For the most part, people agree that estate planning is important and necessary. After all, if you don’t specify what happens to your money, your assets, and even your children after you die, someone else will. Unfortunately, many people die without having an estate plan in place. According to Gallup, a little more than half of Americans die without having a living will. And more than 70% of Continue Reading
Estate Plan Moves for Your 40s
By the time you’re in your forties, you should have a pretty thorough estate plan in place. You might have kids and a spouse to think of, are more established in your career and typically have some assets to your name. Don’t panic if you’ve barely begun on your estate plan. It’s simple to put the basics in place, and you can fill in any gaps from there. That being said, if you’re missing Continue Reading
The Best Financial Gifts to Give Your Loved Ones
What are you giving your valentine this year? Most people opt for candy, flowers or reservations at a nice restaurant. Unlike chocolate and roses, there are some financial gifts that show your love while truly standing the test of time. Here are some of the best financial gifts you can give to show someone you care: Life Insurance If you have loved ones that depend on you and your Continue Reading
Charitable Giving: How to Work it Into Your Life, Budget and Estate Plan
Your goals and values are an important foundation for a working budget. You consider what you need for an emergency fund, what you want to save for and how much to put away for retirement. But it's also important to look at what's important to you. In many cases, that can come in the form of charitable giving. You might want to give to your church, your alma mater or a cause that you have a Continue Reading
5 Ways to Maximize Your Inheritance
When you receive an inheritance, regardless of amount, you're going to need to figure out how to put it to its best use. Depending on who left it to you, you may have different emotions and ideas surrounding that decision. Here are some of the most common questions and scenarios you might face with an inheritance - and the best ways to deal with it going forward: How should I put this to the Continue Reading
Why Life Insurance is NOT an Investment
If you consider life insurance an investment, you're not alone. Permanent life insurance is often sold as an investment wrapped up in an insurance policy, but don't be too hasty to sign off on the dotted line on a certain product. There may be better options for you, and far better investments. Here's what you need to know before shopping for life insurance: If you're a more visual learner, Continue Reading
Estate Planning for Young Families
In the excitement and exhaustion of caring for young children, estate planning is probably not be at the top of your priority list. But all families, especially those with young children, should have a basic estate plan in place. If something unfortunate were to happen, your family would be grateful that you took the time to put a plan together. Here are nine things to keep in mind as you Continue Reading
Five Essential Items for Your Estate Plan
It’s unpleasant to think about our own mortality, but it’s important for all of us to consider what would happen if we were to pass away or become incapacitated. Stop and think about it for a moment: what would happen to your assets if you were to pass away? What would happen to your loved ones? An estate plan spells out exactly what will happen to your assets and your dependents upon your Continue Reading
Estate Planning Lessons We Can Learn From Cinderella
We’re all familiar with the story of Cinderella. Her mother died when she was young, and she was raised by her loving father. Eventually, he remarries in order to give his beloved Cinderella a stepmother and stepsisters. Then Cinderella’s father dies and leaves everything to the stepmother, who uses the inherited riches for herself and her two daughters. The stepmother and sisters are cruel to Continue Reading