Dying without the benefit of having a valid will in place can create a lot of unnecessary problems. The sad part is that this laundry list of issues could be avoided simply by planing ahead. Out of all of these concerns, the biggest question that comes to mind is: who is in charge when you die without a will? Dying without a will, called intestate, means that the state, and not your loved ones, will determine who is in charge. If the person was married, the state will typically go … [Read more...] about Who Is In Charge When You Die Without A Will?
How Can I Donate My Body To Medicine?
Medicine involves a continuous journey of learning and new discoveries. But this wealth of information doesn't just appear. It comes from the study of the human body, or more precisely cadavers. How can you do your part? What if you want to donate your body to medicine? The important thing to remember is that facilities that accept these donations prefer a body that is intact. If organs have been removed for other reasons, the facility will most likely decline the donation. … [Read more...] about How Can I Donate My Body To Medicine?
Five Things You Must Do To Get Your Affairs in Order
No one likes to think about it, but it's a fact of life. At some point, we will all need to have our financial affairs in order because everyone passes away. Making decisions early will allow you to have some semblance of security that your loved ones will be taken care of and will go through less grief when it comes to your financial affairs. Here are five things you can do to get your financial affairs in order. First, you should really consider having life insurance especially if … [Read more...] about Five Things You Must Do To Get Your Affairs in Order
The Living Trust Checklist
Before setting up a living trust as part of your estate planning process, you need to think through some of the things that should be included. First, you need to figure out whether you want an individual or shared trust. If you are in a domestic partnership or you are married, then look to see if most of your property is jointly owned. If so, a shared trust might be the best way to go. Next you want to decide who will inherit your property under the trust. This is typically family … [Read more...] about The Living Trust Checklist
Do I Have To Leave Money in My Will to Each of My Children
Most parents want to leave all of their assets to any remaining children that they have. This is especially true if the children are young and will need to be financially cared for throughout their lives. However, as children get older and become adults themselves, it might leave some parents wondering whether they are required to equally split up their assets among their kids. The answer to that is a resounding no. There may be many reasons why a parent has chosen not to leave money to … [Read more...] about Do I Have To Leave Money in My Will to Each of My Children
Pet Planning: Should You Set Up a Trust?
There is no question that our pets often become a major part of our family unit. Because of this, pet planning has become a critical part of the estate planning process. When you think forward to the future, it is important to make sure that your pet is also considered during that process. While we would all like to think that our family and friends would step up to take care of our pets after we die, you don't want to leave anything to chance. If you happen to pass away before your pet, … [Read more...] about Pet Planning: Should You Set Up a Trust?
The Top Three Reasons Why Every Parent Needs a Will
When starting a young family and watching your first child come into the world, the last thing on your mind is creating a will. However, as soon as you are responsible for another human life, one of the very first things you should do is create your last will and testament. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is making sure that your child is taken care of after your death. Even though we all plan to live a long, healthy life, we know that it doesn't always happen. Making … [Read more...] about The Top Three Reasons Why Every Parent Needs a Will
Elder Abuse Isn’t Always Physical
There is no question that elder abuse seems to be on the rise around many parts of the world. When we think of elder abuse, we typically think about physical marks such as bruises. However, it's important to note that elder abuse isn't always a physical attack. Sometimes, people are specifically trying to scam the elderly out of money by using underhanded tactics. Recently, police in Vancouver arrested a man who was trying to scam the elderly out of money using the mail system. When the man was … [Read more...] about Elder Abuse Isn’t Always Physical
Assets That You Don’t Need to Fund to Your Trust
A Living Trust is an estate-planning tool that can help keep many of your assets out of probate. When you fund your assets to your trust, they can be passed to the trust beneficiaries without the need of going through the probate system first. The reason that assets in your trust can pass to your heirs without going through probate is that they don’t belong to you, but to the trust you created. Fortunately, there are some assets that do not need to be funded to your trust due to the fact that … [Read more...] about Assets That You Don’t Need to Fund to Your Trust
Talking With Your Parents About Alzheimer’s Disease
Talking with your parents about disability planning can be almost as difficult as talking with them about estate planning, but it is just as necessary. Disability planning should be a key element in your parents’ overall estate plan. There are a number of conditions that could cause an elderly person to become disabled, but one of the most common, and dreaded is Alzheimer’s disease. A very large percentage of people with dementia suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Though this does not mean that … [Read more...] about Talking With Your Parents About Alzheimer’s Disease
