Creating an estate plan is an essential step in protecting your assets. Your beneficiaries should be named and maintained as well. An outdated beneficiary designation can lead to tax consequences. An estate plan also protects your family from the publicity of post-mortem estate settlements. You may want to include beneficiaries in your will so your children can benefit from your estate when you pass. An estate plan will make this process easier. It is important to consult with an attorney about beneficiary designations.
You can also update your estate plan over time, depending on your circumstances. There is no hard and fast rule on when to update your estate plan, but a good rule of thumb is after a major life event. This could be the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, or other significant event. A letter of instructions can also be updated annually, as needed. You should accompany your letter of instruction with your most recent tax returns, if applicable.
Estate planning can include everything from a simple one-page document to a multi-generational family enterprise, which involves multiple partnerships, trusts, and entities. A successful estate plan is based on goals and objectives agreed upon by various stakeholder groups. This may not require disclosure to the public, but it is important to consider your stakeholders’ needs. A properly crafted estate plan will help your family, your loved ones, and your beneficiaries benefit.
In addition to tax considerations, estate planning should also address secondary goals. For example, some people want to avoid passing their estate to a second spouse or their own family. Another goal is to protect heirs from taxes and probate. Proper estate planning will minimize taxes and allow assets to pass without having to pay hefty taxes. While federal estate tax is exempt for most estates, there are still many issues to consider.
Your estate plan should also address your children’s needs. It should include provisions for children, including appointing a guardian for children under 18, and provide for any children from previous marriages. Assets from remarried spouses may not automatically pass to their children, and special needs children require careful planning. The wrong plan could jeopardize the eligibility of these children for government benefits. The purpose of estate planning is to protect your loved ones’ future.
While a professional estate planning attorney can help you create an estate plan, there are many options for completing this task. There are online programs and face-to-face meetings, but some methods will cost more. If you have a relatively small estate, it may be sufficient to partner with a Trust & Will or an estate planning service. Regardless of your choice, you must complete the steps and sign the documents. Remember to get witnesses or notarize your documents.
The process of estate planning is a legal procedure that sets up a plan that specifies who will receive your assets after your death. It also establishes the rules of how your affairs will be handled if you become incapacitated. Although estate planning is a legal process, it is also very complicated and involves many different components. It is important to talk to a professional to help you understand the process better.
