People often use certain life milestones as indicators that it may be time to establish or review an estate plan. For many people, getting married or having children may be the personal changes that make them address their mortality. However, financial goals can also...
Year: 2024
Why financial infidelity often leads to divorce court
Married couples decide to divorce for various different reasons. Frequently, spouses grow apart over time. There's no single precipitating incident that leads to divorce but just a slow shift in the dynamic between the spouses. Other times, one spouse uncovers...
Creating the right environment to tell the kids about divorce
When you’re talking to the children about an upcoming divorce, it’s important to find the right environment or atmosphere for that conversation. If you choose the wrong time, it may go a lot worse than it would otherwise. So how do you help things go smoothly for your...
The link between marriage age and an eventual divorce
A couple’s age when they get married plays a big role in whether or not they will get divorced. They don’t know it at the time, of course. That divorce isn’t based on anything that happens on their wedding day, and it may be decades in their future. But what...
The percentage of adults without a will is shockingly high
Most people know that dying without a will can lead to major probate challenges. Quite a few people know at least one person who lost a loved one who did not already have a will on record. They may have had a difficult time handling probate matters and may have...
What to bear in mind if you want to disinherit a child
While it is usual to leave your children something when you die, there may be occasions when you do not want to do so. Perhaps you wish to exclude one or all of them from getting anything. It’s your estate so you can usually do this. However, it’s not a decision to...
What if your life insurance policy and estate plan conflict?
As you draft your estate plan, it may become clear to you that your life insurance policy is a substantial asset. Along with a family business or a family home, it’s probably one of your most valuable assets. As such, it’s important to you that it is passed down...
Divorce trends in 2024
The divorce rate in The United States is one of the highest globally, with almost 50% of marriages resulting in divorce. This percentage increases by nearly 10% for those who have been married multiple times and persists for each subsequent marriage. Yet, despite...
Child custody modifications
Did you know that you may be able to modify your existing custody order? If there has been a substantial change in circumstances since they came into effect, child custody orders can be adjusted to reflect the current reality. It could be due to a change in the living...
Should grandparents be listed as guardians?
An important part of estate planning is choosing a guardian. For instance, couples sometimes have their first child and then start to take estate planning much more seriously. They know that they need to create a plan now that there’s another generation to consider....