Distributing Unequal Amounts in an Estate Plan
For most of us, considering the distribution of the property we have accumulated over our lives is a painful reminder of our mortality.
Ethan Huizenga
October 12, 2020
How to: Protect the Estate from Unintended Heirs
What happens when a decedent’s will or trust does not provide for a decedent’s child?
Ethan Huizenga
October 8, 2020
3 Steps to Conflict-Free Estate Planning
One problem that frequently stems from the inheritance process is fractured relationships between siblings. Unfortunately, the common denominator in many of these situations is the parents’ estate plan.
Ethan Huizenga
September 3, 2020
7 Things Your Estate Plan May Be Missing
During the past four months, more than 141,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the pandemic has prompted some people to get serious about creating or updating their estate plans, according to Christine Benz, Morningstar’s director of personal finance.
Ethan Huizenga
August 31, 2020
What Should I Know about Beneficiaries?
Whenever you open a financial account, you’re almost always asked to name a beneficiary. Simply stated, a beneficiary of the account is someone who is entitled to the benefits of the account, typically, on the death of the account holder. If you’ve purchased life insurance, for example, you name a beneficiary, who receives the benefits of the policy when you pass.
Ethan Huizenga
August 27, 2020
What Is a Beneficiary and Why Do I Need One?
Whenever you open a financial account, you’re almost always asked to name a beneficiary. Simply stated, a beneficiary of the account is someone who is entitled to the benefits of the account, typically, on the death of the account holder. If you’ve purchased life insurance, for example, you name a beneficiary who receives the benefits of the policy when you pass.
Ethan Huizenga
August 10, 2020
My Late Mom’s Stimulus Check
A lot of people who received stimulus payments for their dead parents or spouses are more confused than ever.
Ethan Huizenga
July 24, 2020
Tapping an Inherited IRA?
When a loved one dies, any leftover IRA funds they had, goes to whomever they labeled as beneficiaries. If you’re a beneficiary, you have to decide how you’re going to use it—a decision that’s a little more complicated this year than it normally is.
Ethan Huizenga
June 22, 2020
Spendthrift Trust Protects Heirs from Themselves
What steps can be put into place to ensure an adult child, who makes poor decisions, will be secure after the death of the parent? The main asset is life insurance.
Ethan Huizenga
June 14, 2020
Does Your Estate Plan Need a Will or a Trust?
One of the most fundamental choices you can make as you’re thinking about how to pass your assets on to heirs, is whether you hold assets in a revocable trust or more simply give them via a will. Both approaches have advantages, although trusts can provide significantly more benefits.
Ethan Huizenga
May 19, 2020
