Wills – What they are All About

Retirement & Estate Planning documents kill a lot of trees because there is so much paperwork; BUT don’t let that scare you. Considering what they do; Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and Health Care Surrogate Designations do wonderful things and are well worth the effort.  And I will help you in this Blog to organize, so it is easier to get done. This category of the EVERYONE’s RETIREMENT & ESTATE PLANNING BLOG will talk about all that.

• It will cover probate avoidance and asset protection.
• Most importantly, we will talk about the right thing to do so who you want to get stuff gets it and when you want them to.  – [For example, most people would not want young children to get their hands on an inheritance at age 18.]

MY “RETIREMENT & ESTATE PLANNING ‘DOMINO THEORY‘”:  Think about Retirement & Estate Planning being like those amazingly long strings of Dominoes that people set up.  When you push the first Domino,

>  it starts the others on a path falling on to each other, often in a complicated way,

>  causing different events to happen,

>   until that last Domino falls and rings a bell, or causes some water to spill. Rather surprising and fun things happen.

It is impressive how good and easy it can be for it all to happen; IF, the Dominoes are set up with such planning and care.

Dominoes fall when we pass away, or suddenly fall ill or are the victim of a car accident and unable to care for ourselves. Those Dominoes are pre-set by laws made by your state legislature and courts. Without changing those Dominoes around when we can, the results are usually not as we expect.  They are also usually not what we would like. The good news is with Retirement & Estate Planning, and a good professional preparing the proper documents, you can re-set the Dominoes to have the last one fall almost any way you like. Ask yourself, what would happen if there is such an emergency and I did not do Retirement & Estate Planning.

• Do I know who will take care of me if I am unconscious; especially if I did not have a spouse at the time?
• Do I know who will take care of my children if they are left alone? [Most likely your choice would not be Foster Care; or the next in line under the statutes who happens to be someone unsuitable.]
• Will a “significant other” who I am not married to, but trust more than anyone else in the world be able to manage my financial interests?
• Do I know who will get all my bank accounts, pension funds, and life insurance policies and if they will get the money in the right way?

Think about family members (close or extended) or friends who left things poorly planned for their families.  That is the best way to learn the results of not doing Retirement & Estate Planning.  Real life stories you do not want to happen to you or your family are the best lessons of what NOT to do. Retirement & Estate Planning costs are included in what we will talk and you can ask questions about.  There are alternative ways to get the fees paid without breaking your personal bank. This is your discussion.  Ask questions  and make comments in all my posts.  The goal is to have a dialogue.  This site will be a virtual place you can go until you have the Peace of Mind that comes when you complete your Retirement & Estate Planning.  Click on the “What Should I Cover” button to let me know what you want to hear about.