• Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Promise
    • Our Partners
    • Join Our Team
    • Brokerage Services
  • Our Services
    • Individuals and Families
    • Business Owners
    • Retirees/Medicare Eligible
  • Planning
    • Life Insurance
    • College Planning
    • Retirement Planning
    • Build Wealth
    • Disability Insurance
    • Mortgage Protection
    • Business Valuation
    • Long Term Care
    • Final Expense
    • Home + Auto
  • Business
    • Group Plans
    • Business
    • Key Employees
    • Employee Benefits
    • Executive Carve Out
    • Financial Management
    • Protect Your Business
    • Retirement Planning
    • Succession Planning
  • Resources
    • Careers >
      • Careers
      • Careers Sampling
      • Career Training
      • Internships
      • Producers
      • Join Our Team
    • Articles
    • Market Watch
    • Newsletter
    • FAQs
    • Member Access
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Request A Quote
    • Schedule An Appointment
Sunshine Financial Solutions | Insurance, Retirement, College Funding and Business Solutions
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Promise
    • Our Partners
    • Join Our Team
    • Brokerage Services
  • Our Services
    • Individuals and Families
    • Business Owners
    • Retirees/Medicare Eligible
  • Planning
    • Life Insurance
    • College Planning
    • Retirement Planning
    • Build Wealth
    • Disability Insurance
    • Mortgage Protection
    • Business Valuation
    • Long Term Care
    • Final Expense
    • Home + Auto
  • Business
    • Group Plans
    • Business
    • Key Employees
    • Employee Benefits
    • Executive Carve Out
    • Financial Management
    • Protect Your Business
    • Retirement Planning
    • Succession Planning
  • Resources
    • Careers >
      • Careers
      • Careers Sampling
      • Career Training
      • Internships
      • Producers
      • Join Our Team
    • Articles
    • Market Watch
    • Newsletter
    • FAQs
    • Member Access
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Request A Quote
    • Schedule An Appointment

Newsletter

What key estate planning tools should I know about?

12/21/2018

2 Comments

 

By taking steps in advance, you have a greater say in how these questions are answered. And isn’t that how it should be?

Wills and trusts are two of the most popular estate planning tools. Both allow you to spell out how you would like your property to be distributed, but they also go far beyond that.

Just about everyone needs a will. Besides enabling you to determine the distribution of your property, a will gives you the opportunity to nominate your executor and guardians for your minor children. If you fail to make such designations through your will, the decisions will probably be left to the courts. Bear in mind that property distributed through your will is subject to probate, which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

Trusts differ from wills in that they are actual legal entities. Like a will, trusts spell out how you want your property distributed. Trusts let you customize the distribution of your estate with the added advantages of property management and probate avoidance. While trusts offer numerous advantages, they incur up-front costs and ongoing administrative fees. The use of trusts involves a complex web of tax rules and regulations. You should consider the counsel of an experienced estate planning professional and your legal and tax advisors before implementing such strategies.

Wills and trusts are not mutually exclusive. While not everyone with a will needs a trust, all those with trusts should have a will as well.

Incapacity poses almost as much of a threat to your financial well-being as death does. Fortunately, there are tools that can help you cope with this threat.

A durable power of attorney is a legal agreement that avoids the need for a conservatorship and enables you to designate who will make your legal and financial decisions if you become incapacitated. Unlike the standard power of attorney, durable powers remain valid if you become incapacitated.
​
Similar to the durable power of attorney, a health-care proxy is a document in which you designate someone to make health-care decisions for you if you are incapacitated. The person you designate can generally make decisions regarding medical facilities, medical treatments, surgery, and a variety of other health-care issues. Much like the durable power of attorney, the health-care proxy involves some important decisions. Take the utmost care when choosing who will make them.

A related document, the living will, also known as a directive to physicians or a health-care directive, spells out the kinds of life-sustaining treatment you will permit in the event of your incapacity.The decision for or against life support is one that only you can make. That makes the living will a valuable estate planning tool. And you may use a living will in conjunction with a durable health-care power of attorney. Bear in mind that laws governing the recognition and treatment of living wills may vary from state to state.

Estate Planning Tip
Keep all your important financial and legal information in a central file for your executor. Be sure to include:
 • Letters of instruction
• Medical records
• Bank/brokerage statements
• Income and gift tax returns
• Insurance policies
• Titles and deeds
• Will and trust documents



The information in this newsletter is not intended as tax, legal, investment, or retirement advice or recommendations, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2018 Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc.
2 Comments
Rebecca Gardner link
2/3/2021 03:52:07 pm

It was helpful when you explained that wills and trusts aren't mutually exclusive and it's beneficial to have both. My daughter and her husband want to meet with an estate planning attorney to make arrangements for peace of mind before starting a family together. This info should help them make the best decisions about wills and trusts when discussing the specifics of their plan with a lawyer in their area soon.

Reply
Sunshine Financial Solutions link
2/3/2021 04:54:17 pm

Hi Rebecca, glad to hear you found this insightful! We're happy to share this because unfortunately, many people often overlook or delay this area of planning, or don't realize what their options are before starting. Your daughter and her husband will benefit tremendously from getting a head start and can now make more informed decisions in this important step for their future family. Please feel free to let us know if you have any estate planning questions or would like a second opinion. Enjoy your day!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    Categories

    All
    College Planning
    Estate Planning
    Retirement
    Risk Management

    RSS Feed

Picture

    Subscribe To Our Newsletter Today!

Submit

Contact Us

Location

1401 N University Dr. Ste 300
​Coral Springs, FL 33071

Phone: 561-609-2251
info@sfsfinancial.org
© 2022 Sunshine Financial Solutions of South Florida, Inc.
Securities offered through OneAmerica Securities, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA SIPC. Sunshine Financial Solutions of South Florida, Inc. is not an affiliate of OneAmerica Securities or the companies of OneAmerica and is not a broker dealer or Registered Investment Advisor. Provided content is for overview and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be relied upon as individual tax, legal, fiduciary, or investment advice. Neither OneAmerica Securities, the companies of OneAmerica, or Sunshine Financial Solutions of South Florida, Inc. provide tax or legal advice. For answers to specific questions and before making any decisions, please consult a qualified attorney or tax advisor. Guarantees are subject to the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Promise
    • Our Partners
    • Join Our Team
    • Brokerage Services
  • Our Services
    • Individuals and Families
    • Business Owners
    • Retirees/Medicare Eligible
  • Planning
    • Life Insurance
    • College Planning
    • Retirement Planning
    • Build Wealth
    • Disability Insurance
    • Mortgage Protection
    • Business Valuation
    • Long Term Care
    • Final Expense
    • Home + Auto
  • Business
    • Group Plans
    • Business
    • Key Employees
    • Employee Benefits
    • Executive Carve Out
    • Financial Management
    • Protect Your Business
    • Retirement Planning
    • Succession Planning
  • Resources
    • Careers >
      • Careers
      • Careers Sampling
      • Career Training
      • Internships
      • Producers
      • Join Our Team
    • Articles
    • Market Watch
    • Newsletter
    • FAQs
    • Member Access
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Request A Quote
    • Schedule An Appointment