Tag Archives: estate planning
What are Enhanced Life Estate Deeds?
Florida is one of three states (along with Texas and Michigan) that recognizes enhanced life estate deeds, also referred to as “Lady Bird” deeds. The purpose of these estate planning tools is to transfer real estate outside of probate to a beneficiary named in the deed. Under a standard life estate deed, the owner of […]
Tips for Safely Storing Your Estate Planning Documents
Once you’ve completed your estate plan, you must make sure you safely store away the hard copies of the documents you have so they can be protected and secure, yet still available when you need to access them. Below are some tips for ideal storage solutions: Attorney: Ask the attorney you worked with if he […]
Estate Planning Not Just for People with Children
There is a common misconception that estate planning is only really necessary for people who have children to whom they wish to pass down their assets. However, estate planning is so much more than asset distribution — there are many reasons why it’s important for people to develop an estate plan, even if they don’t […]
What You Should Know About Your Beneficiary Designations
Part of planning your estate thoroughly is making sure all your beneficiary designations are in order. There are certain types of assets (generally, financial accounts and insurance policies) that will allow you to designate beneficiaries. These designations allow for an easy transfer of those account benefits to your beneficiary after you pass away. Having this […]
Basic Things to Know about Writing a Will
A last will and testament is the most basic estate planning tool you can use to pass down your assets to your loved ones or charities of your choosing. If you have not yet begun the process of creating your own will, below are just a few things you should know before you get started: […]
Why You Might Consider Naming a Professional Trustee
If your estate plan incorporates one or more trusts, you are most likely serving as the current trustee, with your spouse or partner listed as a co-trustee who would then be able to manage the trust if you become unable to do so due to death or incapacitation. But what happens if your spouse becomes […]
Outlining Your Options to Pay for Nursing Home Care
As part of your estate planning process, it’s important to consider how you will pay for nursing home or other long-term care in the event it becomes necessary later in life. Although this long-term care can be very expensive, there are ways you can get assistance outside using your personal finances alone. The following provides […]
What Should You Look For in Your Estate Planning Attorney?
If you are just getting started with the process of planning your estate, one of the first steps you’ll need to take is finding an estate planning attorney with whom you feel comfortable working. If you’ve never worked with a lawyer, you may not know which characteristics you should prioritize. Below are just a few […]
Tips for Gifting Assets to Beneficiaries Before Your Passing
You can help your estate avoid the probate process by passing on some of your property to your children before you die. As a bonus, it can be satisfying to actually witness your loved ones and other beneficiaries enjoy the gifts you leave for them. However, there are some issues to consider with regard to […]
What Does a Trustee Do?
Once you create a trust, you need to assign a trustee who will manage the trust and the assets contained within it when you are unable to do so yourself. Anyone you name to the position of trustee will have significant authority over those assets. You should trust this person to handle your assets responsibly […]