The Estate Planning Institute » Estate Planning Blog

4 Things to Be Sure of When Planning Your Estate

Sarah McHattie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:20:39 +0000

When you are focused on planning your estate, there are a number of ways in which mistakes can creep up on you (especially if you are making the choice to do everything on your own). In order to be sure that, when it comes to estate planning you are looking at the big picture, there are four key things that you’ll want to know.

First, make sure that you are naming the right heirs. Especially if you’ve remarried or there has been a death in the family, be sure that your estate plan is up to date. Likewise, you’re going to want to be sure that you are choosing the right executor.

Similarly, you’re going to want to be sure that you are thinking about strategy. If, for example, you and your heirs would be in a better position if you were to set up a trust now rather than waiting and having everything distributed after your death, it’s a good idea to act now. Finally, you’re going to want to be sure that, when you are planning your estate, you are leaving assets with enough liquidity that your heirs will be able to pay estate taxes when they come due.

Estate Planning Help: A Conference in Ohio

Sarah McHattie — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:38:57 +0000

NEWARK — The Ohio State University Extension Licking County is sponsoring a one-day Estate Planning Conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 21 at The Reese Center on the Newark campus of Ohio State University and Central Ohio Technical College.

The program will be resourced by Paul L. Wright and Robert Moore, attorneys with Wright Law Company LPA in Dublin. The program will review the estate planning process, estate taxes, the importance of asset titling, powers of attorney, estate settlement costs, living wills, longterm care and health power of attorney, discounting and deductions, probate versus nonprobate, gifting, life insurance and how business organizations affect how estate planning moves forward.

A Few Key Reasons to Plan Your Estate and Write a Will

Sarah McHattie — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:30:29 +0000

Those who are still uncertain about whether or not to bother with estate planning are going to want to consider the following – all key reasons why planning your estate and writing a will are a good idea:

You get to be in charge of the who, what, when and how much regarding your estate. Whether you’re planning to donate to charity or pass everything to your children, you should be the one who decides on how your estate will be divided.
Determine who will be in charge of carrying out your will.
Planning your estate cuts back on the costs of probate, taxes and other elements of settling an estate.

Estate Planning: Investment Assets

Sarah McHattie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:25:47 +0000

One of the things that you’re going to need to be aware of when you are working on your estate plan involves the investments that you’ve made. Whether or not you are working with an investment planning attorney, you’re going to want to be sure that you have te following information.

In each case, you’re going to want to be sure that you are able to provide information about how the title is held (including joint owners) and the approximate value of the investments:

Publicly traded stocks
Corporate bonds
Municipal bonds
Long term US Treasury notes and bonds
Limited partnership interests
Other investments (if any)
Interests in trusts
Anticipated inheritances
Other assets

Welcome to The Estate Planning Institute Blog

Sarah McHattie — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:08:48 +0000

Here at The Estate Planning Institute site, our goal is to provide you with the information that you need about estate planning, about choosing an attorney, and about wills, trusts and other components of the estate planning process.

While a broad overview of these elements is important, so is the ability to explore some of the topics with a bit more depth. Here in The Estate Planning Institute Blog, you will find more information about:

Changes to federal and state laws that will affect the process of planning your estate
Details about the way different states handle trusts, wills, power of attorney, living wills and other parts of the estate planning process
Various types of trusts and how they are used
Questions that you should be sure to ask your estate planning attorney
Quick lists and tips that will help you through the process of planning your estate