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If you haven't considered using a revocable trust rather than a will as your main estate planning document, you could be making a critical mistake. A recent MoneyWatch article, “5 reasons you need a trust, not a will,” lists five reasons for… Read More

Who pays the bills in your house? If your house is like most, there is probably one person who handles most of the financial matters. Would you or your spouse be prepared to assume the role of managing the household finances if something happened to… Read More

How long will you live? It’s a key question in retirement planning. If you’re healthy and your family tree has branches with staying power, you may figure that you have decades ahead. If your parents died early of natural causes, you may assume a… Read More

Skilled estate planning is essential to the tax-efficient transfer of the family business across the generations. While the majority of family business owners have estate plans, the majority of these plans can be considered dated. Family businesses a… Read More

When young couples expect their first child, the to-do list never seems to end. From lining up in-home help to managing hectic daily schedules, the process can prove daunting. Then there's financial planning. Financial advisors often urge parent… Read More

"Mistitling of assets is one of the prominent causes of failed estate plans," asserts Avani Ramnani, CFP®, director of financial planning and wealth management at Francis Financial, a wealth management firm in New York. What might go wrong… Read More

It was the summer between her sophomore and junior year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when Patti Sacher’s daughter Keisha had a breakdown. She had taken LSD at a Grateful Dead concert one weekend in 1989. When Mrs. Sacher called to check o… Read More

One of the most important things someone can do to best ensure their estate is handled without a hitch is to appoint the right person as the estate’s executor, sometimes called a representative. So what do you need to do if you’ve been appointed… Read More