Estate Planning Basics

Learn the essentials around planning and protecting the future for your family and loved ones.

Who should be your successor trustee?
A competent and reliable successor trustee can help achieve your goals and provide continuity of management
April 5, 2023 · 4 min read
How COVID-19 is propelling virtual estate planning
New regulations can help you—and your attorney—complete estate planning virtually, but rules vary by state.
April 5, 2023 · 3 min read
Advance healthcare directives
The sooner you begin planning for end-of-life decisions, the easier you make life for the family members or friends who may be called upon to act on your behalf.
April 5, 2023 · 5 min read
What you need to know about your spouse's finances
No one likes to think about losing a spouse, but it's important to be prepared for unfortunate circumstances. Being unprepared only makes a difficult situation more difficult. Talk to your spouse now so you're both prepared in the event of a tragedy.
March 30, 2023 · 3 min read
Child heirs: Bequeathing to minors
There are challenges to leaving assets to minors, but they can be overcome with proper preparation.
March 27, 2023 · 4 min read
Estate planning: Gifting unrelated caregivers
What does the law say about leaving money or property to caregivers or friends who aren't related to you?
March 27, 2023 · 2 min read
Appointing a legal guardian
Learn why you should appoint a legal guardian for your children, the rights and responsibilities of the legal guardian, and the steps that you need to take to appoint someone as the legal guardian of your children.
March 27, 2023 · 5 min read
New year, new will
One of the least discussed, but most important part of everyone's life is the creation and maintenance of a final will. In the New Year, people prefer to focus on the opportunities ahead, and a will is an opportunity to ensure their final arrangements will be made according to their wishes.
March 27, 2023 · 2 min read
Do you know the top reasons to avoid probate?
If you have heard anything about probate, you were probably told to avoid it at all costs. However, you may not know what it is, what the drawbacks are and most importantly, how best to avoid it.
March 27, 2023 · 2 min read
Protect your prized pet: Create a pet trust
Since 87% of Americans consider their pets to be family members, making a pet trust is only logical. There's no greater sense of security than knowing you've provided for all your family, whether two-legged, four-legged, or feathered. Read more to find out how to create a pet trust.
March 24, 2023 · 3 min read