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ESTATE PLANNING

 

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  Just as a successful retirement takes early planning, passing on assets to your family should be thought through ahead of time.

4 Reasons to Have an Estate Plan

1. Providing guidance on how to handle your assets should be handled if you are incapacitated.

If you don’t have a will, the government will decide how to distribute your assets.

2. Preplanning may help to lower the taxes on your estate.

TIP: Currently, estates of up to $1 million are exempt from federal estate taxes.

Having your estate well organized and your records in order can ease the burden on your family after your death.

Estate Record Keeping

Although each person’s needs are different, here is some basic information you should keep available and in good order.
  • Personal information, including family contact information, social security number, and date of birth
  • Business contact information for emergencies
  • Family doctors’ names and phones
  • Life insurance policies
  • Health insurance, including Medi-gap
  • Disability-long-term care insurance
  • Homeowners' or renters' insurance
  • Auto insurance
  • Savings and checking account numbers—amounts, locations
  • Brokerage account numbers and statements, or stocks and bonds if you have certificates
  • Pensions and other retirement accounts
  • Deeds to property, tax documents, and mortgages, if applicable
  • Other business interests—partial ownership in companies for example
  • Receivables, if any
  • Titles and loan documents for cars, boats, and other major assets
  • Other valuable personal property—descriptions, appraisals, or value estimates
  • Credit cards
  • Outstanding loans
  • Safe deposit box key and location

TIP: Keep originals of all legal documents in your safe deposit box; keep copies at home.
  • Will
  • Trust agreements—including name and contact information for trustee
  • Durable power of attorney
  • Other documents—birth certificates, passport, marriage license, military service records
  • Cemetery deed and other information on funeral requirements

Adapted from Estate Planning Guide, Cynthia Leach, Deloitte & Touche

The Benefits of Trusts >