How To Choose The Right Trustee For Your Estate

No one enjoys thinking about their own mortality, but we all want our families to be well-cared for after we’re gone. Many people set up trusts to help provide for loved ones and favorite causes after they pass away. A trust can help manage the wealth you wish to transfer and ensures the efficient distribution of assets—such as property or a sum of money—over a set period of time.

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Review your estate plan against this 14-point checklist

Many Americans have estate plans in place — but unfortunately, many are incomplete and the most important subjects aren’t even addressed. 

I compiled a 14-point checklist to help create a sound estate plan, but first, if you don’t have an attorney who specializes in elder law, I strongly recommend that you get one. Start by visiting The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys website and click on the red “Find an Attorney” button. To search for a local attorney, try the American Bar Association Lawyer Referral Directory.

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5 Tips For Handing Down Your Wealth

You’ve spent a lifetime building your estate. Now it’s time to decide how it will be distributed. Handing down your wealth is not as simple as writing a check or naming a beneficiary; you want to make the best decisions to preserve your financial legacy. Thomas Brockley, senior vice president and branch director at RBC Wealth Management, shares some tips on how to maximize your giving and ensure your wishes are followed.

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The Widow's Guide To Estate Planning And Wealth Transfer

Drawing up a will can be an emotionally taxing process. But it’s one that becomes especially difficult when a spouse is left to cope with the task after their partner passes away. Suddenly, what was once a joint decision made with a lifelong partner becomes a task a widow must face alone.

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The Million-Dollar Guide To Estate Planning

Estate planning is essential for everyone, no matter how simple or small the estate. But once your estate edges close to $1 million, the complexities increase.

Unless your estate is valued at more than $5.43 million—or $10.86 million for a married couple—you’re exempt from federal estate taxes. But some states impose estate and/or inheritance taxes at a lower threshold, with most around $1 million to $2 million, although the cutoff is only $675,000 in New Jersey.

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