Estate planning is a critical part of any financial strategy, but unfortunately, it’s something that many people skip. An estate plan helps you distribute your assets to loved ones after you pass away. It also helps you protect your family and leave a legacy. Contrary to popular believe, an estate plan isn’t just for people who have accumulated vast wealth. Even those with a modest estate should think about what will happen with their assets after their death. Before you develop your plan, though, you should think about what kind of goals you want to accomplish. Below are a few objectives you may want to incorporate into your legacy plan: Protection for loved ones. Perhaps the most important objective any person can have with estate planning is providing support and protection for loved ones. That’s especially true if your spouse and children rely on you for financial support. You’ll likely want to start by deciding who should receive assets. If you have a spouse, you may want to leave the bulk of your estate to him or her. You also may want to leave assets for children, grandchildren, extended family or even a favorite charity. After you decide who gets what, you’ll then want to consider how best to distribute the funds. For example, you may want to use a trust so you can minimize the impact of probate and exercise more control over the distribution of your assets. You might also consider increasing your life insurance coverage to maximize how much you can leave behind. One of the best ways to figure out what to leave to whom, and how to leave it to them, is to create a vision. Write down what you would like to see happen with your assets after you pass away, and then create a plan to make sure your vision becomes a reality. Minimize costs to your estate. If you’re not careful in your planning, you might jeopardize your estate. Even if you’re not wealthy enough to face estate taxes, there are still threats that could drain your assets. One of those is probate. This process can tie up asset distribution. On top of that, it can also come with large administrative and legal fees. Another potential risk to your legacy is medical debt. End-of-life medical treatment and long-term care can be expensive. And if you haven’t prepared for these costs, then your family may be forced to pay for them from your estate. Supplemental insurance can cover the costs not paid by Medicare, and long-term care insurance can also be a valuable tool to protect against this risk. Plan and prepare for end-of-life issues. While it’s not pleasant to think about, there is a chance you’ll become incapacitated before you die. Usually a result of conditions like strokes or diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, becoming incapacitated means that in the final days, weeks or even months before your death, you’ll be unable to communicate your medical and financial wishes to your family. If you haven’t planned for this, your family may make decisions for you that you wouldn’t have otherwise made. But with tools such as a living trust, a power of attorney or a living will, you can minimize the financial impact of incapacitation. These are all fairly straightforward documents, and a financial professional can help you decide which ones are best for you. Ready to develop your legacy plan? Let’s talk about it. Contact us at Carstens Financial Group for more information. We welcome the chance to help you analyze any remaining questions and develop a strategy. Let’s start the conversation today. Licensed Insurance Professional. This information is designed to provide a general overview with regard to the subject matter covered and is not state specific. The authors, publisher and host are not providing legal, accounting or specific advice for your situation. By providing your information, you give consent to be contacted about the possible sale of an insurance or annuity product. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting insurance professional. The statements and opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change at any time. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, presenting insurance professional makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. This material has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, accounting, legal, tax or investment advice. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and is not sponsored or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. 18086 – 2018/10/1
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Planning for retirement is can be a complex process, and it brings unique issues for singles. Married couples often benefit from joint pension payments and dual Social Security income streams, as well as multiple 401(k) accounts and IRAs. Single retirees may find it more challenging to plan for retirement without the benefit of a partner’s income and assets. Increasing amounts of Americans are single as they enter retirement. That’s especially true for women. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than half of all women age 65 and older in 2014 were single.1 If you expect to be single in retirement, you may face unique planning challenges and issues. One of the biggest could be the need for long-term care, which is extended assistance with daily living activities such as eating, dressing and bathing. Long-term care is often provided either in a facility or in the home and can cost thousands of dollars per month. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70 percent of retirees will need some form of long-term care.2 Unless you have a strategy in place, long-term care could drain your retirement assets. Below are a few questions you can ask yourself to start planning for long-term care expenses. If you haven’t started planning, now may be the time to do so. It’s never too early to consider the risk and your options. Who will provide support if you need care? Long-term care is often caused by cognitive issues like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or the aftereffects of a stroke. In the beginning stages of these conditions, a spouse may be able to provide much of the necessary support and assistance. That can delay the need for an in-home aide or a move to a facility. However, single retirees don’t have the benefit of a spouse to help with day-to-day living activities. Consider who could provide assistance if you should develop a cognitive issue. Do you have grown children in the area? What about other relatives, like a sibling or nieces or nephews? Could you rely on friends or neighbors? Be careful about depending on friends and family for too much help. While they may be willing to pitch in occasionally, you don’t want to be dependent on someone who has other important obligations. Consider that you may need to pay for a full-time health aide if you wish to stay in your home. Who do you trust to manage your finances or make your health care decisions? Incapacitation is another big concern in retirement. Incapacitation is the inability to make or communicate decisions about your finances or health care. Again, this is often caused by cognitive issues. Without any input from you, your relatives or doctors may be forced to make decisions on your behalf. They may make choices that you wouldn’t make for yourself. You can avoid this risk by establishing written planning documents such as a power of attorney or a living will. These legal documents provide exact instructions on how your health and finances should be managed and who should make decisions on your behalf. What options do you have to fund your long-term care needs? A recent Genworth study found that the average room in an assisted living facility cost $3,750 per month. An in-home health aide was more expensive, costing on average more than $4,000 per month.3 How long could you afford to pay those costs out of your retirement assets? Consider that many people need long-term care for several years. You may want to look at long-term care insurance. You pay premiums today in exchange for long-term care coverage in the future. Coverage varies by policy, but most insurers cover care that’s provided either in a facility or in a home, and will pay some or all of your costs. A financial professional can help you find the right policy for your needs and budget. Ready to plan your long-term care strategy? Let’s talk about it. Contact us today at Carstens Financial Group. We can help you analyze your needs and implement a plan. Let’s connect soon and start the conversation. 1https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2016-09-23/many-women-will-be-single-in-retirement-are-you-ready 2https://longtermcare.acl.gov/the-basics/how-much-care-will-you-need.html 3https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html Licensed Insurance Professional. This information is designed to provide a general overview with regard to the subject matter covered and is not state specific. The authors, publisher and host are not providing legal, accounting or specific advice for your situation. By providing your information, you give consent to be contacted about the possible sale of an insurance or annuity product. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting insurance professional. The statements and opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change at any time. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, presenting insurance professional makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. This material has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, accounting, legal, tax or investment advice. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and is not sponsored or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. 18119 - 2018/10/9 As you approach retirement and the later stages of your life, you may be considering your legacy and how you will pass your assets on to your loved ones. Perhaps you want to fund your grandchildren’s education or help your grown children get started on their retirement nest egg. Maybe you have assets that hold sentimental value that you would like to distribute to specific relatives. To achieve these goals, it’s helpful to have an estate plan in place. Your estate plan should prioritize your objectives and offer a strategy. It should also identify risks and challenges, such as taxes, end-of-life costs and even probate expenses. One risk you may want to consider is debt. Many retirees try to minimize debt before they end their career. However, that’s not always possible. Unexpected costs always arise, even in retirement. You could have credit card debt, mortgages, medical bills and more. It’s possible that your debt could impact the amount of assets that are distributed to your heirs. When you pass away, many of your assets will likely pass through a process called probate. That’s the legal process for settling an estate, and it often includes notifying heirs, liquidating assets, distributing inheritances and other tasks. One step in probate is paying final debts. Your creditors could actually file liens and judgments against your estate, tying up your assets and restricting the distribution of your funds. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the burden of your debt and protect your legacy. Below are three steps to consider. If you have debt and are worried about its impact on your estate, consider implementing these action items in your estate plan. Reduce debt while you’re alive. Perhaps the most effective way to limit the impact of debt on your estate is to take steps to reduce your debt while you’re alive. For example, if you have credit card debt, consider developing a strategy to pay it off. If you owe back taxes and penalties to the IRS, contact the agency to negotiate a payoff plan. Also, think about loans on which you may be a co-signer. For example, did you co-sign your children’s student loans? If so, the lender could demand that the balance be paid after your death. You may want to work with your child and the lender to see if you can be removed as a co-signer so the balance doesn’t hold up your estate distribution. Create liquidity for your estate. Sometimes it’s not the debt that causes estate problems, but rather the illiquidity in the estate. An individual may pass away with medical debt, credit card debt or other loans. The person’s assets may be illiquid property, like real estate or collectibles. There may be few liquid assets available, such as cash or investments. In these cases, the estate executor may be forced to sell assets to generate cash to pay the debt. That can be especially difficult for heirs if the assets have sentimental value. You can minimize this risk by creating liquidity for your estate. Consider using life insurance as a tool to leave cash for your heirs. If you can’t qualify for life insurance, work to create a reserve of cash. Protect your assets from creditors. You also may want to utilize tools that offer some protection against creditor action. Many of these tools are beneficiary-designated products such as life insurance, annuities, IRAs and trusts. These types of assets flow directly to the named beneficiaries without going through probate. You may want to maximize the assets in these accounts so your heirs can receive their distributions quickly, without waiting for your executor to settle outstanding debts. Ready to protect your loved ones? Let’s talk about it. Contact us today at Carstens Financial Group. We can help you analyze your needs and create a strategy. Let’s connect soon and start the conversation. Licensed Insurance Professional. This information is designed to provide a general overview with regard to the subject matter covered and is not state specific. The authors, publisher and host are not providing legal, accounting or specific advice for your situation. By providing your information, you give consent to be contacted about the possible sale of an insurance or annuity product. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting insurance professional. The statements and opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change at any time. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, presenting insurance professional makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. This material has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, accounting, legal, tax or investment advice. This information has been provided by a Licensed Insurance Professional and is not sponsored or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. 18086 – 2018/10/1 |
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