It is open enrollment season and one of the benefits your employer is offering is legal insurance. Should you sign up for it? The answer to that question, like many other legal questions, is – it depends. Before making your decision, here are some questions to ask. What exactly...
When a person dies with a Will in place, a Personal Representative or Executor is named as the responsible individual for winding down the decedent's affairs. In situations in which a Will has not been prepared, the probate court will appoint someone to that role. Whether you...
The loss of a loved one is a difficult time, often made more stressful when one has to handle the affairs of the deceased. Certain tasks must be completed to administer the estate of the deceased. This may be a great undertaking or rather minimal work, depending upon the level...
Business succession plans contemplate and instruct regarding any changes in future ownership and management of a business. Most business owners know they should think about succession planning, but few actually end up doing so. It is hard to think about not being in charge of...
Today, blended families have become increasingly common, and many individuals have stepchildren. In situations where stepchildren have not been legally adopted, however, they do not have a legal right to an inheritance from a stepparent. For those who wish to leave stepchildren...
Many individuals are aware that a Will is one way to plan for the distribution of their assets after death. However, a comprehensive estate plan also considers other objectives such as asset protection. For this reason, it is essential to consider utilizing an Irrevocable...
When deciding who will inherit your assets after you die, it is important to consider that you might outlive the beneficiary you choose. If you have added someone to your financial accounts to ensure that he or she receives this asset after you die, you might be concerned...
In spite of the vast amount of financial information that is currently available in the media and via the internet, many people either do not understand estate planning or underestimate its importance. Here's a look at the top five estate planning mistakes that need to be...
Life insurance can be an integral part of an estate plan. Policies can be set up to be paid directly to the beneficiary, without the need to pass through the estate. Having a life insurance policy ensures that some assets will be liquid, so that debts and expenses can be paid...
When you are a child, your parents serve as your decision makers. They have ultimate say in where you go to school, what extracurricular activities you partake in and where, and how, you should be treated in the event of a medical emergency. While most parents continue to play...
For many people, retirement savings accounts are among the largest assets they have to bequeath to their children and grandchildren in their estate plans. Sadly, without professional and personally tailored advice about how best to include IRAs in one’s estate plan, there may...
Like most governmental benefit programs, there are many myths surrounding Medicaid and eligibility for benefits. One of the most common myths is the belief that only 50% of the funds in a jointly-owned bank account will be considered an asset for the purposes of calculating...