April is Stress Awareness Month (ironic, considering that both April Fool’s Day and Tax Day fall during April). Stress can have an enormously negative effect on your body, causing problems ranging from high blood pressure to depression. Financial problems are one of the main causes of stress. 

In 2019, before COVID-19, 70% of Americans said that they were in financial trouble. It stands to reason that that number has only increased since the pandemic hit, causing financial hardship for millions of Americans and their families. Financial stress ranges from debt repayment, high costs of living, and lack of emergency savings to overall poor financial health. In this article, we’ll discuss possible ways to reduce financial stress.

What Happens When You Die? 

When you die, your assets will be distributed, whether to your creditors or to family and loved ones. If you don’t want your estate to go through the hassle of probate court, considering setting up trusts as a way to avoid that process. Whichever financial vehicle you choose, you should make sure that it is comprehensive, providing both a way to distribute your assets to your loved ones and satisfy debts with creditors. 

If you die intestate, which means you have no estate plan, your estate will go to probate court, and a judge will pay off creditors and give your family what is left at the end of the repayment process. Probate likely will add a lot of stress to your family, as the entire ordeal is quite unpleasant. To avoid that potential source of stress, contact an attorney to set up a comprehensive estate plan. 

Protecting Your Business from Creditors

No one is immune to a lawsuit, no matter how careful someone thinks they are America is a litigious society, and millions of lawsuits are filed every year. Asset protection for business owners is something that every single business owner, from a huge corporation to a small mom-and-pop shop, needs. 

Consider changing the structure of your business to a corporation to protect yourself from personal liability. Assets receivable financing, trusts, and insurance are other ways to safeguard your company against creditors. Insurance is especially vital if you are a doctor, lawyer, or other professional. Check with an attorney to make sure you’re doing as much as you can to protect yourself within your state’s particular laws.  

Fixing Tax Issues

A huge source of stress for Americans is running afoul of the IRS. IRS penalties range from fines to imprisonment, and it’s fair to say that the U.S. has a healthy fear of the Internal Revenue Service. However, all is not lost if you owe back taxes or make a mistake. 

If you owe back taxes, still make sure that you file your tax return by the deadline. Immediately contact the IRS to discuss payment options. The IRS will respond far better to someone who is reaching out proactively than to someone trying to hide from them. Whatever your issue, call 800-829-1040 to speak with a representative. You will likely find that the IRS is far more flexible than their fearsome reputation. The worst thing you can do is try to ignore or avoid the situation. 

Dealing with Ill Family Members 

A sick or elderly family member puts a huge strain on family members, especially if that family member is unwilling or unable to take charge of their financing. If you’re in that position, try to convince them to at least set up a power of attorney. This power of attorney will oversee financial and/or healthcare decisions if the elderly or ill person is too incapacitated to handle these decisions themselves. 

Another important financial document for a sick or elderly family member is a healthcare directive, which will communicate end-of-life wishes to the doctors and nurses in charge of their care. Even if the patient cannot voice their wishes themselves, the healthcare directive will act in their stead.

This list is by no means exhaustive. We all lead different lives, and our sources of financial stress vary from person to person. Hopefully, this article at least covers some of your financial health stressors. As always, you can contact an attorney to learn more about protecting your financial well-being. 

Visit our website to find out more, stay informed and reduce stress when you know how to take charge of your financial future.