Basic Estate Planning

When California insurance broker Chris Thorndike awoke on Friday morning, he was besieged with an unusual amount of voicemail and inbox messages with the ominous title “Wildfire Updates”. From that moment on, Thorndike, who is President of NorthStar Risk Management & Insurance in Walnut Creek, California worked to help 15 of his clients under mandatory evacuation in the Malibu and Thousand Oaks area understand how their insurance would help them as the fires played out.

by Megan Gorman, Forbes 

How do you prepare your children to receive an inheritance?  What can you do now to make them better money managers?  Passing your legacy to your children requires acknowledgement of family values and fiscal preparation, early on.  

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.

By Cori A. Robinson, Esq., Above The Law | Link to original article here.

It’s currently estimated that only 9% of people with Wills include provisions for their cats, dogs, or exotic birds. And unless you already have a sibling or friend who’s explicitly pledged to look after Pawudrey Hepburn, that could leave your pet in limbo if something serious happens to you.

by Kristin Hunt, Everplans | Link to original article here

Cryptocurrency is the latest financial innovation for exchanging assets.  What is it?  How is it acquired?  Can you incorporate into your estate plan?  

Are you thinking about creating an estate plan or restating your existing plan?  Are you trying to find where to start and who to represent you in assisting with this?  This week, we discuss how you can find the right legacy planner for you.  

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 your life. 

Link to Original Article by Daniel Scott, Forbes, July 26, 2018

Understanding the Probate process emphasizes that proper estate planning is vital!  This week, we give you an introduction to Probate, what it is and what it entails.  

Aretha Franklin's recent passing brought to light another celebrity estate lacking the proper protection planning to avoid probate.  We have provided a reminder checklist to prevent this from happening to you and your family...

This week marks the first week of school for many families.  While the kids are at school, we continue to discuss financial planning  in Part 2 of our Back-to-School Checklist.  Keep your preparation-game strong by using these planning tools!