Who Should Make Financial Decisions for You?
Who should you trust to manage your financial well being when you are no longer able to do so? A power of attorney (POA), otherwise known as an agent to your principal, has the legal authority to represent and make decisions on your behalf. What characteristics should you look for when designating a power of […]
Health Care Power of Attorney: Specific or General
You have the right to decide what kind of medical treatment you want to receive from doctors and health-care providers. If you can speak up at the time, you can express your wishes yourself. But if you become incapable because you’re ill or injured, you need to plan in advance. Designate a person whom you […]
The Secure Act In 2020
Congress has passed a bipartisan appropriations bill. In the contents of this spending bill is a piece of legislation known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE), the first significant change in retirement legislation since the Pension Protection Act in 2006. The President signed the Act into law on December 20, […]
What to Know About the Various Retirement Challenges Facing Women
For women, securing enough retirement income can be a daunting proposition. Generally speaking, women face two significant hurdles to overcome to achieve a comfortable flow of retirement income. One hurdle involves longevity, and the second deals with earning power. Women have a longer life expectancy than men do in the US. The Social Security Administration […]
Why a Living Will Is Essential to Your Estate Plan
Living Wills are essential in creating a solid estate plan. A living will presents your preferences for life-sustaining medical treatment. It is often accompanied by a health-care proxy or power of attorney, which allows someone to make treatment decisions for you if you are incapacitated and the living will does not have specific instructions for […]
Estate Planning Guide: Planning for Blended Families
Couples often bring children into a marriage from a prior marriage or union and then have children together. This is often referred to as a blended family. Blended families highlight the need for careful estate planning to make sure the needs of each spouse are met, as well as the needs of each parents’ children. […]
Why You Need to Your Estate Plan Up-To-Date
You should check your estate planning documents every so often, to make sure they’re still good, especially with big life changes like births, marriages, divorces, and moving to another state. Children grow up, marriages dissolve, property gets sold, residences change. That’s why we recommend that you consult us for an estate-plan check-up every five years […]