One of the most valuable gifts you can give to your loved ones – and to yourself – is a well drafted and comprehensive estate plan. Not only will it ensure that your wishes are honored regarding your assets after you are gone, but it can also protect you and your family while you are still here. To help make sure you have a successful estate plan in place, an Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft explains some common estate planning mistakes. Choosing the Wrong … [Read more...] about Common Estate Planning Mistakes
Estate Planning
Estate Plan Updates for Seniors
Creating a comprehensive estate plan is one of the most valuable gifts you can give to yourself and to your loved ones. An estate plan that functions as intended will protect your assets and help them grow over the course of your lifetime as well as ensure that your loved ones are provided for in the event of your death or incapacity. If you have an estate plan in place already, however, you are not done yet because reviewing and revising your existing estate plan is just as important as … [Read more...] about Estate Plan Updates for Seniors
Are You Cohabitating? If So, Estate Planning Is Essential
According to the Pew Research Center, there are close to 20 million cohabitating adults in the United States as of 2019. A growing number of those are people over the age of 50. In fact, the number of cohabitating couples over age 50 grew 75 percent in just ten years. An Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft explains why estate planning is essential for cohabitating couples. The Changing Times Not all that long ago it was almost unheard of for two unmarried people of … [Read more...] about Are You Cohabitating? If So, Estate Planning Is Essential
Digital Assets – Are They Included in Your Estate Plan?
Just about everything you do leaves a digital trail anymore. Moreover, almost everything important to us can be stored in some type of electronic format. What happens to that digital trail and those electronic files when you die? Do you want someone to be able to access them? Conversely, do you want to ensure that no one can access them? Can anyone access those accounts without your permission after your death? A Carmel estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft explains why it is important … [Read more...] about Digital Assets – Are They Included in Your Estate Plan?
Is Your Power of Attorney Powerless? What to Do When a Third Party Won’t Honor an Agent’s Authority
A Power of Attorney is one of the most commonly used estate planning documents due in large part to how flexible it can be. Consequently, most people are familiar with what a Power of Attorney does and how to use one. When all goes as planned, a Power of attorney is extremely useful and easy to use; however, what happens when all doesn’t go as planned and your Power of Attorney appears to be powerless? The Carmel estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain what to do when a third … [Read more...] about Is Your Power of Attorney Powerless? What to Do When a Third Party Won’t Honor an Agent’s Authority
Will Millennials Ever See the Wealth of the Baby Boomer Generation?
The older population in the United States is already making history as the largest population of seniors ever recorded. A primary reason for the dramatic increase in the number of older Americans is the aging of the Baby Boomers. As they move into their retirement years, they are breaking records causing everyone to take notice. Not surprisingly, the largest senior population in history also has a historic amount of wealth. Traditionally, experts would expect that wealth to be passed down to … [Read more...] about Will Millennials Ever See the Wealth of the Baby Boomer Generation?
Is a Family Limited Partnership Right for My Business?
Starting a small business is a dream come true for many people. If you are hoping to realize the American dream of becoming an entrepreneur, planning ahead is the key to the long-term success of your business. This is especially true if you plan to pass the business down to the next generation. In fact, the lack of planning is one of the leading reasons why so many family businesses fail to make a successful transition from one generation to the next. There are a number of strategies you can use … [Read more...] about Is a Family Limited Partnership Right for My Business?
How to Pick Fiduciary Roles in Your Estate Plan
Like most people, when you contemplate your estate plan you likely focus on how your assets will be distributed after you are gone and how those assets will be used to care for loved ones. While the decisions you make related to your assets are certainly important, they may not be the most important decisions you make when creating your estate plan. Unfortunately, some of the most important estate planning decisions are frequently made without sufficient thought or consideration. Those decisions … [Read more...] about How to Pick Fiduciary Roles in Your Estate Plan
When Should Inheritance Planning Begin?
You may be under the common misperception that you need to have an actual inheritance built up before the need for inheritance planning arises. In reality, however, inheritance planning should start much earlier than you likely thought it should. In fact, it is never too early to get started on your inheritance plan because a well thought out plan will do much more than just govern the distribution of the inheritance you will eventually leave behind. To help you better understand when to start … [Read more...] about When Should Inheritance Planning Begin?
Is An Inherited IRA Taxable to the Beneficiary?
In the latter half of the 20th century, employer-sponsored pensions fell out of favor leaving workers to fend for themselves when it came to retirement planning. Today, most workers start planning for their retirement early using tools such as a 401(k) or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). When the owner of an IRA dies, the person(s) designated as the beneficiary inherits the funds remaining in the account. Both the account holder and the beneficiary need to know if an inherited IRA is … [Read more...] about Is An Inherited IRA Taxable to the Beneficiary?
