Wills and trusts are the two basic legal instruments that people use to pass accounts and property on to their loved ones at death. Although a revocable living trust is often used in place of a will, the two are not mutually exclusive. You can have both a will and a trust, and in fact, a […]
Our lives are full of everyday superstitions. Knock on wood, don’t step on sidewalk cracks, and that talking about bad things make them more likely to happen. This last one is among the most given reasons why people don’t make estate plans. “If I talk about it, then I’ll die” goes the excuse. Unfortunately, this is […]
According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 7 percent of surveyed adults were living with an unmarried partner. This number is up from 3 percent in 1995.[1] More people, such as yourself, are entering long-term committed relationships without getting married. Unfortunately for unmarried partners, married couples tend to enjoy greater protection from […]
While watching a movie or reading a book about wealthy individuals and their families, you may have come across terms such as “heir,” “descendant,” and “next of kin.” Though made-for-Hollywood storylines use these terms interchangeably, words describing familial relationships have distinct definitions. Using the correct terms is critical in wills, trusts, and other legal documents because […]
For decades, common financial planning wisdom has encouraged almost all American workers to maximize their contributions to qualified retirement accounts. Indeed, doing so can be a powerful way to reduce your current income tax liability, grow your savings exponentially tax-free, and, in most states, protect your savings from claims of creditors. And by and large, this […]
