Often people will let loved ones know that they have life insurance policies, but after the policy holder passes away the beneficiaries have difficulty finding any information about the policies. Tracking down these lost insurance policies is an important step in estate administration.
Read More »5 Things Every New Mother Needs to Know About Wills
As a new mother, you naturally want to ensure your new baby’s future in every way. For many new mothers, infancy is a time for celebrating new life, and making a will is the last thing on their minds. For others, the process of bringing new life into the world sparks intense feelings of wanting […]
Read More »Life Insurance and Estate Planning: Protecting Your Beneficiaries’ Interests
One misconception people have about life insurance is that naming beneficiaries is all you have to do to ensure the benefits of life insurance will be available for a surviving spouse, children, or other intended beneficiary. Life insurance is an important estate planning tool, but without certain protections in place, there’s no guarantee that your […]
Read More »Three Social Security Traps
What you don’t know about Social Security benefits can hurt you and your spouse for the rest of your lives. Here are three traps to avoid when taking your benefits.
Read More »Why Factoring Long-Term Care Into Your Estate Plan Pays Off
For most people, thinking about estate planning means focusing on what will happen to their money after they pass away. But that misses one pretty significant consideration: the need to plan for long-term care.
Read More »The Shocking Truth About Asset Protection Planning
Some view asset protection planning with a skeptical eye. They believe there is a moral obligation to pay one’s debts. They think that asset protection planning is immoral because it prevents a creditor from collecting on a judgment entered by a court.
Read More »Wills, Trusts & Dying Intestate: How They Differ
Most people understand that having some sort of an estate plan is, as Martha Stewart would say, a “good thing.” However, many of us don’t take the steps to get that estate plan in place because we don’t understand the nuances between wills and trusts – and dying without either.
Read More »Estate Planning for Unmarried Partners
When you’re in a romantic partnership – as opposed to a marriage – you need to create the legal protections and benefits automatically afforded to those who are married. For example, married persons legally inherit from each automatically and can visit their spouses in the hospital without question. You and your partner can do the […]
Read More »5 Tragic Mistakes People Make When Leaving Assets to Their Pets
A pet trust is an excellent way to make sure your beloved pet will receive proper care after you pass on. The problem, of course, is that you won’t actually be there to see that your wishes are carried out. It’s critical to set up a pet trust correctly to ensure there are no loopholes […]
Read More »Investment, Insurance, Annuity, and Retirement Planning Considerations
If your clients choose to use a Standalone Retirement Trust (SRT) to provide asset protection benefits for their beneficiaries, then the tax-related asset allocation strategy would be essentially the same as without an SRT, with one small exception.
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