A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is a great way to give to a cause you care about while securing financial benefits for yourself, your estate and your loved ones. Here is how it works. Once you create a CRT and place assets like money, stocks or property into it,...
Estate Planning
How to reduce the odds of an estate dispute
Avoiding estate disputes may be one of your top goals as you consider your family’s future. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of other families where adult siblings become embroiled in estate disputes that they can never overcome, leading to long-term friction. So, how do...
2 types of charitable trusts
People who are creating their estate plan sometimes want to support a charity of their choice. One option they have for doing this is to establish a charitable trust that makes it possible to make a posthumous donation. Anyone who wants to establish a charitable trust...
When and why to update your estate plan documents
Many people mistakenly believe their work is complete upon finalizing their estate planning documents. However, estate planning is not a one-time task you forget about once done. It’s equally crucial to update your estate plan to ensure that it’s aligned with your...
Including your caregiver in your will requires careful planning
If you’ve had an in-home caregiver helping you out in recent years, they may have become almost like family to you – maybe even closer than some family members. Understandably, you might want to include them as a beneficiary in your will. You have every right to do...
Is a buy-sell agreement part of succession planning?
When you operate a business, you can’t stop planning for the future. Most of the time, that means focusing on the day-to-day operations and growth strategies – but you also need to give thought to a future where you are no longer present. This is where business...
Considerations when choosing the guardian of your children
Appointing someone as guardian of your child(ren) can be the most important decision you ever make. While everyone’s familial circumstances are unique, the bottom line is that every parent wants the best person possible to step into their roles once they can no longer...
What is a trustee’s fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries?
Being a trustee is a position of great responsibility – and a trustee also a legal obligation to continuously act in the best interests of the beneficiaries. Fail in that obligation and you could quickly find yourself at the center of a lawsuit as the beneficiaries...
What to know about the effect of capital gains tax on your heirs
If you’re beginning the estate planning process or possibly considering some modifications to your existing plan, one of your concerns is likely the tax ramifications of your decisions on the value of your estate (and, by extension, your beneficiaries). That’s why...
Choosing the right attorney-in-fact or agent
People may become vulnerable and dependent on others for a variety of reasons. In many cases, age is what renders someone incapable of managing their own affairs. Cognitive decline or medical challenges like Alzheimer's disease can leave people dependent on others for...