As your parents age, it's natural to have concerns about their estate plan. Even if they have a plan in place, it never hurts to discuss it with them to ensure that they haven't overlooked anything of importance.
What to do if you're concerned about too big of an inheritance
For many Californians, estate planning is about setting their loved one's up for as much financial stability as possible. In many cases, this means splitting an estate amongst children or leaving everything to a surviving spouse. While many individuals wish they had more assets to leave to their loved ones, there are some instances where an estate planner may be concerned about leaving too much.
Helping Californians achieve their estate planning goals\
With the ringing in of a New Year, people often reflect on the events that have personally affected them over the last year. Some of these events may be joyous, such as the birth of a grandchild or marriage, but others may be heartbreaking, such as the passing of a loved one. While these events and their remembrance can give rise to a whole host of emotions, they should also spur consideration of what the future may look like. While this often takes the form of goal planning, such as changing jobs, losing weight or being more communicative with loved ones, individuals should also think about their estate and how it will be handled when their time comes.
Try to avoid these common estate planning mistakes
Thinking about the future can be inspiring but it can also be a difficult task. Just as its name implies, successful estate planning requires foresight and diligence. While this is true for the initial creation of an estate plan, it holds true as time passes and life changes occur. This is why Californians need to be thoughtful about how and when to modify their estate plans. This is really the only way to achieve desired outcomes. This week, this blog will look at some common estate planning mistakes. Those who find themselves susceptible to any number of them should consider reaching out to an estate planning attorney to figure out how best to remedy the situation.
Life insurance is an important estate planning consideration
Planning for the future can be a complex process. An estate plan needs to be tailored to fit your needs. This may mean benefiting a charitable cause, taking care of a long loved pet or providing as much financial security to your loved ones as possible. Depending on your goals, you'll need to turn to certain estate planning vehicles, such as wills and trusts, and customize them so that they further your best interest.
Medical instructions can be key to successful estate planning
A lot of estate planning is focused on the distribution of wealth upon an individual's passing. While this is certainly an important aspect of the estate planning process, it is only a portion of what should be a comprehensive estate planning approach.
Things to consider even after an estate plan is created
To some, creating an estate plan seems like a monumental task. Even after they get over the fact of having to consider their own mortality, many Californians struggle to decide how to distribute their assets.
Dealing with retirement accounts during estate planning
Many people have retirement accounts and other investments, as well as Social Security benefits that they have worked hard to earn and build. Although these individuals hope to take advantage of these resources when the time comes, they don't always live long enough to do so. In those instances, major questions can be raised about how those assets will be distributed. Without an effective estate plan, those financial resources may be passed down to someone who doesn't deserve them.
Estate planning procrastination: how to stop it
Most people avoid thinking about death. The mere thought of our own mortality often makes us uncomfortable, and it depresses our spirits.
Effective estate planning can avoid illusion of unfairness
There is a lot of decision-making that goes into estate planning. Perhaps the biggest decisions are those that determine to whom assets will be distributed when the time comes.
