When someone asks you to be the executor of their estate, it might seem like a straightforward responsibility – distribute assets according to their will and handle some paperwork. However, as many executors discover, the role involves far more complexity, time, and emotional labor than expected. Understanding these challenges now can help you better prepare, whether you’re creating your estate…[...]

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Many members of the next generation are banking on a sizable inheritance as part of an unprecedented intergenerational wealth transfer occurring in the United States right now. However, research shows a growing disconnect between how much children expect to receive and how much their parents plan on leaving them. You generally have no right to be included in your parent’s…[...]

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Getting married is a special time in your life; you may have a beautiful wedding, a fun reception, and a romantic honeymoon. It is also the right time for you and your new spouse to plan for your future—for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. Why You and Your New Spouse Need to Plan Your Estates Why…[...]

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A special needs trust (SNT) allows an individual to provide for a disabled beneficiary without jeopardizing the beneficiary’s eligibility for needs-based government benefits. SNT funds can generally be used to pay for almost anything that falls outside the basic support that programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid provide. This includes many goods, services, and experiences that these…[...]

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If you have overheard any estate planning discussions, you have likely heard the words “guardian” or “trustee.” In estate planning, deciding who will ultimately be tasked with caring for your minor child or managing funds for their benefit is an important decision that requires consideration of many factors. Although there is no substitute for you as a parent, a guardian is someone…[...]

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If you have a revocable living trust, you probably named yourself as the initial trustee so that you can continue to manage your financial affairs. However, someone else will eventually need to step in to administer your trust when you are no longer able to act due to incapacity (the inability to manage your affairs), if you don’t want to…[...]

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Many people believe that estate planning is only about planning for their death. But planning for what happens after you die is only one piece of the estate-planning puzzle. It is just as important to plan for what happens if you become unable to manage your own financial or medical affairs while you are alive (in other words, if you…[...]

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You regularly check the balances of your retirement, bank, and investment accounts. But when was the last time you checked the beneficiary designations on these accounts (and really, all the other accounts that allow you to name a beneficiary)? It may have been years since you first opened an individual retirement account, bought a life insurance policy, or started putting…[...]

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We know it is difficult, even horrific, to imagine someone else raising your children. However, you must consider who you would choose to fill this important role. Otherwise, a judge—a stranger who does not know you or your wishes, your child, or your relatives and friends—will determine who raises your children if something happens to you. Potentially, your children’s guardian…[...]

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While the term fiduciary is a legal term with a rich history, it generally means someone who is legally obligated to act in another person’s best interest. Trustees, executors, and agents are examples of fiduciaries. When you select people to fill these roles in your estate plan, you are picking one or more people to make decisions in the best interests of…[...]

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