Determine which of your loved one’s accounts contains cash that can be accessed for the beneficiaries’ needs and other expenses. The last thing you want is for an item to be repossessed or the electricity turned off due to non-payment.
Author Archives: Skvarna Law
Along with your financial advisor, we can help determine which of your resources can be used to fund the special needs trust or if a life insurance policy may be needed to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to provide for the beneficiary’s care.
If your adoption is not yet final, but you love the child you intend to adopt and want to provide for him or her, you need to specifically name the child in your estate planning documents.
Most adoptions involve minor children. Arrange for someone to care for the new child if something happens to you. Appoint a guardian, i.e., a caregiver, in your will. This person will act as your child’s parent if you become disabled or die.
If you are an individual with a high net worth, financial planning often moves beyond retirement planning to laying the foundation for multigenerational wealth transfer or achieving philanthropic objectives.
It is important to contact an experienced probate and trust administration attorney to help you with the process, as well as any other legal matters that may arise during this difficult and emotional time.
Make sure that your family members have proper medical powers of attorney and advance directives in place. These documents contain their wishes about how they would like their medical care to be handled if they are not able to make decisions for themselves.
If you are planning to speak to your parents about the need for an estate plan, it is important to try to include any siblings in the discussion to avoid giving the impression that you are trying to influence or control your parents’ choices.
Farming can be a very strenuous and taxing career. Having a medical power of attorney in place is therefore crucial. This document allows you to name an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to do so.
Last week, we began a two-part series about designating beneficiaries for your life insurance policy. Click here to read that post. Here is part 2. Protection against your creditors.