1) Myth: My spouse can make all of my healthcare and financial decisions because he/she is my spouse. Reality: This is not always the case. To make sure your spouse can indeed make important medical decisions on your behalf, you should sign a durable power of attorney, health care proxy and HIPAA Authorization. 2) Myth: I’ve told my family how I want my affairs handled…
Are Any of These 11 Mistakes Lurking in Your Estate Plan?
1) Lack of Healthcare and Disability Planning. The majority of deaths occur in hospitals or other institutions. Patients may be incapacitated to the point where they can no longer communicate their healthcare wishes. Health Care Proxies, living wills and MOLST forms can identify medical decision-makers, specify wishes for end-of-life care, and Trusts and Durable Powers of Attorney can provide a formal plan to control financial…
Don’t Allow New Accounts to Catch Clients Unaware
As a financial or tax professional, what could be more important than the financial health of your clients? As you know, a comprehensive trust-centered estate plan allows your clients to provide for loved ones, affording them immense peace of mind. But, estate planning is not a one-time event since trust-centered estate plans require careful supervision and regular reviews to function properly. Accordingly, it’s crucial…
Planning for Individuals and Couples Without Children
How to Tailor the Conversation to Their Goals Professionals often have a clear path to starting the estate planning discussion when their clients have children, as many estate planning discussions center around clients’ objectives for passing their wealth, properties, and legacy to the next generation. Because of this traditional emphasis on the next generation, individuals and couples without children can easily arrive at the conclusion…
Don’t Let Change Wreck Your Business: The Buy-Sell Agreement
Divorce – an unexpected death, disability, or retirement – an irreconcilable dispute. Any of these events may put your successful, stable business into a tailspin. Luckily, a buy-sell agreement can help you and your business be better prepared to handle these events. What is a Buy-Sell Agreement? A buy-sell agreement is a legally binding agreement between co-owners of a business that controls what happens if…
Estate Planning Projects to Tackle in the New Year
As the end of the year approaches and you begin to look back on 2018, what changes need to be reflected in your estate plan? Have you gotten married or divorced in the past year? Perhaps you’ve welcomed a new child or grandchild, or experienced a change in your health. So much can change in a year, and it’s important not to let too much…
5 Hidden Client Risks That Demand Your Immediate Attention
How to Steer Your Clients in the Right Direction Estate planning provides your clients with a wealth of opportunities to strategically grow their net worth while also planning for their families’ future comfort and security. Opportunity brings risk, but also the potential reward of deeper, longer-lasting client relationships. Educational Topics for Your Clients That Can Help Your Business What you don’t know can end up…
Three Legal Strategies When Facing a Major Health Event
What You and Your Family Need to Know Receiving a health diagnosis or learning that you need to undergo major surgery can cause substantial disruption in your day-to-day life. During this time, the last thing you may want to think about is estate planning. Although you may have many things going through your head at the moment, now is a crucial time to make sure…
Do your parents have an estate plan?
If you find yourself in the “sandwich generation” (someone who is caring for both your children as well as your parents simultaneously), you need to know whether or not your parents have put together an estate plan. While it is still your parent’s choice to make estate planning decisions, having a plan — no matter how late in life it is created — is an…
Your Fall “Legal Affairs” Checklist
With the fall season approaching, it’s an excellent time to review your affairs. Below is a checklist to ensure your planning meets your needs and is up-to-date: 1. When was your power of attorney last updated? A power of attorney is a valuable legal document, no matter what the circumstance. Not only is it flexible and can be prepared to meet your particular needs, but…