Maybe you have student loans from college that still have a six-figure balance despite years of making payments. Perhaps you tend to carry a high balance on your credit cards or still owe thousands in patient responsibility costs for recent cancer treatment. There are...
Estate Planning
Tips for business succession planning
For business owners, estate planning is often wrapped up in business succession planning. The business is the most important and most valuable asset that the individual owns. They want to give it to their children so that it can continue running and providing an...
What should you know about trusts?
All adults should have at least a basic estate plan. For some, creating a will is sufficient but other people will need to have at least one trust to pass their assets down to their heirs and beneficiaries. Anyone who’s considering establishing trusts should...
How to talk about end-of-life care with family
Death is not a popular subject for conversation. Most of us are uncomfortable thinking about death, let alone our own death or the death of the ones we love. But there is no avoiding the inevitable. Instead of avoiding questions about end-of-life care, you should take...
Why use a disinheritance clause?
Clearly, the main reason to use a disinheritance clause when doing your estate planning is because you want to cut someone out of your estate plan. You don't want to leave them any of your assets. This person otherwise would have expected to get something – maybe they...
3 times it may be wise to get outside fiduciary services
Fiduciary services can be necessary in a wide range of situations. For estate planning purposes, you may need them when you cannot or do not wish to manage your finances. People who act as fiduciaries may be personal representatives, trustees and others. Before you...
Situations where power of attorney can be necessary
No one can predict the future, but we can plan for it. For instance, we don’t know if we’ll get in an accident or sick in the coming months or years, but we can put vital protections in place that direct others on what to do if we are incapacitated. One protection is...
Yes, it could be time to update your estate plan
Creating an estate plan is a crucial thing to check off your to-do list. However, that does not mean your planning is complete for all time. Updating your estate plan periodically is crucial to ensuring your documents align with your wishes as circumstances change. If...
4 goals you can accomplish by establishing a trust
Trusts can be a highly valuable component of an estate plan that you might be overlooking. Too often, people focus solely on their will. And while a will is undoubtedly critical, there are several benefits to reinforcing your estate plan with trusts. Preserving...
What happens to your pet if you get sick or pass away?
Pets are beloved companions to many seniors across Colorado. But what happens to a feathered or furry friend when their owner can no longer take care of them? That decision will depend on the plans a person did or did not make in their care and estate plans....