Consider Your Intellectual Property when Estate Planning
The news is full of celebrities who pass on and don’t leave detailed instructions about their intellectual property. These oversights can lead to long, drawn out and often vicious family disputes that lead to legal action. If you hold any intellectual property take some time to consider it when you [...]
Ease the Pain With a Letter of Instruction
The death of a loved one is a very emotional experience. During that time close loved ones might not be thinking clearly and may not be able to handle the stress of making certain decisions. Because of this you might want to consider leaving a letter of instruction. Funeral Arrangements [...]
Don’t Forget Your Furry Friends
Pets are a big part of the family. When you are doing your estate planning, don’t forget that you will need to make sure that your pets are taken care of as well as your assets. Keep in mind that your pet is going to need immediate care should something [...]
What to do With Your Home
Part of your retirement planning should be to consider what is going to happen with your home. In many cases the home is your primary asset which means that there are several ways that it can be used in estate planning. Don’t forget when planning that your home is also [...]
Signs in Decline of Financial Responsibility
As people age their minds undergo changes. Things that were once routine tasks can become difficult or even impossible for them to do any longer. These changes can manifest themselves in the way the elderly handle their finances. Look for these signs to see if an elderly loved one you [...]
When to Consider a Non Tax Deferred Retirement
If you are paying into a 401k program you may be taking advantage of the tax deferred benefit of the program. This can be appealing because of the promise of a lower tax rate when you take the money out during retirement. There are times where having tax deferred money [...]
Keeping the Trustee outside the Family
Have you decided to set up a trust for some of your assets? If you have, then you may be thinking that you should have a family member be the trustee for the trust. Being trustee is much different than having a power of attorney or being an executor of [...]
Having a Collection Donated to Charity
Do you have a collection of art, coins or other valuables that you would like to live on after your death? Then you might be considering donating that collection to a museum or other charity that will be able to use or display it. If you are, then you will [...]