Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim left behind an estate estimated to be worth as much as $75 million to his husband, charities and a dozen other friends, court papers show.
There are certain financial goals that it's important to check off your list, like having enough money in a savings account to cover emergency expenses and eliminating unhealthy debt. However, here's one goal many people gloss over -- creating a will.
A revocable living trust is a great tool to help your assets pass smoothly to your beneficiaries and it can significantly reduce the headaches of probate.
For most people, entering the realm of estate planning can feel a bit like traveling as a tourist into another culture. Because the language itself is unfamiliar, asking a question can result in an answer that is equally confusing.
As a review of terms, a will is a legal document that specifies how a person’s estate should be handled only after that person’s death. A living will has nothing to do with how your “things” like property, money, jewelry, etc. are to be distributed. Unlike a will, it is, in fact, a document that comes into play while you’re still alive.
I’ve decided I no longer want to leave my estate to my children. They are ungrateful brats. How can I set things up to give my money to charity when I die?
The ‘HEMS’ (health, education, maintenance, support) standard in estate planning is used to guide trustees in how/when they should release funds to a beneficiary.