Putting together your estate plan gives you the opportunity to dictate what you want to happen to your assets after you die. But many people have yet to create their estate plan and make a plan for the future. According to a survey conducted by Caring.com, only 4 out...
Estate Planning
How do I make my estate plans easier to carry out?
The death of a loved one is a time of grieving for the survivors. You likely know how hard it will be on your family after you die. This is why you want to make it as easy as possible for your loved ones to carry out your estate plans. One way you can do so is to...
Why should younger people draw up estate planning documents?
Perhaps you are just out of college and focused on your first job. Perhaps you are a new parent, or perhaps you are busy settling in with your new spouse or significant other. In any case, you may not have given much thought to estate planning believing you are too...
Estate planning and estranged family members
Everyone is in a unique position with respect to their estate, not only as a result of their financial circumstances but family matters as well. For example, if one of your family members is estranged, you likely have different issues to consider with respect to your...
How can we make estate plans as a childless couple?
Many married couples have children that they can leave their estate to. If you don’t have any children of your own, estate planning might not seem like a priority. Still, just because you and your spouse are a childless couple does not mean you have no one to leave...
Are you leaving things out of your estate plan?
Our readers in Virginia know that drafting an estate plan needs to be a comprehensive effort. That means including a will, power of attorney documents, healthcare directives and potentially even a trust in most, if not all, estate plans. However, every person’s family...
The different types of trusts and how they help estate plans
Trusts are a valuable estate planning tool that may sometimes be less understood than other estate planning tools. As a consequence, estate planners should understand the different types of trusts and how they can help them. Trusts manage the property of the estate...
Starting a conversation with your parents about their estate plan
Your expectations for the future can drastically change at a moment’s notice. This can make it difficult and even uncomfortable to plan for the future you cannot predict. While the world is always changing, there is something that you can be comfortable knowing – your...
Components of a valid will
Knowing what it takes to make a will valid is an essential part of the estate planning process. Because of the critical role a will plays in a comprehensive estate plan, it is important that any will executed by the estate planner is valid so it can protect and honor...
Estate planning updates: 3 reasons to act
Estate planning does not last forever in many cases. If you do it well before you need it, don't assume that the plan will stand the test of time. It may need to get updated. The truth is that life changes, sometimes dramatically, and your plan needs to change as...


