What Is Estate Planning? Estate planning includes a “last will and testament” as well as key elements, such as power of attorney, trusts and medical directives (also known as a living will). This ...

Our estate planning expert explains why deathbed gifts are ‘mostly’ a bad idea. Jamie Hargrove also gives us a step-by-step estate planning guide in this video Q&A. “While there are always exceptions, ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Hans Daniel Jasperson has over a decade of experience in public policy research, with an ...

When a loved one passes on, moving through grief while managing their estate can be difficult. If they do not leave a will or a trust, it can make the grief process that much harder. We have all heard ...

Establishing a trust as part of your financial plan is something you might consider if you have extensive assets or simply want a measure of control over how those assets are managed after you're gone ...

Because so many things can change with time, we recommend that our clients review their estate plans every three to five years and update plans as needed. These periodic reviews help to ensure that ...

Probating an estate is an expensive, time-consuming and sometimes adversarial affair. It is possible, and sometimes advisable, to avoid probate. With the help of an estate planner and, perhaps, an ...

A major hurdle in estate planning is that advisors and clients often don’t know where to start. Even with digital solutions available, many clients still feel overwhelmed. This is where you have the ...

In our increasingly digitized world, our lives are inseparable from technology. From cherished memories stored in digital photo albums to valuable assets held in online accounts, our digital footprint ...

Legal experts from BD&P are thought leaders in Digital Journal’s Insight Forum (become a member). Estate planning is one of the most critical financial and legal tasks you will undertake, yet many ...

After a productive meeting with a client, most attorneys move on to the next matter. There’s little time to pause, summarize and communicate everything discussed, let alone assign tasks or outline ...

Estate planning is an often overlooked topic during the financial planning process. Discussing estate planning with others can be uncomfortable and easily avoided, yet this is an important part of ...