Estate Planning

Like most people, you probably purchased your first term life insurance policy when you started your first “adult” job. Since then, you may have purchased additional term life insurance policies, purchased a different type of life insurance, and/or increased the death benefit on your original policy. Because life insurance often plays an integral role within an estate plan, the Indianapolis attorneys at Frank & Kraft discuss how life insurance fits into your estate plan. Types of Life … [Read more...] about How Does Life Insurance Fit into My Estate Plan?

While planning for the distribution of your estate assets is an integral part of any estate plan, a comprehensive estate plan can do much more. In fact, one of the most important things an estate plan can do for you is to ensure that your wishes are honored throughout your life and even after you are gone. To help you better understand, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain how to ensure that your wishes are honored through the art of estate … [Read more...] about The Art of Estate Planning: Ensuring Your Wishes Are Honored

For many people, the primary motivation for creating an estate plan is the desire to provide for loved ones in the event of death. Along with ensuring that your estate assets are passed down to your designated beneficiaries, a well thought out estate plan can also help make sure your beneficiaries receive those assets as soon after your death as possible. As the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain, making use of the Indiana Transfer on Death Property Act is one … [Read more...] about What You Need to Know about the Indiana Transfer on Death Property Act

Every adult should have at least a rudimentary estate plan in place; yet, over half of all Americans do not. This is the case despite most of those without a plan acknowledging the need for one. Often, failing to understand why an estate plan is so important is the problem. To help keep you from making that mistake, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain what happens if you die without an estate plan in place. What Is an “Intestate” Estate? If you leave … [Read more...] about What Happens If I Die Without an Estate Plan in Place?

Grandparents are invaluable. They share their endless wisdom with you and often spoil their grandkids. While grandparents that spoil the grandkids are awesome, incapacitated grandparents with significant assets are a problem. Assets could be depleted, even stolen, leaving your grandparents destitute in their final years. While the idea of stepping in and taking over your grandparents’ finances and/or decision-making may make you uncomfortable, not doing so could put your grandparents at risk. … [Read more...] about How Estate Planning Can Protect Your Grandparents

Most people recognize the importance of estate planning; however, those same people often fall victim to the numerous and varied myths and misconceptions about estate planning. To help ensure that you, your family, and your assets are protected, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft debunk some common estate planning myths. “I Don’t Need an Estate Plan Yet”  One of the biggest estate planning myths is the idea that you need to reach a certain point in your … [Read more...] about Debunking Estate Planning Myths

For most people, a comprehensive estate plan includes numerous legal documents and various ancillary documents. Which of these is the most important estate planning document? For most people a Last Will and Testament provides the foundation on which their estate plan is built; however, a trust agreement may eventually be just as important. The Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explains which document is the most important one in your estate plan. Your Last Will and … [Read more...] about Which Document Is More Important in My Estate Plan — a Will or a Living Trust?

Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the millions of men and women who currently serve or who have served in the United States military. Without their dedication and sacrifice, and that of their families, we would not enjoy the benefits and freedom many of us take for granted as Americans. To show support for our military families, we celebrate Military Appreciation Month every May. The Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft offer some suggestions for how you can take … [Read more...] about How to Take Part in Military Appreciation Month This May

If you prefer not to think about your own funeral and burial, you are hardly alone. Most people don’t want to dwell on the reality of their own mortality. You should, however, know enough about the practical expenses involved in a funeral and burial to recognize the wisdom of including a funeral planning component in your comprehensive estate plan. With that in mind, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain that dying is expensive and why funeral planning should be … [Read more...] about Why Funeral Planning Should Be Part of Your Estate Plan

Once your estate plan is in place, you may feel like you have pertinent, even crucial, information that applies to your estate plan, yet does not fit anywhere in your existing plan. When important information needs to be included in your estate plan but there is nowhere practical to include it, including an explanatory letter with your estate planning documents may be the solution. An Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft explains how to add explanations or instructions to … [Read more...] about How to Add Explanations or Instructions to Your Estate Plan