New Yorkers who are concerned about the possibility that they might become incapacitated and unable to make their own decisions will want to consider a healthy proxy. This document is part of a well-crafted estate plan and should not be ignored. It is not just for...
When you buy an insurance policy, open a bank account or set up a retirement account, you are required to designate a beneficiary. In some cases, you may be asked to choose a secondary beneficiary, but that is often not mandatory. As your life changes, you preference...
The point of estate planning is not to dwell on your own demise. Estate planning involves many items that serve to improve your life, now and into the future. Of course, there are elements of estate plans that only come to fruition when you die, but there are worse...
A previous post on this blog discussed how careful estate planning can prevent an aging resident of Rochester, New York from falling victim to financial exploitation. Although many New Yorkers would realize that a pattern of financial exploitation, once it has run its...
People tend to put off estate planning and elder planning far longer than they should. Some choose a piecemeal approach, making plans for one thing or another over a period of months or years. Delay and the lack of a cohesive plan can cause many problems when it comes...
According to a report in a major New York media source, more and more people in Rochester and in other communities are writing wills earlier in life. What was once a ritual for people hitting their "empty nest" years is now an exercise even younger people with small...
As our society has changed over the preview few decades, many women are beginning to find themselves on their own as they approach late middle age. Whether through divorce, death of a spouse or simply deciding never to marry, middle-aged women are beginning to control...
Debt is a reality for most Americans. Even if your assets exceed your debt, it is likely that you owe some money on your house, car, credit card or as the result of a personal loan. In fact, nearly three-quarters of Americans have some debt when they pass away, with...
This is part three of a three-part series There are so many things to consider when you begin planning your estate. You want to make sure that what you leave behind will be going to the people you want it to go to, in the amount that you have specified. You want...
This is the second of a three-part series on the importance of wills. When an individual passes away, their will is only as concrete as their last updated version. Drawing up a valid will is only the first step in the process of making sure that your estate is handled...
