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5 Things to Think About Before Naming Co-executors
We often get the question, "Should we name more than one child as a co-executor?" In the end, it's a personal choice as to whether you do or not, but here are some things to think about. 1. Who will really do the work? Often if there are co-executors, we all know that...
Who do you call for advice on aging?
Where do you turn when an aging parent is diagnosed with dementia or suddenly has a stroke? What do you do when your family hits a situation where mom, dad, grandma or grandpa can’t stay at home anymore? What if a loved one is struggling with health issues that you...
9 Ways to Create a Mess After You Die
We often get calls from people who are facing a mess because a loved one died and failed to properly plan. If you're lucky, or if you plan ahead effectively, your family won't need to go through the headache of probate or trust administration. While this is all rather...
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Is Your Estate Plan Old and Clunky?
David Edwards loves what he does, and it's obvious because he can connect just about anything to estate planning! In this post, Dave and his dad explore how estate planning is like... old tennis rackets. Estate Planning is Like... Old Tennis Rackets When my...
Your “Special Stuff” List: Lesson #2 from Robin Williams
One of the best ways to minimize fighting amongst your family after you're gone is by creating a "special stuff" list before you go. Creating a "Special Stuff" List Can Minimize Fighting Amongst Your Family After You're Gone Last week, we talked about having "The...
3 Myths About Choosing a Helper for Your Plan
We've talked previously about what a "helper" is and why it's so important to not only choose one, but choose a good one. Whether it's as a trustee, executor, power of attorney or guardian, it's very important that you choose someone who is up to the task. Here are 3...
6 IRA Planning Tips
Here are 6 IRA planning tips you should consider for your family: 1. Help your grandkids with their own IRA Anyone who starts an IRA early, in their teens or 20's, will see it grow to huge amounts by retirement. But young people often don't have the funds to put into...
The Lifecycle of an IRA: 4 Stages
There are 4 stages in the lifecycle of your IRA, and each one gets progressively more complicated. The last stage is "What happens when I'm gone?" Here is what you need to know about each stage leading up to the last: Before age 59 1/2, you are usually paying into the...
10 Non-financial Planning Issues (Infographic)
A Lesson from Robin Williams: Having “The Conversation”
One way in which you can minimize fighting amongst your family after you're gone is by having "The Conversation" before you go... Does Your Family Have Trust Issues Like Robin Williams? After his death in 2014, it appeared that Robin Williams did everything right when...
Estate Planning is Like… Birthday Cake
Much like your favorite birthday cake flavor, everyone likes different things when it comes to estate planning. Well, as of March 5, I'm another year older! And to celebrate I got to have the best birthday cake in the world -- spice cake with chocolate icing! What...
7 IRA Planning Traps to Consider
When it comes to your IRA, there are some planning traps you need to look out for... Here are 7 IRA planning problems to consider: 1. Incorrect beneficiaries - This is very basic, but often overlooked. Confirm that the beneficiaries are set up correctly. If you lack a...
IRAs: The Best Time to Pay Your Taxes
"When is the second best time to pay your taxes?" Many of our clients have retirement accounts, such as an IRA, 401(k) or a 403(b). These accounts take careful planning. Why? Because the accounts typically have never been taxed, and how you plan for them will...