Thinking about death, accident, or illness is never pleasant. If something does happen, however, it is not the time for your loved ones to be forced into making important decisions or to be burdened with excessive administrative details. Planning ahead is much more efficient, inexpensive, and thoughtful than charging your loved ones with the decision making process during a period of grief. You work too hard to accumulate property to let it be wasted on unnecessary expenses or to allow it to go to someone other than the people or causes you choose.
Proper planning techniques allow you to minimize expenses, implement tax planning methods, prepare for management in the event of incapacity, and coordinate titling of assets and beneficiary designations.
Estate planning documents can be essential in preserving your assets and in leaving property to those you want. Proper planning ensures that your assets go to those you want when you want, and under what circumstances you want. A bit of extra planning now can save time, money, and frustration for your loved ones in the future.
What is my estate and how can I protect it?
Put simply; your estate is everything you own. This can include:
Financial resources:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Insurance
- money in banks
- Cash on hand
- Business interests
Real estate:
- Your home
- Rental property
- Vacation property
- Undeveloped land
- Real Estate held jointly with others
- Ancestral property owned jointly with relatives
Personal possessions:
- Your car
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Musical instruments
- Collectibles
Estate planning involves setting up a legal structure and clear instructions to be sure that the things you have worked for are passed to the people and organizations you want to receive them after you pass. Estate planning is about putting you in control.
Other things that can be accomplished through clear estate planning include:
- Making sure that conditions for inheritance are met according to your values
- Instructions for your care should you become disabled before you die.
- Guardianship and financial provisions for minors or people with special needs
- Future protection for loved ones who may be irresponsible with finances in the event of divorce or creditors
- The orderly transfer of business interests
- Working with your financial advisor, strategies to minimize taxes
Estate planning is an ongoing process, and one that requires updates as your needs and desires change. At Anderson, Desimone & Green, P.C., we are committed to you and strive to have a long-term relationship with our clients. Estate planning, elder law, and coordination is all we do, and we make your goals our priority. We explain things in easy to understand terms and provide clarity to your options.
