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Comprehensive estate planning involves more than just planning for your legacy after your death, avoiding probate, and reducing taxes. Good estate planning also appoints people to make legal, financial, and medical decisions for you if you are alive but unable to make those decisions for yourself (in other words, if you are incapacitated). What happens […]

Congratulations on the purchase of your new home! Whether this is your first home or you are upgrading or downsizing from your current home, the purchase of a home is a big event in your life. When major life events occur, it is important that you have a plan in place to ensure that you

Myth: I do not have enough money and property to worry about estate planning. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As a farmer or rancher, you definitely have enough assets to worry about estate planning. Your land, equipment, and animals or crops are all considered assets you own and need to plan for. Given

Farming and ranching is more than just a livelihood; it is about preserving a legacy and a way of life. Unfortunately, many farmers and ranchers fail to create a comprehensive estate plan—or any estate plan at all. Without a proper estate plan, the family farm or ranch, passed down for generations, can end up being

To have a successful farm, thoughtful planning must be done every season. Your life is no different. To properly prepare for the next season in your life and the lives of your loved ones, you need a well-executed estate plan. When crafting a foundational plan to protect yourself, your loved ones, your business, and your

While the term fiduciary is a legal term with a rich history, it generally means someone who is legally obligated to act in another person’s best interest. Trustees, executors, and agents are examples of fiduciaries. When you select people to fill these roles in your estate plan, you are picking one or more people to make

Now is the perfect time to start working on an estate plan. As newlyweds, you are likely in the process of deciding which of your accounts and property (your assets) to combine and how to turn two households into one. You may also be setting up new bank accounts and creating a plan for paying

Sometimes, pet owners can get a bit creative when providing for their pets’ future care. The following three famous cases involving pet trusts offer some important lessons. David Harper and Red David Harper, a wealthy, reclusive bachelor in Ottawa, Canada, was not exactly famous during his life. In his death, however, he made headlines by reportedly

Myth 1: My spouse and I had our estate plan prepared 20 years ago. It is done and off our to-do list until one of us passes away. Fact: Estate planning is not a one-and-done event. By not updating your estate plan to account for changes in your circumstances or those of your beneficiaries over the past

You intend to pass along your hard-earned money and property through your estate plan, but what about your wisdom? Ensuring that you successfully pass all of this along may call for a family meeting to discuss your finances, your legacy, and your core principles. Most families lead busy lives, with many relatives seeing one another