If you have created a comprehensive estate plan, you are probably doing better than most of your front-range neighbors. After all, according to a recent study, as many as 60% of Americans do not have even a basic will to deal with their estates after death. While...
When is the right time to create an estate plan?
Whether you like to prepare in advance or wait until the last minute to handle your affairs, you might find yourself wondering when the time is right for you to create your estate plans. Or perhaps you already have and are not sure if it is time to review and update...
3 advance directives to preserve your future
Everyone has a different idea of what it means to live a good life. You probably have a personal definition of it yourself. You deserve to live the way you want. However, you must also consider the impact of the various legal rules, ethical codes and familial wishes...
How can your estate plan protect your pets?
When beginning an estate plan, many people forget about special members of their family. As important as your pets may be to you, you should think about their inclusion in an estate plan. The National Law Review explains the importance of estate planning for pets....
Should you wait to apply for Social Security benefits?
If you have worked for years or even decades and are approaching Social Security’s full retirement age, you may be itching to start collecting your benefits. After all, additional income may help you pay for the comparatively high cost of living along the Front Range....
What to do after creating a living will
A living will is a basic estate planning document that explains the medical treatment you do and do not want to receive if you are unable to make those decisions for yourself. An accident or illness that leaves you incapacitated can happen at any time, so it is one of...
4 most basic estate planning documents
Your individual needs determine what goes into your estate plan. If you have few assets, your plan is probably simple, while if you have many assets, investments, etc., your plan is more likely to be proportionately complex. U.S. News and World Report describes a few...
3 signs of undue influence in your parent’s estate plan
If your elderly mother or father already has an estate plan, he or she is doing better than many. In fact, only about 60% of older Americans have drafted a will or otherwise planned for disposing with their estates after death. You should be able to trust your...
Create powers of attorney while you are still of sound mind
Perhaps you are fast approaching retirement age. You are still healthy and active but thinking about creating your estate plan, starting with healthcare and financial powers of attorneys. Your timing is excellent. A POA is only legal if you create it while you are...
How does a trust help you qualify for Medicaid?
The resource limit that Medicaid imposes to qualify for benefits can really put people in a bind. They know they may need Medicaid in the future but they do not want to spend down money or sell off property in order to qualify for it. This problem is why some families...
