According to the Federal Reserve, the average American household gets $46,200 when it comes to inheritances. When it comes to estate planning, one decision stands out among the rest: selecting beneficiaries who get this inheritance. This choice can significantly...
Protect Yourself And Your Family
Estate Planning
Understanding how revocable and irrevocable trusts differ
When planning for the future, it is important to consider asset management and distribution. A trust is a type of legal arrangement that allows you to transfer your property and assets to a separate entity, with that entity then managing the trust according to your...
When should you update your estate plan?
Some people view estate planning as an end goal or a finite process. This is far from the truth. Estate planning evolves over time, which means ongoing involvement. When you create an estate plan, you should make an effort to keep it updated and current. There are a...
Should you include aging in place in your estate plan?
Looking ahead, you may consider forming an estate plan to help manage your assets before and after your death. Fidelity Investments recommends creating an estate plan depending on the size of your estate, the number of your assets and if you have a family. An aspect...
The difference between a durable and regular power of attorney
When planning for the future, it becomes important to understand the legal instruments available for personal and financial affairs. Two common instruments are the power of attorney and the durable power of attorney. Both allow a person to appoint another individual...
Can you control what your heirs do with your money?
When planning for your own death, of the most emotionally challenging aspects is the fear of the unknown. When deciding what property or money to leave to your loved ones, you may question whether they will use their inheritances wisely. While you can not fully...
The Importance of Estate Planning for Small Business Owners – Part 5
Charitable Gifts A recent blog post of mine spoke about charitable trusts and the various ways to incorporate charitable giving into your estate plan as an individual. While the overall process is similar for someone who owns a business, there are a few notable...
The Importance of Estate Planning for Small Business Owners – Part 4
I love the entrepreneurial spirit that exists here in New Hampshire, and it can be seen in the broad variety of businesses we have across our state. With those different types of businesses come many different types of assets, some tangible and some intangible. This...
The Importance of Estate Planning for Small Business Owners – Part 3
How Retirement Impacts Estate Planning Very often, when someone passes away, the buy-sell agreement will have been funded with life insurance. When someone is going to retire, you don't have that. Getting to a full retirement for someone who has run a small business...
The Importance of Estate Planning for Small Business Owners – Part 2
How Do Various Types of Business Ownership Impact the Estate Planning Process? When someone passes away and an estate plan comes into effect, there will be differences based on a variety of factors, such as the size of the business, how the business is structured, and...