A common estate-planning question is whether it makes sense to leave inheritances with strings attached. My typical answer is “it depends.” It’s natural to want your legacy to be used wisely, but trying to control from beyond the grave can have...
Why do we put off taking action that is important to our financial health? Last week we explored some of the financial “emergencies” that can be avoided with planning or prevention. It’s easy to understand why planning is so important. It’s less easy...
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Most of us are familiar with this tidbit of immense wisdom. That doesn’t necessarily mean we follow it when it comes to either our physical or our financial health. According to a Modern Healthcare...
Does the executor of an estate deserve to be compensated for that service? Absolutely. As last week’s column pointed out, serving as an executor is often a time-consuming, emotionally draining task. Yet the issue of payment for an executor, especially one who is...
I recently heard from a former client who wanted to reengage our services. Naturally, I asked her why. “I was named the executor of my father’s estate last year, and I now have a huge appreciation for what you do.” Whether one is named as the executor or...
After you retire, do you still need financial planning? And can you afford it? The answer to the first question is clearly “yes.” The answer to the second is “It depends.” At times it’s true that a financial planner becomes unaffordable in...
