Breakthrough Wills and Estate Planning Answers

#3 Your Three Wishes – Getting What You Want

Read my first previous post in my Breakthrough Wills and Estate Planning series, #2 Here’s Where You Start – Take Your First Step.

You need a road map to reach your estate planning goals and to make your wishes come true. You can start by knowing what you wish to accomplish.

In a moment I’m going to ask you to take a pen or pencil and make your list. You need to do this to give your planning direction – otherwise, you’re going to find yourself going around in circles.

What Is Estate Planning?

When you plan your estate, you identify your personal wishes for what happens to your money when you are done with it. These are your estate planning goals, which you can call “wishes.”

Perhaps you wish to leave money for a child’s education or for your university’s scholarship fund. You may need to set aside money to protect a disabled partner or young children.

Whatever you wish to accomplish for yourself and loved ones is personal and unique. You cannot find these answers in a standard one-size-fits-all estate kit or software program.

Estate planning uses a variety of techniques to fulfill your personal wishes.

It’s More Than Making a Will

If you do not make a will, you cannot decide who inherits your estate. The government by law will dictate who gets what and your wishes will be disregarded. The people you love may end up suffering as their very real needs are ignored.

Making a will is therefore a key estate planning step to ensure that your final wishes are carried out.

Will – legal document you sign to deal with your estate after you die. Your executors, named in your will, distribute to your estate beneficiaries.

But planning also involves anticipating and avoiding problems. You can do this by previewing your estate to save taxes, avoid probate and maximize what is available for the people you care about.

Do you need help planning? Want to get started but not sure what’s involved? I can help you. Contact me for a meeting.

I am a Certified Specialist in Estates and Trusts Law.