Estate planning. It’s on everyone’s “should do” list, but it rarely seems to make it to the top of the “to do” list. Maybe that’s because estate planning is surrounded by myths and misconceptions. People think it’s only for the wealthy, or only for the elderly. The truth is, everyone needs some form of estate planning because estate planning is life planning. Let’s do away with five common estate planning myths: Estate Planning is Only for the Elderly. Physicist Niels Bohr said, … [Read more...]
Oh, My Gourd! Is That True?
One of the reasons people delay getting an estate plan in place is that they just don’t realize the consequences to their loved ones of not having one. Through proper planning during life, these situations can almost always be avoided. Read Horror Stories: When You Die Without A Will … [Read more...]
Who can contest a will?
In order to have standing to contest a will, you need to prove that something about how the will was written may be illegal. You won’t have standing if the will is ironclad, even if the distribution of assets may seem unfair. The following parties have standing to contest a will: Beneficiaries already named in the willBeneficiaries named in a previous will, who were written out of the most recent version of will, or whose share of the estate was significantly decreased by the newest … [Read more...]
DIY Did I Do That?
The DIY vibes are strong right now. With some things, it will probably work out fine...repaint your old table, change out those light fixtures...you've got this. But some things need to be done right, or there's going to be a real problem. Maybe stay away from DIY tattoos or rewiring the electricity in your home. And maybe don't download that "as seen on TV" Will program and think you're covered. We've received several messages from friends asking about DIY Will programs, wondering if … [Read more...]
Estate Planning for Singles
What if I don't have children? What if I don't have a POA? What if I have a partner, but we're not married? What if I'm single with children? What if I'm a single business owner? Why Not take productive action and put the What Ifs and the Could Have Beens to rest? Find out why, and what your estate planning options are as a single person, in this article. … [Read more...]