Estate

Effective estate management enables you to manage your affairs during your lifetime and control the distribution of your wealth after death. An effective estate strategy can spell out your healthcare wishes and ensure that they're carried out – even if you are unable to communicate. It can even designate someone to manage your financial affairs should you be unable to do so.

Featured Video

Estate Management 101

A will may be only one of the documents you need—and one factor to consider—when it comes to managing your estate.

When Special Care Is Needed: The Special Needs Trust

A special needs trust helps care for a special needs child when you’re gone.

When Heirs are Imperfect

The money problems or bad lifestyle habits of adult children could lead to the squandering of any inheritance they receive.

Exit Strategies of the Rich and Famous

Estate conservation is too important to put off. Do you have a smart exit strategy?

• Articles

  A Checklist for When a Spouse or Parent Passes

  An overview of some fundamental steps when a loved one passes.

  Intellectual Property Rocks in a New Digital Era

  Intellectual property ownership and its implications for ordinary people and estates.

  Understanding the Alternate Valuation Date

  Executors can value the estate on the date of death, or on its six-month anniversary —the “Alternate Valuation Date."

  A Living Trust Primer

  Living trusts are popular, but their appropriateness will depend upon your individual needs and objectives.

  Will Power

  Preparing for the eventual distribution of your assets may not sound enticing. But a will puts the power in your hands.

  White Elephant Inheritance

  This article deals with how one might deal with a burdensome inheritance.

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• Calculators

  Comparing Mortgage Terms

  Compare different mortgage term lengths side by side to find the option that fits your budget.

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• Videos

  Estate Management 101

  A will may be only one of the documents you need—and one factor to consider—when it comes to managing your estate.

  Safeguard Your Digital Estate

  If you died, what would happen to your email archives, social profiles and online accounts?

  Charitable Giving: Smart from the Heart

  Do you have causes that you want to support with donations?

  Exit Strategies of the Rich and Famous

  Estate conservation is too important to put off. Do you have a smart exit strategy?

  When Do You Need a Will?

  When do you need a will? The answer is easy: Right Now.

  When Special Care Is Needed: The Special Needs Trust

  A special needs trust helps care for a special needs child when you’re gone.

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