ESTABLISHING GUARDIANSHIP: WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT AND THINGS TO CONSIDER

Posted by Clay Caldwell, CFP® and Rich Winters, CFP®, CRPC®
On February 19, 2019

If you and your spouse were to pass away, who would assume legal guardianship of your children? Would your extended family members decide who raises your children? Would the courts decide? Maybe it would be a combination of the two? And for separated families, what kind of additional complexities exist? While it is a […]

POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR YOUR CHILDREN: WHERE GRANDPARENTS COME IN

Posted by Clay Caldwell, CFP®
On June 28, 2018

For most of us, we think about a Power of Attorney (POA) coming in to assist when a parent is approaching the end of their life. This document gives you the authority to make medical, legal, and financial decisions on your parent’s behalf when they are no longer capable of making these decisions on their […]

5 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ESTATE PLANNING

Posted by Brad Bridgewater
On April 21, 2017

Most of us know someone who has been affected by the death of a loved one who didn’t leave a plan for his or her wishes. These situations are very difficult and can inflict real emotional and financial damage on families. Of course, people don’t set out to harm their loved ones by failing to […]

THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF DOING NOTHING WITH YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN

Posted by Brad Bridgewater
On March 17, 2017

Opportunity cost is defined as “the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen.” In the business world, “the cost of doing nothing” is a commonly used phrase relating to hiring practices, customer service, marketing strategies, or financial decisions. Economists have attempted to quantify this cost in a variety of situations. […]

10 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN EXECUTOR

Posted by Michael Kane, CFP®
On February 24, 2017

Being chosen as the executor of an estate is both an honor and an enormous responsibility. The job of the executor is to protect the personal property of the deceased person until all debts and taxes have been paid and to transfer the remaining assets to the estate’s beneficiaries. The duties may vary depending on […]

6 ITEMS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR ESTATE PLAN

Posted by Brad Bridgewater
On November 23, 2016

Perhaps no other aspect of retirement planning is as overwhelming as creating an estate plan. It’s hard to anticipate every eventuality, and it’s even harder to make decisions regarding your family’s future that doesn’t include you. For these reasons, along with the intense emotions that accompany facing their own mortality, many people don’t take the […]