Trust & Estate Planning
Trust & Estate Planning
Estate Planning
Understanding the nature of your personal assets is critical. It is important to know the tax on your assets during your life and after you pass. This is key in making a good Estate Plan. Too many clients leave Estate Planning too late. This can cause your Estate to be squandered after your death so less will be available for your beneficiaries. It is essential to organize financial affairs and documents before it’s too late. This will enable you and your advisors operate more smoothly and give the information needed to make effective decisions. While we do not draft the legal documents, we can explain how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of Wills and Trusts. We can give you detailed information about the Probate process and help you make various decisions.
Estate Planning includes a variety of services.
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- Combining multiple cash and investment accounts into fewer institutions will improve financial planning. It will also be easier to review your personal situation.
- Using beneficiary designations carefully will ensure that your assets are smoothly and effectively transferred to your heirs with a minimum of taxation.
- Carefully drafted Wills, Powers of Attorney and Trusts ensure there a fewer arguments among beneficiaries when instructions are applied.
- Be specific in your Estate documents. Don’t refer to ‘my children’, but list them. Don’t mention large sums that will be given to heirs. If there were large expenses in later years, there may not be enough assets. Refer to the amounts by using percentages or shares.
- Choose Personal Representatives and Trustees who are intelligent and organized. This will help preserve more assets for the beneficiaries or remaindermen.
- Be sure your assets are not all in accounts with a beneficiary designation and otherwise illiquid (eg. Real Estate). If you do, the Estate will have little to no assets to use for required activities and expenses.
- Reviewing your Estate plan annually to see if any changes need to be made. For example, the death of a family member or new additions to the family.