Estate

Effective estate management enables you to manage your affairs during your lifetime and control the distribution of your wealth after death. An effective estate strategy can spell out your healthcare wishes and ensure that they're carried out – even if you are unable to communicate. It can even designate someone to manage your financial affairs should you be unable to do so.

Featured Video

4 Elements of an Estate Strategy

Learn about the importance of having an estate strategy in this helpful and informative video.

When Do You Need a Will?

When do you need a will? The answer is easy: Right Now.

Problems with Probate

Probate can be a completely public process, or it can be managed to include as little information as possible.

When Special Care Is Needed: The Special Needs Trust

A special needs trust helps care for a special needs child when you’re gone.

• Articles

  Understanding the Alternate Valuation Date

  Executors can value the estate on the date of death, or on its six-month anniversary —the “Alternate Valuation Date."

  Trends in Charitable Giving

  Some people may want a more advanced gifting strategy that can maximize their gift and generate potential tax benefits.

  Why Everyone Needs an Estate Strategy

  Do you have an estate strategy? You should.

  Four Steps to Valuing an Estate

  Determining the value of your estate, or for someone who has passed away, can be a complex undertaking.

  A Primer on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts

  Irrevocable life insurance trusts can be important tools that may accomplish a number of estate objectives.

  Test Your Estate Strategy Knowledge

  Estate management can help ensure that your assets are transferred according to your wishes while managing tax issues.

  View all articles

• Videos

  Charitable Giving: Smart from the Heart

  Do you have causes that you want to support with donations?

  Exit Strategies of the Rich and Famous

  Estate conservation is too important to put off. Do you have a smart exit strategy?

  Estate Management 101

  A will may be only one of the documents you need—and one factor to consider—when it comes to managing your estate.

  Safeguard Your Digital Estate

  If you died, what would happen to your email archives, social profiles and online accounts?

  4 Elements of an Estate Strategy

  Learn about the importance of having an estate strategy in this helpful and informative video.

  When Do You Need a Will?

  When do you need a will? The answer is easy: Right Now.

  View all videos