Wealth preservation for you and your family
Human nature may cause us to avoid talking or even thinking about our mortality. However, if we fail to express our wishes, once we pass on, there is a greater risk that they will not be carried out. An estate plan is a way to prevent this.
Your estate plan forms the blueprint for the legacy you want to pass on to your heirs. Developing an estate plan is one of the most important financial decisions you will make in your life. Failure to make an estate plan means that other persons will get to make these decisions for you. Your beneficiaries could end up with far less than you would have wanted and you may even end up with unwanted beneficiaries.
Benefits of an Estate Plan:
- Your assets go where you want them to
- Minimize the emotional and financial burden on your family
- Avoid disputes over your estate
- Avoid the cost and delay of probate
- Provisions made for minor children
What is involved in an estate plan?
- Your Estate Plan: This is the basis of your planning process where you select your beneficiaries and outline your wishes.
- Your Will: This plan allows you to play a key role in securing your family’s financial future. It’s your last gift to them!
- Rewards: You can use trusts for the purpose of asset protection and to simplify and accelerate the transfer of assets to your beneficiaries.
Not just for the wealthy
Estate planning will allow you to be remembered the way you want. It facilitates the distribution of your assets according to your wishes and gives purpose to what you've accomplished in your lifetime. A common misconception is that 'estate' somehow implies great wealth and therefore estate planning is only for the super-rich. This myth has often deterred persons from putting their houses in order before death. The size of an individual’s portfolio (property, investments, cash etc) does not determine whether it qualifies for an estate plan. An estate can be a house and several thousand dollars in assets or a mansion and several million. Whatever the size of your estate, a good estate plan ensures that you will leave the legacy you desire for your heirs with minimal headaches.
