Every year, Veteran’s Day is held to commemorate the sacrifices of U.S veterans. Veteran’s Day takes place on November 11th, and we’re able to honor the men and women who defended our country in armed conflicts. This holiday replaced Armistice Day in the 1950s and, ever 1954, it has been a sacred time of remembrance. 

Veteran’s Day honors the men and women who have made a difference in our lives with their bravery. How are you making a difference in your own life? Contact WFP and consult an estate planning attorney to get your must-have documents in place. A comprehensive estate plan improves your sense of security and peace of mind. 

Must-Have Documents

In this article, we’ll discuss some must-haves for estate planning, including: beneficiary designations, letter of intent, durable power of attorney, wills, trusts, healthcare power of attorney, and guardianship designations. 

Beneficiary Designations 

There are different assets that can pass to your heirs without you having to dictate them in the will (i.e. 401(k) plan assets). For this reason, it’s important to maintain both a beneficiary and contingent beneficiary on these accounts. Insurance plans, for example, should have a beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary, in the event that the assets pass outside of the will.

Letter of Intent

A letter of intent is a document that you leave to your executor or beneficiary. The letter of intent defines what you want done with your assets after you die or if you are incapacitated. Other letters of intent contain special requests and funeral details. Though letters of intent are not legally binding, they’re informative of your intentions and can have an impact in probate court.

Durable Power of Attorney

A durable power of attorney is someone assigned to act on your behalf if you are unable to do so. If you don’t have a durable POA, a court might decide what happens to your assets in the event you’re found incompetent. That decision, in turn, might not comport with your views.

Wills

A last will and testament is a finale expression of what you want to happen with your assets when you die. Wills and testaments have to be written according to the legal rules of the state in which you live; otherwise, they will not be legally enforceable and could be challenged in probate court, where they have to be authenticated.

Trusts

Trusts are a three-party fiduciary relationship. You, the grantor, transfer title of an asset to a trustee. The trustee, a secondary party, holds the title until you want the beneficiary, the third party, to have it. For example, a beneficiary might get title after you die. Often, trusts are vaunted above other estate planning documents because they don’t require you to go through probate court.

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Much like a durable power of attorney, a healthcare power of attorney makes decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so (if you fall into a coma, for example). The healthcare POA’s decision-making arena involves medical decisions, and they will uphold your wishes for your healthcare, even if you can’t voice them yourself.

Guardianship Designations 

If you have small children, it’s important to include guardianship designations in your estate plan. This paperwork will ensure that your kids have a legal guardian if something happens to you and your spouse. Talk with your proposed guardian before filing a designation to make sure that he or she is on board with this major responsibility.

If this all sounds confusing, don’t worry. Estate planning can be complicated, but, if you have an attorney to help you, it will make more sense. You’ll be able to complete your estate plan efficiently and thoroughly with the help of an estate planning attorney.

Halloween is here! What a time to be alive. Last year, Halloween celebrations were pretty much stifled. Though things aren’t back to normal yet (see the CDC guidelines for more information on how to celebrate safely), there’s at least a little breathing room. Halloween is a lot of peoples’ favorite holiday, even more than Christmas. We can’t say we blame them, as there’s a lot to love about spooky season, from the pumpkin spice to the candy to the horror movies. 

There are some things scarier than Halloween. Living irresponsibly and not having an estate plan is definitely on our list. In this article, we’ll talk about some major “don’ts” when it comes to estate planning. 

Failing to Plan 

Of course, the biggest planning mistake you can make is failing to plan in the first place. Estate planning is important because it secures not only your future, but your loved ones’ futures. If you die intestate, the court will focus on paying off creditors and wrapping up the estate. Not everyone you love will get what you want them to get. 

Not Discussing

It’s a good idea to set expectations now and let people know what you’re planning to do, as part of your will. Let your family know where your assets will go after you pass on. Otherwise, you run the risk of disagreement or contention after you die.

Naming Only One Beneficiary

You should always list more than one beneficiary for your asset. That way, if a beneficiary passes or is otherwise unavailable, the asset won’t revert back into the estate. List a contingent beneficiary for each asset that you’re going to be transferring. 

Forgetting Important Documents and Assets 

Some documents that you absolutely cannot forget about include powers of attorney and healthcare representatives and final arrangements. You also don’t want to forget about digital assets you may have or charities that you find important. An attorney will help you come up with a comprehensive list of everything you want to include in your estate plan, and they’ll likely have suggestions as well, based on your situation. 

Being Overly-Specific

We know that this one might seem counterintuitive, as lawyers often tell you that you should be overly-specific to the point of nausea. However, being too specific can sometimes be a negative when it comes to estate planning. You want to make sure that assets you have now will be of use in the future. Naming certain assets (sports tickets, real estate, etc.) with extreme specification opens up the risk that someone might get left out if the asset isn’t there in the future. The solution is to make sure you continuously update your estate plan to reflect any changes to these specifics.

Improper Funding for Trusts

Creating a trust is half the battle. You have to make sure it’s properly funded with a solid, trustworthy source. An unfunded trust is useless. In order to avoid this, work with an attorney to make sure everything is titled properly and that all the assets in the trust are actually in your name. Though this might not seem like a common problem, it actually is. 

Tax Issues

Taxes and death—the two unavoidables of life. Estate tax liabilities will put a dent in what you leave to beneficiaries. Usually, this liability won’t be an issue unless you have a large estate worth millions. If you do fall into this category, you need to talk to a tax attorney about ways to legally minimize your estate’s tax burden. 

You might be thinking to yourself that there are a lot of ways you can go wrong when it comes to estate planning. Luckily, estate planning attorneys can help you avoid these common pitfalls, ensuring that you’re dotting your Is and crossing your Ts. 

Halloween is spooky season. It’s a time for all ghosts, ghouls, and goblins to come out and make themselves known. For a lot of people, this time of year is their favorite. And we can see why. The leaves are changing (if you live up North, that is), and Christmas is drawing closer. 

Speaking of all things scary and creepy, let’s talk about probate court. Though probate court might not spark the same fear as Stephen King’s It, it’s still no fun at all. Probate court deals with matters of estate administration. In this article, we’ll talk more about probate court’s functions and why you want to avoid it. 

What Does Probate Court Do? 

Probate court is presided over by a judge, of course, and that judge’s main mission is to ensure that someone’s creditors are paid off and their estate is wrapped up neatly. The basic role of the court is to deal with the debts and property of someone who has died. You can go through probate court even if you die with a last will and testament, as that will has to be authenticated. 

Disadvantages of Probate Court 

Public Process

Probate court is a public process. This means that family and friends have a forum to bring claims if they think they’re entitled to your property or that there is a problem with your legal documents after you die. As you can imagine, this increases the chance of conflict after your death. It might even escalate if relatives are battling it out, and your estate could wind up with some heft legal fees. Also, your personal information, down to the age of beneficiaries to how much your jewelry is worth, is out there for the public to see.

Court-Supervised

Probate court is supervised by a judge and controlled by a huge book of laws. Your executor is restricted and bound by these laws, and they’re not often able to act in a way that maximizes your estate’s value. Executors usually have to get the court’s permission for the majority of transactions they enact on behalf of your estate. 

No Advance Planning 

Anyone can go to probate, whether they have a will or not. There’s no advanced planning, and you don’t have to do anything before you die. However, that’s a double-edged sword, as the lack of advance planning means that you won’t have the ability to administer your estate in a way that shows your loved ones how much you care. The values expressed will be those of the court, not yours.

Intestacy

Dying intestate (without a will) is the scariest thing of all. Dying intestate has a lot of potential consequence, as that means that the court has total control. Your next of kin might not end up as your chosen heirs, and your loved ones will be bound by the law, not the provisions you make for them. 

Expensive

Probate can consume a lot of your estate. That number might be in the single-digits, but it still leaves less money for your heirs. Taxes, filing fees, and other costs can make a sizable dent in your estate that your family is not likely to appreciate. 

Time-Consuming

Lastly, probate court is time-consuming. Though it’s been reformed time and again, it’s still unpleasant. Your executor will have to complete tons of forms throughout the process, working on your estate tirelessly. 

How to Avoid Probate Court 

After hearing all these negatives, you are probably wondering how you can avoid probate court. This is where an estate attorney can step in, as they can help you perform legal maneuvers, such as writing a living trust, naming beneficiaries on your bank accounts and retirement, and holding property jointly, that will get you out of probate court. There are ways around it; you just have to seek help first.

As you can see, probate court isn’t something you want to tangle with. Avoiding probate court is something with which an estate planning attorney can help you, as they understand full-well probate court and its disadvantages. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month happens every October, and it’s a time to reflect on taking care of you and your loved ones. One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer over their lifetime, so this is a problem that affects everyone. 

Early screenings, regular mammograms, and vigilance can help reduce the chances of breast cancer having severe or even fatal effects. To learn more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and what it means for you and your family, visit www.breastcancer.org. 

As far as estate planning goes, breast cancer has an impact on how you should think about your estate plan, especially if the ailment runs in your family.

Illness and Estate Planning 

When you’re thinking about your estate plan, you should think about major life events and if you’re prepared for them. While some of those events, such as the birth of a new baby or a wedding, are cause for celebration, others, like illness and death, are not. In this article, we’ll discuss some important estate planning tools for illness. These tools will help you protect your assets and dignity in the event of the worst-case scenario.

HIPAA Releases

If you’ve ever been involved the medical field at all, either as a patient, worker, or both, you’ve probably heard the word “HIPAA.” HIPAA refers to the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act. It was drafted in 1996, and it imparted stringent requirements for the confidentiality of your healthcare information. 

A HIPAA release authorizes someone you designate to access your health information. This is essential if that person is going to be interacting with medical providers on your behalf. The authorization for this release will have to be, of course, voluntary and in writing. 

Living Will

A living will is a legal document that acts as a statement of your direct wishes as they pertain to your healthcare. Religious views are a common reason someone would choose a living will. A living will addresses specifications for your care—dos and don’ts—and what you do and do not consent to.

Health Care Proxy 

Another healthcare-related document that you often find in estate plans is a proxy. This medical power of attorney designates someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf, should you become too incapacitated to do so. Agents have the power to direct your medical care if need be, and they can also be named as your guardian, if a guardian proceeding were to ever occur. 

POLST 

POLST stands for a “Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment.” This document, which your healthcare provider will help you complete, is part of  your medical records. It is accessible to your doctors whenever they need it, and it refers to end-of-life medical decisions. This means that it isn’t as broad as a living will or healthcare proxy. A POLST is useful to those who don’t have family to name or want more assurance that their end-of-life wishes will be honored. 

Power of Attorney (Financial)

Much like a medical power of attorney, a financial power of attorney is a person you designate to handle your financial, legal, and tax matters if you’re unable to do so. Every adult should have this basic document, but it becomes even more important for people who are living with an illness. 

A key question for those suffering from illness is how much control they should give up at the time versus later on, if things worsen. A financial power of attorney can be adjusted, if you feel that your condition merits less (or more) control to be handed over.

Though this list is not exhaustive, it is a way for you to see that, when it comes to illness, taking care of your loved ones requires vigilance and hard work. Contact an estate planning attorney to learn more about ways you can legally prepare in the event of an illness like breast cancer. 

According to People Magazine, 33% of Americans say that fall is their favorite season. And, what’s not to love? Changing leaves, toasty fires, and pumpkin spice everything make fall a total treat. Fall also means change. Just like how the leaves go from green to red and orange, life brings with it a lot of changes as well. Some are positive, and some are negative, but all have to be dealt with in one way or another. 

In this article, we’ll discuss common major life changes and their impact on your estate plans. Estate planning provides all the tools you need to deal with these changes, but it’s still important to discuss how exactly they can impact your plans. 

Common Life Events 

Below are some common major life changes that almost everyone runs into. Though some are positive, many are not-so-sunny. While it might be hard to face these events, it’s important to do so, rather than be unprepared if they do happen.

Death 

Estate planning isn’t just death planning, so the death we’re talking about here doesn’t have to be yours. If it is, a last will and testament, a trust, and guardianship papers (if you have minor children) are all must-haves to ensure that your assets are divided up the way you want and your kids are cared for.

If someone in your family dies and they were listed in your estate plan, what happens? This is where it gets tricky. There are succession laws that dictate who gets the asset(s) (if anyone), but you’d be better off changing your plan to make the decision yourself. If your intended beneficiary dies, you need to revisit your estate plan, ASAP.

New Baby

On a happier note, a new baby can mean someone else to add as a beneficiary. If there is a new entrant to your family that you want to ensure is covered, be sure to do that sooner, rather than later. It’s all too easy to forget, but that forgetting can have consequences in the long-run. 

Divorce

As you can imagine, divorce has quite an impact on your estate plan. Your ex-spouse was likely listed as the beneficiary on your insurance, as well as a lot of other estate planning documents. Whether amicable or not-so-nice, you likely don’t want your former spouse coming to collect on your assets when you die. At some point during the divorce process, make sure you remove your ex from the paperwork. Contact an estate planning attorney to ensure you carry out the process thoroughly.

Home-Buying

When you’re creating your estate plan, your home like is going to be a huge feature in it, especially if you own it. If you purchase a new home, make sure your estate plan reflects your current address.  

Business

Estate planning for businesses is a huge topic, one that could have one-hundred articles all too itself and not be satisfied. When you start a business, you need to include that in your estate planning. A succession plan, tax considerations, and avoiding probate are three topics you should talk to your attorney about.

The Dangers of Waiting too Long 

The dangers of waiting too long to make an estate plan change mainly center around one proposition: life is unpredictable. You never know when something drastic will change, and you want to make sure your plan reflects your true wishes. 

There are many more changes that can come up in someone’s life, but these are the first major life events that come to mind. Make sure to check your estate plan every three to five years, but you should also make sure that, after an event like the ones listed above, you’re revisiting your plan. Call the attorneys at WFP to schedule an appointment.