FAST FACTS Non-children, organizations, and friends as beneficiaries are all possible options when splitting your assets. You can give a nominal amount of money or a percentage to each person. Be mindful that giving a percentage may leave an undesired amount of money to some, if final asset amounts change in the future. Today's video is going to be answering the questions, "Is it possible to have organizations, non-children, or friends as beneficiaries? And how should I leave money and … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS You should leave an inheritance to your grandchildren if possible. You can give a nominal amount of money to each person, or an equal percentage to each person. Be mindful that giving an equal percentage to each person may leave one root of the family with more of an inheritance than the other depending on how many people are on that side of the family. Today's video is going to be answering the questions, "should you leave an inheritance for your grandchildren? Should you … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS Understanding how to avoid probate can save you time, money, and frustration. Rules in probate court are different across different counties. Some counties have rules and requirements other counties don't have. You can protect yourself from probate court with a trust. Normally, this is something that my staff and I talk about. But, today's video is going to be answering the question, "why do I and my staff hate probate?" I'll also cover why you should and how to avoid probate … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS Knowing when and if you have enough money to last until you die is a vital question to your happiness and financial freedom. Your budget, portfolio projections, wants, needs and wishes are all factors in deciding how much money is enough. Simulating scenarios on your money can give you a good idea on the survivability of your money. Today's video is going to be answering the question, "how much money is enough money? How can I know when and if I have enough money and won't run … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS A trust is writing your intentions on a piece of paper so someone gets rights and benefits. A trust can protect real estate, bank/saving accounts, investments, business interests and notes payable to you. Trusts are not just for rich people, they are a powerful and necessary tool. Today's video is going to be answering the question, "What is a trust?" We're not going to be talking about the difference, necessarily, between a will and a trust. We're going to be talking … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS The average age of farmers in the U.S. is 58 Around half of U.S. farmers don’t have any estate plan The USDA predicts that 70% of farmland will change hands by 2037   Farmers face unique circumstances for estate planning, requiring them to take extra precautions compared to the average family or business. Individuals with agricultural operations or other large land-based holdings will be among the most likely groups who wouldn’t consider themselves “wealthy” … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS About 60% of Americans don't have a will Millions of Americans don’t realize that a will won’t answer all the questions about what they want to happen after they pass on Estate plans are designed to be revised as your goals become clear or circumstances change Defining your goals for estate planning in specific terms is the surest way to get the outcome you intended after you pass away. With concrete goals and definitions of success, you can create a plan to achieve your … [Read more...]

  FAST FACTS Most Americans (55%) say they have no will or other form of estate planning Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the estate tax exclusion has doubled (until 2026) Trusts and other legally-protected vehicles of estate planning can ensure your wishes are carried out as intended If there’s one thing modern Americans have gotten bad at, it’s planning for the future after their possible death. A majority of Americans say they do not have a last will and testament … [Read more...]

FAST FACTS 6 in 10 U.S. adults, on average, don't have a will. 81% of people 72 and over have an estate plan. 64% of Gen Xers don't have a will.   It's not exactly shocking to discover that the majority of people in the country don't have a plan in place for their assets upon their passing, but it's disheartening. People don't like to think about their death and planning for how their money, real estate and other holdings will be disbursed after their demise since it can … [Read more...]