Estate Planning
“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children” _Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)
"Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give." -William A. Ward
TIPS:
At least have a will specially if you have children.... you don't want the state to decide who will raise your kids
If your situation is complicated like if you have a business or a blended family or you have family that will cause trouble, have a special needs child or irresponsible children go a see a lawyer who specializes in wills, estates and trusts.
5 Best Free or Cheap Online Will Makers
Alert: Funeral Home Scam Targets Grieving Families
Quick video on estate planning
Low-Cost Cremation Services: 5 Things to Know
You Can Save Big Money on Caskets at Costco, Walmart and Amazon
Wills & Funerals Archives - Clark Howard
How to have that end-of-life financial discussion with your elderly loved ones
How To Make Your Online Accounts Accessible When You Die
Your right to get information about funeral services by phone
Expert Interview: End-of-Life Planning Everyone Needs to Do
What Do I Do To Make Sure My Financial Affairs Are in Order Before I Die or Become Disabled?
Shrink That Estate tax: Worried about federal and state estate taxes? Adam Grossman offers a handful of intriguing strategies—including some you may not have thought of.
Alert: Funeral Home Scam Targets Grieving Families
Why You Really Need To Create a Will
What to Do With an Inheritance
Who Should Consider Setting Up a Trust?
Inheriting an IRA? Here’s What You Need to Know
How to Start a Private Foundation https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Private-Foundation
5 Things to Know About Donor-Advised Funds: https://www.consumerreports.org/charitable-donations/donor-advised-funds-things-to-know/
Helping mom and dad transition from one stage to another
DIY EMERGENCY BINDER; BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED
Can I Use an Online Will Maker or Do I Need an Attorney?
Will vs. Trust: What’s the Difference?
Who Should Consider Setting Up a Trust?
How To Make Your Online Accounts Accessible When You Die
Expert Interview: End-of-Life Planning Everyone Needs To Do
What You Need to Know about Writing a Will That Will Protect Your Heirs
Frugal Funeral Preplanning Tips
4 Excuses We Make for Not Having a Will
How to Disclaim an Inherited IRA
Should You DIY Your Own Estate Plan?
Learn about different types of vital records and what you need to do to request them.
A Checklist for What to Do (and NOT Do) After Someone Dies
After The Funeral: An Executor’s Checklist
Compassionate Choices: We're an organization dedicated to improving care, expanding options and empowering everyone to chart their end-of-life journey.
8 Tips for Leaving Heirlooms Without Causing a Family Fight
Write Your Legal Will Online, Free & Simple | FreeWill
Choosing a Guardian for Your Child
Looking for instructions to build your own casket?
How To Make Your Online Accounts Accessible When You Die
Funerals: To Pre-Plan or Not to Pre-Plan
Clark Howard’s Blueprint for Funeral Planning
What You Need to Know about Writing a Will That Will Protect Your Heirs
What Is a Revocable Living Trust?
How much is too much to leave your children? You may be surprised.
Do I Need a Will? A Question Everyone Needs to Answer
What Happens To Your Credit Card Debt When You Die or Divorce?
Discussing Family Legacy Plans? 5 Tips to Navigate ‘the Talk’
Uncomfortable Lessons I Have Learned in Estate Planning
Got Cash on Hand? How to Protect It from Lawsuits
How to Protect Your Estate: A Pandemic-Inspired Checklist
Financial Paperwork and Information Your Elderly Parents Should Have On Hand
How to Keep Your Estate Plan from Jeopardizing a Disabled Heir’s Benefits
4 Financial Steps to Take if You’re Raising a Child With Special Needs
2 Clever Ways to Gift Your Home to Your Kids
Clark Howard’s Blueprint for Funeral Planning
You’ll Regret Keeping These 9 Things in a Safe Deposit Box
Does Debt Disappear When You Die? Here’s What You Need to Know
What to Do When You’re the Executor
Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Basics
Dividing Up Family Heirlooms When Downsizing
All About Wills and Estate Planning in Plain English
What Does the Executor of a Will Do?
Checklist for when a spouse dies
Write this letter to your family before you’re gone.
Dear Wife, Here's How to FIRE If I Die Early
How Do We Protect the Next Generation from Blowing Our Money?
Getting Your Family's Financial and Legal Affairs In Order
Estate planning mistakes to avoid
Planning for diminished capacity and illness
33 States with No Estate Taxes or Inheritance Taxes
Smart Ways to Handle an Inheritance
10 Best Online Will Makers 2021
What Happens to Your Digital Assets When You Die?
How To Store Your Important Financial Documents Online
Do You Have an In-Case-of Emergency Binder?
Put together your home finance binder
How to leave behind a digital legacy
End-of-Life Planning Everyone Needs to Do
Three Things I Learned From My Estate Planning Lawyer Everyone Should Do
5 Steps to Overcoming Estate Planning Procrastination
13 Smart Estate-Planning Moves
Estate Planning for ‘Black Sheep’ Beneficiaries
Debt After Death: What You Should Know
Finding someone to sell your stuff after you’re gone
10 Common Estate Planning Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
What About Wills and Health Care Advanced Directives?
How long will you live? Researchers create new life expectancy calculator
6 Legal Documents Retirees Need - but Don't Have
Three Things I Learned From My Estate Planning Lawyer Everyone Should Do
This Simple Tool Can Help Organize Your Estate
Inheritance Tips So You Don't Screw Up Your Child's Life
Tomorrow me: free estate planning information, here you can get free wills drafted to your needs for free
DR Podcast 297: The Blue Binder – How to Create a Financial Binder: Rob Berger from Dough Roller Money Podcast has a blue binder. It’s an organized collection of his family finances, accounts, instructions and resources that his wife and children will need to refer to should something happen to him. If you don’t have something similar already, you should start one now and in this episode, you’ll learn more details about what to include and how often you should review and revise it.
Family In Case of Emergency Binder - Smart Money Mamas: Whether you are married or not, completing the “In Case of Emergency Binder” will organize all of your important information in one place for your loved ones in case something happens to you. It’s not a topic most people want to talk about but illnesses, injuries, and tragedies happen.
The Essential Estate Planning Documents: What You Need and Why
LINKS
What Is a Power of Attorney and Do You Need One?
6 Reasons Women's Estate Planning is Essential
Complete Estate Planning Guide In The Digital Age | FinTech Freedom
Parents guide to creating a will from Consumer Reports
6 Things to Do With Your Adult Children Before You Leave Them an Inheritance
Funeral Consumers Alliance Funeral Consumers Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting a consumer's right to choose a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral.
Planning a funeral? Know your rights | FTC Consumer Information
11 Ways to Make a Funeral Affordable but Not Cheap
15 Ways to Reduce Funeral Expenses
What Happens to My Debts When I Die?
Will Family Members Inherit Your Debt?
Death Disruptors: The burial business is being reincarnated into startups
How to choose the executor of your estate - The Washington Post
5 Financial Steps You Should Take When a Spouse Dies
Why You Should Ask Your Children If They Want Your Stuff
Five Wishes Is Simple Tool to Write Living Will
How and Where to Create a Will Online (Without a Lawyer) - The Dough Roller
How an Elder Law Attorney Can Help Elders and Caregivers
Estate Planning for the Newly Remarried
What Is a Power of Attorney and Do You Need One?
How to Close Accounts and Cancel Benefits After Someone Dies
Missing a Step when establishing a trust
A Step-by-Step Guide to Being an Executor
12 Times When You Should Update Your Will
To find a qualified lawyer who specializes on estate planning go to www.estateplanforyou.com
You can create your own will and testament by going online and using www.willmaker.com or Legalzoom Last Will and Testament. These packages are excellent for simple situations but if you have a lot of money and a family that will fight over your estate or a special needs child is better to consult with a lawyer. You can save money if you use these products anyway and then go to a lawyer and have the lawyer review them for you.
You can also get a simple will and trust for free at Tomorrow me. Tomorrow helps parents make important decisions to give their children a better future. Tomorrow is the world's first mobile app to combine a will, trust, and insurance into a beautifully unified experience.
Estate Planning for the Soon to Be Retired
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/15/15mar16e.cfm?DST0426
6 Options to Fund Long-Term Care in Retirement
Dementia: How to Find the Right Fit for Long-Term Care
When planning for your future medical care, prepare your advance directives to be sure your loved ones make health choices according to your wishes. Just select your state from the drop-down menu below and download the free advance directive forms for you to use. You'll find instructions on how to fill out the forms.
https://theconversationproject.org/starter-kits/
Starter Kits The Conversation Starter Kit is a useful tool to help you have the conversation with a family member, friend, or other loved one about your - or their - wishes regarding end-of-life care.
End-of-Life Planning Everyone Needs to Do
What Happens to Your Pets When You Die? - Estate Planning With Cats & Dogs
Hospice: Improving Care at the End of Life
End-of-Life Planning Everyone Needs to Do
The True Cost of End-of-Life Care
Dealing with a deceased relative’s debt
QUOTES:
Insider Advice: Funerals: I work for a funeral home in California and I just wanted to share some info. Embalming is NOT required by law unless there will be a public viewing/visitation/wake. Many families who want to see their loved one a last time can arrange for a private ID viewing without the need for embalming. This is usually reserved for the immediate family only and lasts for a shorter period of time. Direct cremation/immediate burial are the most economical and you can hold a memorial service or 'celebration of life' at your home or have a reception where you may choose. A graveside service is also economical. Also, there are extra fees for evening and weekend services. Definitely try to make your own arrangements in advance. By doing this, your loved ones will not have to worry about price calculations when you pass on.
Will Your Family Be Protected? I speak from experience that the small amount to pay for a will by far out ways the price you will pay if you are left without a roof over your head if a loved one dies. My late husband was never a contract type of person and a handshake was a deal. I knew when I saw him and his three other siblings photocopy pictures of the family cottage that we needed a will. I'm not a greedy person by any stretch of the imagination, but I worked very hard for everything and value what I have. As luck would turn out, I was able to convince him to get a will and shortly after, he became very ill. He passed suddenly and his family came calling for what they felt was rightfully theirs. They came around several times and each time, I showed them the will. I did give each of them some mementos, but only through my choice and selection. I haven't seen them for awhile now and I realize that not everyone has family or people in their lives that are like that. I know of many examples of people that never got a will. One in particular took years and a lot of money for the estate to be settled. Something else I learned NOT the hard way thankfully, was to NEVER sign anything that anyone gives you unless you are at the lawyer's office. Don't ever give money to someone in the hopes that they will leave you alone, because they will just keep coming back for more. Do your homework and give your money to a reputable lawyer. It can mean the difference between becoming homeless or having a roof over your head. I know as a widow a few people that were not as fortunate as myself and although my life isn't too difficult, some others will struggle for the rest of their lives to regain what they earned and should have had in the first place had their loved one left a will. Karen K. from Dollar Stretcher Tips