Articles and Resources

Estate planning is a cornerstone of any healthy financial plan, but it can be difficult to discuss.

My boyfriend and I have lived together for 13 years but he is still officially married to another woman. He has a life insurance policy and I’m the beneficiary, and I’m also the beneficiary of his 401(k). Do we need a will and do I have to worry about his wife getting the money?

What happens if a non-spouse beneficiary inherits an IRA account but dies before the money is put in her name. There were no contingent beneficiaries. Which estate would get the IRA?

Your estate plan is much more likely to be successful, when you recognize and avoid the most common mistakes and take some key actions that often are overlooked.

I know of someone who was joint account holder with his dad for many years, then later his dad then appointed him as power of attorney. How does that work? Is the son still a joint account holder?

Understanding what happens to your debt when you die is an important part of estate planning—and you don’t have to be rich to have an estate. Everything you own and owe makes up your estate. For many people, that includes a house with a mortgage.

Do I need a trust in case something happens to me?

It may seem like a grim way to spend your free time, but planning your estate when you are young can actually give you the peace of mind you will need to enjoy your golden years in the future.

The Wealth Advisor’s recent article entitled “Beware of These Common Estate Planning Scams” advises you to avoid these common estate planning scams. Cold Calls Offering to Prepare Estate Plans. Scammers call and email purporting to be long lost relatives who’ve had their wallets stolen and are stranded in a foreign country. Seniors fall prey to…