Most, if not all, people put their estate plan on their to-do list as a one-time project: “Create estate plan” or “Meeting with lawyer 10:30 a.m. Thursday for estate plan.” Thinking of your estate plan as a single project or task to complete and move off your...

Anyone who wants to leave a long-lasting financial legacy for their family needs more than a financial plan, which is only part of the big picture for your overall monetary health. A well-informed financial plan is worth your time for several reasons, but let’s look...

As we build wealth, we naturally desire to pass that financial stability to our offspring. With the grandkids, especially, we often share a special bond that makes us want to provide well for their future. However, that bond can actually turn into a weakness if proper...

Estate plans are living, breathing creations. Your life can and will change due to new births, children getting older and other shifts in the family; changes to your portfolio, career and business; and changes to your health, where you live and your core values. Likewise, external events, such as tax legislation passed in your state or the development of a novel financial instrument, can throw your plan off track or open the door to opportunities. Obviously, you want to do due diligence without spending inordinate amounts of time noodling over your plan. Good enough should be good enough. To that end, ask yourself the following 6 “stress test” questions to assess whether you need to meet with an estate planning attorney to update your approach.

Are you failing your family the way these 4 celebrities failed theirs? These four celebrity estate planning fiascos offer lessons about how to handle your own planning and legacies. Pablo Picasso – The great Dada artist died in 1973 at 91 without a will, a status...