When drafting an estate plan, a major part of the process involves deciding which beneficiaries will receive specific assets. With family heirlooms and other items with sentimental value, this may mean assigning individual items. With bank accounts or other financial...
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Estate Planning And Administration
Potential benefits of a POD account
A payable on death account, or POD account, gives you a chance to select the beneficiary for your bank account. Ordinarily, if you pass away with a traditional bank account, it then has to go through probate and be distributed in accordance with your will. But with a...
Are there any problems with leaving unequal bequests?
When you make your estate plan, it is up to you how you want to divide your assets. Some people keep things simple and split their assets equally, but you can also use unequal bequests, leaving different amounts to different beneficiaries. For instance, say that you...
How an incentive trust can influence a beneficiary’s life
Leaving someone an inheritance can always change their life in certain ways. If you leave a beneficiary $200,000, even if you just give them the money directly, it will give them a lot of options. People may use the money to start a business, buy a home or save for...
2 ways your estate plan can address future healthcare needs
It is important to address your assets, whether they are financial or tangible, when making an estate plan. You can select beneficiaries and choose people who get certain assets or tell them how they have to divide things amongst themselves, such as leaving joint...
Identifying heirs during estate administration
Executors or personal representatives managing estate administration have many responsibilities. They have to fulfill financial obligations, initiate probate proceedings and distribute estate resources. Oftentimes, personal representatives rely on wills and estate...
Can I transfer my assets as tax-free gifts?
As you grow old, you may start to gain more wealth and accumulate new assets. Although including them in your will as future inheritance to your loved ones may seem reassuring, it can also significantly increase your estate taxes after you pass away. However, there...
The right way to introduce a prenup before marriage
When couples prepare for marriage, their focus is often on celebrating love and building a life together. However, marriage is also a legal partnership that carries financial and legal responsibilities. This is why some couples choose to sign a prenuptial agreement....
3 ways trustees and personal representatives can protect themselves
Serving as a fiduciary during estate or trust administration involves a degree of risk. Personal representatives or trustees are subject to a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of the estate or trust. They generally have an obligation to follow the instructions...
This simple tool keeps real property out of probate court
Wealth preservation and transfers are important considerations during estate planning. Many people aim to keep resources out of probate court whenever possible. Doing so can help reduce estate tax obligations and limit secondary claims against those assets. Real...


