourself. You need the counseling and assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney who knows the laws in your state and has the expertise to guide you in making difficult decisions such as who will raise your children and who will look after your care at incapacity.  That attorney will also know how to carefully craft the appropriate estate planning documents so that what you think will happen when you become incapacitated or die actually happens.

Actions to Consider 

  • Contact, call or email our office now to set up an estate planning free consultation appointment. We make tough topics manageable to discuss and talk about.
  • Don’t worry about how life will unfold; the best practice is to have your plan prepared now based on your current situation.

Why You Should Not Create Your Own Estate Planning Documents Online

There are many software programs, as well as websites, that sell do-it-yourself estate planning documents. These websites and form tools seem to offer a convenient and cost-effective alternative to consulting with an estate planning attorney. But do they really meet your needs and protect your family? Is online, do-it-yourself estate planning worth the perceived upfront savings?

Let’s take a look at it:

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish

In all but the simplest scenarios, do-it-yourself estate planning is risky and can become a costly substitute for comprehensive in-person planning with a professional legal advisor. Typically, these online programs and services have significant limitations when it comes to gathering information needed to properly craft an estate plan. This can result in crucial defects that, sadly, won’t become apparent until the situation becomes a legal and financial nightmare for your loved ones.

Creating your own estate plan without professional advice can also have unintended consequences. Bad or thoughtless documents can be invalid and/or useless when they are needed. For example, you can create a plan that has no instructions for when a beneficiary passes away or when a specific asset left to a loved one no longer exists. You may create a trust on your own but fail to fund it. This results in your assets being tied up in probate courts, potentially for years. Worse yet, what you leave behind may then pass to those you did not intend.

Your family situation and assets are unique. Plus, each state has its own laws governing what happens when someone becomes incapacitated or dies. These nuances may not be adequately addressed in an off-the-shelf document. In addition, non-traditional families, or those with a complicated family arrangements, require more thorough estate planning.

The options available in a do-it-yourself estate planning system may not provide the solutions that are necessary. A computer program or website cannot replicate the intricate knowledge a qualified local estate planning attorney will have and use to apply to your particular circumstances.

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Important Aspects to Think About

If you’re a person of significant wealth, then concerns about income and estate taxes enter the picture too. In addition to the federal estate tax, some states have a separate estate tax system with significantly different tax thresholds. An online estate planning website or program that prepares basic wills without considering the size of the estate can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in increased (and usually completely avoidable) tax liability.

A qualified estate planning attorney will know how to structure your legal affairs to properly manage – or, in many cases, even avoid – the burden of the death tax as well as minimize the impact of ongoing income taxes.

One important aspect of estate planning is protecting adult children from the negative financial consequences of divorce, bankruptcy, lawsuits, or illness. An online planning tool will not take these additional steps into account when putting together what is usually a basic estate plan. Similarly, parents who have children or adult loved ones with special needs must take extra caution when planning. There are complicated rules regarding government benefits that these loved ones may receive that must be considered.  This is so that valuable benefits are not lost due to an inheritance.

Consult an Estate Planning Attorney

No matter how good a do-it-yourself estate planning document may seem, it is no substitute for personalized advice. Estate planning is more than just document production. In many cases, the right legal solution to your situation may not be addressed by these do-it-yourself products. This affects not just you, but generations to come. To make sure you are fully protecting your family, contact us today. We’re here to help.

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Common Misconceptions About Estate Planning

You have worked hard for years, have family members and friends you care about and have approached a time in your life when “estate planning” sounds like something you should do, but you are not exactly sure why. You may feel that you are not wealthy enough or not old enough to bother or care. Or you may already have a Will and feel that you are all set on that front.

Whatever your current position, consider these common misconceptions about estate planning:

Estate Planning is for Wealthy(er) People

False. Anyone who has survived to age eighteen and beyond has likely accumulated a few possessions that are of some monetary or sentimental value. While things like your home, your car, and financial accounts are self-evident assets, that collection of superhero figurines or your iTunes library also deserves proper attention. There is no minimum asset value required to justify having a Will, especially since there are many low-cost options, including estate planning attorneys who will not charge an arm and a leg for a basic Will.

Estate Planning is for Old(er) People

False. Tragedy can strike at any moment, and it is best to have your affairs in order so as not to put your loved ones in a financial or bureaucratic bind while they are grieving. Young parents should ensure that proper guardians are in place to take care of their children if they are no longer around, lest the children end up with the most irresponsible member of the family or, worse, a complete stranger.

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Estate Planning Means Having a Will

False. Having a Will is smart because it puts you in charge of the disposition of your assets. A Will allows you to pick your executor, designate the guardians for your minor children, and name any individuals and charitable organizations as beneficiaries of your estate.

If you were to die without a Will (i.e., intestate), the law of the state where you reside at your death would govern who receives what part of your estate, who administers your estate, and who takes care of your children. There are some situations where state law may override the provisions in your Will (e.g., a spouse’s elective share), but for the most part, you are in the driver’s seat.

However, a Will is only one tool in the estate planning toolbox. There are other vehicles that allow you to remain in control of your possessions and family’s future during life and upon death. Depending on your situation, a Will alone may not be the most efficient or the most cost-effective means to achieve your goals.

Non-Probate Options

Upon your passing, your Will has to go through probate – a process whereby a court reviews your Will and determines its validity. It is a lengthy and often costly process in many states, to begin with, and can become even lengthier if a Will is contested (e.g., on the grounds that someone coerced or cajoled their way into an inheritance).

The delay in the disposition of your assets and the accompanying legal costs may put your family members in financial straits. If your goal is to ensure that your survivors’ cash flow is uninterrupted after your death, it would be wise to incorporate a trust or a life insurance policy into your estate plan. These assets are considered “non-probate” – they pass outside of your Will.

There are other non-probate assets that may constitute a part of your estate. For example, a joint tenancy arrangement on your home, IRA, and payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) accounts designate specific beneficiaries upon your death, and the assets pass to them without the delay and cost of the probate process.

If your Will provides for a different beneficiary of your IRA account or another non-probate asset, it will be superseded by the beneficiary designation form on file with that account’s or asset’s administrator. Therefore, it is wise to review all of your beneficiary designations periodically, but certainly upon life-altering events like marriage, the birth of a child, or divorce.

Start Planning Now

You are neither too young nor too poor to engage in estate planning! Just remember that a Will may be a necessary, but not the only means to plan your estate in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Keep on top of your assets, and your survivors will have another good thing to say about you at your memorial.

Now that you know the common misconceptions about estate planning, Contact us today for any questions and to schedule an appointment. 

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Picking a Guardian for Your Minor Child(ren)

We know it’s hard. Thinking about someone else raising your children can stop you in your tracks. It feels crushing and too horrific to consider. But you must. If you don’t, a stranger will determine who raises your children if something happens to you. Your children’s guardian could be a relative you despise or even a stranger you’ve never met. That’s why it’s crucial you are picking a guardian for your minor children.

No one will ever be you or parent exactly like you, but more than likely, there is someone you know that could do a decent job providing for your children’s general welfare, education, and medical needs if you are no longer available to do so. Parents with minor children need to name someone to raise them (a guardian) in the event both parents should die before the child becomes an adult. While the likelihood of that actually happening is slim, the consequences of not naming a guardian are more than intense.

If no guardian is named in your will, a judge – a stranger who does not know you, your child, or your relatives and friends – will decide who will raise your child. Anyone can ask to be considered, and the judge will select the person he or she deems most appropriate.

Families tend to fight over children, especially if there’s money involved – and worse – no one may be willing to take your child; if that happens, the judge will place your child in foster care. On the other hand, if you name a guardian, the judge will likely support your choice.

How to Choose a Guardian

Your children’s guardians can be a relative or friends. Here are the factors our clients have considered when selecting guardians (and back up guardians).

  • How well do the children and potential guardians know and enjoy each other
  • Parenting style, moral values, educational level, health practices, religious/spiritual beliefs
  • Location – if the guardian lives far away, your children would have to move from a familiar school, friends, and neighborhood
  • The age and health of the guardian candidates:
    • Grandparents may have the time, but they may or may not have the energy to keep up with a toddler or teenager.
    • An older guardian may become ill and/or even die before a child is grown, so there would be a double loss.
    • A younger guardian, especially a sibling, maybe concentrating on finishing college or starting a career.
  • Emotional preparedness:
    • Someone who is single or who doesn’t want children may resent having to care for your children.
    • Someone with a houseful of their own children may or may not want more around.

 

WARNING: Serving as a guardian and raising your children is a big deal; don’t spring such a responsibility on anyone. Ask your top candidates if they would be willing to serve, and name at least one alternate in case the first choice becomes unable to serve.

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Who’s in Charge of the Money

Raising your children should not be a financial burden for the guardian, and a candidate’s lack of finances should not be the deciding factor. You will need to provide enough money (from assets and/or life insurance) to provide for your children. Some parents also earmark funds to help the guardian buy a larger car or add to their existing home, so there’s plenty of room for extra children.

Factors to Consider

  • Naming a separate person to handle the money can be a good idea. That person would be the trustee in charge of the assets, but not the guardian of the children, responsible for the day-to-day raising of the children.
  • However, having the same person raise the children and handle the money can make things simpler because the guardian would not have to ask someone else for money.
  • But the best person to raise the children may not be the best person to handle the money and it may be tempting for them to use this money for their own purposes.

Let’s Continue this Conversation

We know it’s not easy, but don’t let that stop you. You will be glad that you are picking a guardian for your minor children now. We’re happy to talk this through with you and legally document your wishes. Know that you can change your mind and select a different guardian anytime you’d like.

The chances of needing the guardian to actually step in are usually slim (we always hope this is the one nomination that’s never actually needed); but, you’re a parent and your job is to provide for and protect your children, so let’s do this. Contact us or call our office now for an appointment and we’ll get your children protected.

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Top 3 Estate Planning Myths to Know About

Like any other complex subject, estate planning has its share of myths and misconceptions.  Understanding the top three estate planning myths will help you to create and maintain a plan that will work the way you expect it to work when it’s needed.

Estate Planning Myth #1

You Don’t Need an Estate Plan Because Your Spouse Will Inherit Everything

A common belief is that if you’re married and you don’t have a will or a trust, your spouse will still inherit everything.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Who will inherit your estate even if you’re married depends on many different factors, including how your property is titled, who you have named on your beneficiary designations, and the laws of the state where you live and any other state where you own property.  

The only way to ensure that your spouse will inherit everything is to sit down with an experienced estate planning attorney who will help you create an estate plan that will meet all of your goals.

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Estate Planning Myth #2 

You Don’t Need an Estate Plan Because Your Family Knows Your Final Wishes

You’ve shared your final wishes with your family and you’re confident that they’ll “do the right thing” after you die.  Unfortunately, without having these wishes written down in a valid will or a valid trust, your family may not be able to fulfill your intentions for several reasons.  

First, how your property is titled will determine who inherits it, not who you’ve told your family you want to inherit it.

In addition, if you fail to complete or update the beneficiary designations for assets such as bank accounts and life insurance policies, your family won’t have any authority to tell the bank or insurance company who should inherit the proceeds.  

Finally, without an estate plan, the laws of the state where you live and any other state where you own property will dictate who inherits your probate estate, not your family. The only way to ensure that your property will go to your intended heirs is to sit down with an experienced estate planning attorney who will help you create an estate plan that will meet all of your goals.

Estate Planning Myth #3 

Once You’ve Created Your Estate Plan, It’s Done

Suppose that you’ve taken the time to sit down with an experienced estate planning attorney and create an estate plan that meets all of your goals.  You may think that now you can sit back and relax because your estate plan is done.

While this attitude may seem reasonable, unfortunately as the years go by your life and the laws governing wills, estates, probate, trusts, and death taxes will continue to change, which means that eventually, your estate plan will become out of date.  

The only way to ensure that your plan will work the way you intend it to work is to pull it out of the drawer every few years and have it looked over by your estate planning attorney.

Final Thoughts About Estate Planning Myths

These are only three of the top estate planning myths.  Unfortunately, there are many more. The only way to separate the myths from reality and get a plan that will work for you and for your family is to retain the services of an experienced estate planning attorney.

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Declare your Independence from Court Interference!

While the rest of the nation celebrates its independence on July 4th, you can rest assured that you too can declare independence for your family — from court interference. Life can be unpredictable. Whether it is a financial issue, the birth or adoption of a child, sickness, or incapacity, it is important to be prepared with proper estate planning. In fact, failure to put together a comprehensive estate plan can leave you and your loved ones at the mercy of the court when it comes to distributing assets or caring for a minor or sick family member.

Estate Planning Basics

Simply put, estate planning addresses how to manage your property in the event of your death or incapacity. Some estate planning tools you have likely heard of before including last will and testaments, living wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Estate planning is a great method not only to plan your family’s financial security, but to use tools to keep your family’s personal business outside of the courtroom.

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Avoiding Probate

When someone passes away without a will it is referred to as being intestate. A person who dies intestate will have his or her assets distributed according to local intestacy rules. Probate is the legal mechanism by which your assets are distributed upon your death. The process of probate takes time, costs money, and can be a hassle and burden for the family you left behind. One important estate planning tool that will help avoid a drawn-out legal process includes a fully funded trust with up-to-date beneficiary designations. By having a fully funded trust and/or up-to-date beneficiary designations when you die, there are no assets in your estate, and therefore no need for probate.

Death is not the only time a court may become involved in your and your family’s personal lives. The court may also intervene in the event you become incapacitated. The court may appoint a guardian or conservator to handle your personal and financial matters, essentially pushing out your loved ones and stripping their ability to help and make important decisions on your behalf. There are several estate planning tools that can help you determine who you want to be in charge of should you become incapacitated. These include using a power of attorney, a fully funded trust, as well as a healthcare directive to appoint and give instructions to those you trust to make these difficult decisions for you when you need it most.

Protecting Your Loved Ones

Another important benefit of a solid estate plan is protecting those who are most precious to you — your minor children. It is important to understand that simply naming guardians in your will for any minor children you may have is not enough in and of itself. While a will does ensure your children will be properly cared for in the long term, often there are significant lapses of time between when the need arises to care for your children and when your wishes are actually carried out. Making sure your estate plan accounts for this gap is vital in preventing the state from taking over and allowing someone you do not want to raise your children from having a chance to take control of their lives and inheritance.

Declare Your Family’s Independence

There are many moving parts to a concise estate plan that must be considered in order to properly protect yourself and your loved ones. An estate planning attorney can explain your options under applicable law and craft a plan that best suits your family’s needs. There is no need to wait and leave your family’s future to chance. Contact us today so we can get you on the road to independence.

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Designating Beneficiaries in Blended Families

Whether you are in your first marriage or have remarried after a divorce, blended families are a common part of modern society. That being said, it is important to understand that blended families and subsequent marriages create important and unique issues when it comes to estate planning. This comes into play mostly with blended family beneficiary designations.

You may need to account for a prior spouse who is still caring for minor or disabled children, and also possibly make sure your current spouse and any children you had together – and any stepchildren – are also taken care of after you pass away. The good news is that estate planning can take all of these factors into account. This is true whether you are putting together your estate plan for the very first time or if you need to update your current estate plan due to a change in your circumstances.

Setting Up a Trust For A Blended Family

It is common for married couples to leave everything to one another in their wills, or list their spouse as the sole beneficiary of any assets that allow for this designation. The result is that if one spouse passes away before the other, the surviving spouse will own all of the assets left behind outright. While this may work for some families, when it comes to blended families this strategy may inadvertently disinherit children or spouses from a prior marriage.

One way to provide for a current spouse without leaving out children from a prior marriage is to place some or all of your assets in a trust that the spouse can use during his or her lifetime. Once the spouse dies, all of the property in the trust can go to the children from your current and prior marriage, or to other intended beneficiaries.

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Beyond Simple Beneficiary Designation

The plain and simple beneficiary designation on assets (like life insurance, bank and investment accounts, etc.) that allow for outright distribution to the surviving spouse can inadvertently wreak havoc on an estate plan when a blended family is involved. These complications can apply to a couple who has children from prior marriages, someone who remarries late in life, or someone on their second or third marriage and beyond.

For example, you may purchase a large life insurance policy and designate your current spouse as the sole beneficiary and pass away shortly thereafter. Since the beneficiary designation takes precedence over your estate planning documents, the proceeds of the life insurance will not be placed in that trust and will be distributed outright to your current spouse. If you had instead named the trust as beneficiary, you could have determined when and how the funds would be spent for the benefit of your heirs.

As an example, the funds could be used to provide support for your surviving spouse during his or her lifetime while also allocating a portion to help your children to pay for college, finance a down payment on a first home, and pay for a wedding, or start a business. The key is that the money can be available for your spouse, but not with unfettered control, and still available for your children.

Ensuring Your Wishes Are Followed

While you hope that a surviving spouse with honor your wishes even if they are not in writing, you may accidentally disinherit your children. Instead, a knowledgeable estate planner will use your trust as the centerpiece of your estate plan and make sure to coordinate and align the beneficiaries on your assets so that your intent will become the reality once you have passed away.

We can explain all of the options available to you and put together a plan and beneficiary designation that best suits your family’s needs. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

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4 Reasons Why Estate Planning Isn’t Just for Rich People

There is a common misconception that estate plans are only for the ultra-rich. This includes the top 1 percent, 10%, 20%, or some other arbitrary determination of “enough” money.  In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. People at all income and wealth levels can benefit from a comprehensive estate plan. Sadly, many have not sat down to put their legal house in order. That is why it’s important to know that estate plans are not only for the rich.

According to a 2016 Gallup News Poll more than half of all Americans do not have a will, let alone a comprehensive estate plan. These same results were identified by WealthCounsel in its Estate Planning Awareness Survey. Gallup noted that 44 percent of people surveyed in 2016 had a will in place, compared to 51 percent in 2005 and 48 percent in 1990.  Also, over the years, there appears to be a trend of fewer people even thinking about estate planning.

Top Four Reasons

When it comes to estate planning, the sooner you start the better. Below are four reasons why everyone – no matter what income or wealth level – can benefit from a comprehensive estate plan:

1. Forward Thinking Family Goals

Proper estate planning can accomplish many things. The first step is to ask what your goals are. They may include caring for a minor child, an elderly parent, a disabled relative, or distributing real and personal property to individuals who will appreciate and maintain these assets prudently.  

Understanding what your family wants and needs are for the future is a great starting point for any estate plan. If you can sit down and spend time planning your vacation, you can do the same for your estate. Your future self, and your loved ones, will thank you.

 

2. Financial Confidence Now and After You Are Gone

One immediate benefit of having a finished estate plan in place is that you will likely feel in control of your finances, possibly for the first time ever. Many people experience a new sense of discipline in maintaining their finances. This can help with saving for retirement, a big purchase, or other goal.

 In addition to the personal benefit of financial control, an estate plan allows you to dictate exactly how and when your heirs receive an inheritance. This is particularly important for minor heir or those who need additional guidance to manage their inheritance, like a disabled child.

 

3. Identify Risks

An important aspect of a good estate plan is to mitigate against future and current risks. One example is becoming disabled and unable to support your family. Another is the possibility of dying early.

Through an estate plan you can chose who will be in control of your personal assets, instead of the court appointing a legal guardian who will cost money and be a distraction for your family.  While contemplating these types of risks is never fun, preparing ahead of time ensures your loved ones will be prepared if an unfortunate tragedy occurs.

 

4. To Maintain Your Privacy

In the absence of a fully funded, trust-based estate plan, a list one’s assets are available for public view upon death. This occurs when a probate court needs to step in. Probate is the legal process by which a court administers the deceased person’s estate. A solid estate plan should generally avoid the need for involvement by the probate court, so your family’s privacy can be maintained.

 

The Bottom Line: Seek Professional Advice

There are numerous benefits to working with a professional team when it comes to estate planning. Estate planning attorneys, financial advisor, insurance agents, and others have a broader and deeper knowledge of money management, financial implications, and the law.

When you work with a qualified team to implement an estate plan you can rest easy knowing your family will be taken care of no matter what happens in the future. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your estate plan.

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