Beware of “Simple” Estate Plans “I just need a simple will.” It’s a phrase estate planning attorney hear practically every other day. From the client’s perspective, there’s no reason to do anything complicated, especially if it might lead to higher legal fees. Unfortunately, what may appear to be a “simple” estate is all too often…
Continue reading…Category: Guardianship
Finding Direction When Facing a Terminal Diagnosis
When you or someone you love is told time is limited, your entire world can turn upside-down. Dealing with practicalities can serve as a recognizable path, giving you grounding during a time when everything feels out of control. Here are some basic arrangements to consider that can help you find direction when facing a terminal…
Continue reading…Trust & Estate Planning FAQs with Tiffany Ballenger Floyd
Q: Isn’t Estate Planning Just for Rich People? A: NO!! Many people have preconceived notions about estate planning and believe that it is only necessary for multi-millionaires who wish to leave large trust funds to their children. However, this is far from the truth; an estate plan can be invaluable tools in the many people’s (not…
Continue reading…Worst-Case Scenario.
In March of 2017, a good friend of mine died tragically in a horrific car accident. She left behind her 9-year old twin daughters. The event had a massive effect on my life for several reasons. I have been fortunate enough to only ever have experienced the loss of my Great Grandparents & Grandparents, which…
Continue reading…4 Estate Planning Myths That Refuse To Die
By Ron Carson, Forbes, May 5, 2019 Link to Original Article Estate planning remains one of the most misunderstood areas of planning. Over the years, I’ve met with people who “only needed a financial plan, not an estate plan” or “didn’t need a financial plan, just some help with estate planning.” I’ve also met with…
Continue reading…3 Steps to Prepare your Children for an Inheritance
How do you prepare your children to receive their inheritance? Your children receive their inheritance according to the directions you provide in your trust document. What if your children are not fiscally prepared to manage their inheritance? Talking to your children about your plan to include them in your in regard to their inheritance is…
Continue reading…The Thanksgiving Table Is The Perfect Forum To Discuss Estate Planning
In addition to expressing thanks for all that you have in this world, take the opportunity, while your loved ones are relegated to one table, to discuss, or at least investigate, the following topics that will surely give them pumpkin to talk about. Power of Attorney: Easy as pie to execute, a Power of…
Continue reading…Estate Planning Is Dead
by Daniel Scott, Forbes July 26, 2018 Link to Original Article Estate planning is dead. Gone are the days of creating legal structures to hold your assets, pass your fortune on to the next generation and, of course, avoid paying estate taxes. Gone are the days of planning for your death. It’s time to plan for…
Continue reading…What Is Probate?
At Phillips Ballenger, we believe that proper estate planning is essential in avoiding probate. Probate, a process regulated by statutory guidelines and applied through the courts, is triggered when an individual dies without a trust. This process, like other forms of litigation, can be long, arduous, and sadly, adversarial. This week, we give you an introduction…
Continue reading…Back-to-School Checklist: A Reminder to Reassess your Financial Planning (Part 2)
For many families, this week marks the beginning of a new school year. This week, we continue with the academic theme, and give you Part 2 of the Back-to-School Checklist. In this final segment, we are discussing the importance of updating your trust documents and planning for the holidays. Update Your Trust Documents Established revocable…
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