Your will is meant to ensure that your final wishes are honored. However, it can sometimes be contested, potentially leading to lengthy legal battles and financial disputes among your heirs. Understanding when and why a will...more
If you possess paintings, sculptures or other art pieces, they may represent a significant portion of your estate. Thus, these assets must be properly accounted for in your estate plan....more
Here’s a quick estate planning tip: one of the easiest ways to reduce the size of your taxable estate is to take advantage of your gift tax exclusion. For 2025, you can transfer up to $19,000 per recipient gift-tax-free. And...more
Interested in trying to prepare your own estate plan? There are resources available to assist you, such as online services, computer software and how-to books. Do-it-yourself (DIY) estate planning may save you hundreds or...more
A financial power of attorney (POA) can be a critical component of your estate plan. It appoints a trusted representative (often called an agent) to make financial decisions on your behalf in the event you’re unable to do so....more
A Health Savings Account (HSA) can positively affect your estate plan. How? In addition to serving as a viable option to reduce health care costs, an HSA’s funds grow on a tax-deferred basis. In fact, an HSA is similar to a...more
1/23/2025
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Even with a comprehensive estate plan, it’s likely you’ll have some assets in a residuary estate. Like the sediment at the bottom of your glass after you finish a fine wine, an estate plan may also leave some residue....more
Are you creating or updating your estate plan? Primarily, you need a will that divides up your assets among beneficiaries. Then you can complement it with other documents, such as financial and health care powers of attorney...more
11/21/2024
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Wills
A trust can form the cornerstone of your estate plan, and trusts come in a variety of flavors. Indeed, there’s one for nearly any estate planning situation. Here’s a brief list of a trust’s potential advantages: trust assets...more