
What is a Digital Asset in an Estate?
Today, so many aspects of our lives are managed virtually. We keep currency, photos, music, documents, bills, medical records, artwork and even our social lives online or ‘in the cloud.’
Today, so many aspects of our lives are managed virtually. We keep currency, photos, music, documents, bills, medical records, artwork and even our social lives online or ‘in the cloud.’
It can be easy to overlook, but an estate plan is essential for nearly everyone, whether you have a lot of money or just a little. An estate plan tells your heirs and the courts how to divide up your assets. However, it also helps protect your loved ones from unnecessary hassle and expense – as well as potentially months, even years, tied up in the court system settling your estate.
As you’re making your estate plan, you’ll want to carefully consider everything. This means it may take a while to complete your plan. Here are five things to watch out for along the way.
Children may have moved away or lost touch. Old contacts may have died or become disabled. You cannot trust everyone and criminal cases based on misuse of a power of attorney do exist.
Usually when asked to be the executor of a family member’s estate, the person feels honored and trusted. It’s a big responsibility, since the executor will be carrying out a person’s final wishes.
Even though it is critical for your assets, family and legacy, estate planning tends to fall to the bottom of people’s to-do lists. What new parent wants to draft a will, while finalizing a nursery paint color?
Estate planning is a crucial part of any holistic financial plan, and financial advisors often work with estate planning attorneys for guidance in this area.
Many people have signed at least one power of attorney in their life. A power of attorney, which names a trusted family member, friend or advisor as your “attorney-in-fact” to control your assets, is meant to be used, if you are incapacitated.
Some people might assume that estate planning is only for the wealthy. However, the reality is that anyone can, and should, engage in estate planning, regardless of wealth. Although creating an estate plan for same-sex couples isn’t totally different than for heterosexual couples, there are some considerations that are unique to same-sex couples.
As you know, a power of attorney (POA) allows another person, the Attorney-in-Fact (AIF), to conduct business on behalf of the principal. The POA authorizes the AIF to sign for and on behalf of the principal.
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