Do you have a Will?
by Wendy, Retirement Enthusiast/Coach
Have you heard of Freewill.com ? This is your no-excuses way to get your estate in order.
Larry King and Aretha Franklin both passed away without a proper will. Can you imagine what happens to their assets? This really makes a huge mess of their estates and whatever they may have had in mind is unknown.
Just think, someone else gets to make decisions that should have been made by you. After all, it's your hard work that made the estate possible.
Now, I know your estate is not like theirs, but I assume you have preferences on who gets what (even if it's just your possessions). This is not advisable for larger estates.
Try Freewill.com!
FreeWill is a social venture founded at Stanford University. Their mission is to make estate planning more accessible to people like you and empower you to support the people and causes you love.
You can do more than simply a will there:
Will and/or Trust
Advanced HealthCare Directive
Financial Power of Attorney
Your investments, savings, and 'stuff' are something most of us don't even want to talk about. BUT -- it's time to get this done.
One last thought, have you looked at the beneficiary designation on your IRA's, life insurance and other accounts lately?
Sometimes, you purchased life insurance or started a 401K as a younger person and never ever look at that beneficiary again. I've seen that happen many times when still employed... and only if contested via courts could that be changed post-retirement. The courts assume that was your wish, never to change the beneficiary. Right?
Maybe your ex-spouse is still on the account?
Maybe your deceased parents or partner?
Maybe someone is less important in your life now, compared to when you nominated them as beneficiaries?
Who is helping you NOW, in your old age, and needs to be thanked?
Make yourself a to-do list right now. What do you need to check? A quick call or site login could get the answers and/or a new beneficiary designation form!
Try Freewill.com!
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