Estate Planning
The
principles of Estate Planning are simple. What is yours is yours.
Your assets should be protected during your lifetime and distributed
according to your instructions after your death. If you do not
do some planning ahead of time you will not only lose control
of your assets and the distribution thereof, but you might just
find a new relative you didn't know you had. Uncle Sam.
Planning one's estate is not terribly difficult. However, a poorly
constructed estate plan almost always causes more harm than good.
The following are common goals, tools and guidelines used by many
estate-planning professionals.
Estate
Planning Goals
- Minimize
Death Expense
- Avoid Death
Tax
- Assets
to Proper People
- Business
Survival
- Ease Burden
of Your Heirs
|
Estate
Planning Tools
- Proper Medical
Coverage
- Life Insurance
- Wills &
Trusts
- Buy Sell
Agreements
- Long-term
Care Insurance
|
Basic Estate
Planning Guidelines
Though
most Americans are aware that they need a will, the majority haven't
prepared one. The objective of an estate plan is to protect your
assets and make sure your instructions are followed should you
become permanently disabled or die. Although there are software
packages that can assist you in planning your estate you would
be well served to consult an estate-planning specialist. Once
you're gone mistakes are hard to correct and a poorly designed
estate plan can do more harm than good.
These
are the items associated with a thorough plan:
- Will
- Living Will
- Health Care Power
of Attorney
- Durable Power
of Attorney
- Life Insurance
- Disability and
Long-term Care Insurance
Estate planning is a family issue and is not just for senior citizens.
Therefore we will make a few suggestions as to what an estate
plan might look like at different stages in one's life. Contact
us to start planning today.