Suppose a loved one dies, and you find that you are the beneficiary of his or her IRA. Your assumption could be that you have received an inheritance that is tax-free—just like the proceeds from a life insurance policy. In…
If you are an adult in the United States, you may have taken the time to have an estate plan prepared. If so, then your estate planning attorney may have set up a trust and placed your home in the…
If you missed it, October was National Estate Planning Month. Why? Because more than half of all adults in the U.S. don’t have an estate plan—or even a will—it is certain that estate planning is an often-overlooked component for financial…
According to the CDC, one in four Americans currently lives with a disability. This equals more than 60 million Americans who live with a disability that impacts major life activities. Of all the disabilities, the most common type is a…
It is almost impossible to completely avoid probate in Virginia, but you can reduce the number of assets that need to go through probate. Many people have a very negative view when it comes to probate. It may stem from…
A power of attorney, or POA, is a legal document that allows you, as the principal, to appoint a trusted individual, known as your agent or attorney-in-fact, to act on your behalf under specific circumstances. A POA goes into effect immediately…
Even though you may feel that you don’t have an “estate,” it’s clear that everyone needs estate planning. And though you may be young and healthy, and not really thinking about your mortality, this is the time to “get your…
Being a single parent has added responsibilities, including making sure that your minor children are taken care of in the event you no longer are there. What would happen to your children if you died, or became incapacitated and could…
You may have gotten married or divorced, blended a family, gotten your dream job, bought a house or started a new business, even had twins. You own assets now, and you have people that depend on you and for…
Your divorce is final, assets have been divided, custody, child support, and spousal support have been determined, and now it’s time to move forward with your life. But though your divorce is final, you’re not quite done yet. The…