Preserve and protect your legacy.
If you own real estate, jewelry, vehicles, family heirlooms or financial assets of any kind, you have an estate. An estate plan, an essential part of your overall financial plan, is established to efficiently transfer your property according to your wishes. Even if you think everyone knows what you want to occur, the government or your family might have different ideas. Estate planning does not have to be expensive or complicated, and the benefits can be tremendous.
A well-designed estate plan seeks to:
- provide a means to pay for federal estate taxes and other expenses related to your death
- provide income to your loved ones
- provide for the disposition of your business
- distribute your assets to family members with the least amount of shrinkage or loss possible
- provide for a child or incapacitated adult with special, long-term needs
- enable you, and often members of your family, to avoid potentially complicated and emotionally charged distribution of assets long before your plan will be used
Designing a legacy consistent with your dreams and values is a personal, often intricate process. After giving some thought to your wishes, including the needs of family members you may want to consider, a Northwest Financial Advisors’ representative can provide the professional guidance and advice you need and will help you value your estate by taking into consideration:
- your current income and likely future income
- your annual expenses
- your current assets and debts
- estate and gift tax rules and regulations
To create your estate plan, legal documents such as wills and trusts* are typically required. Once your estate plan is in place, reviewing your will, trust or other documents periodically or when faced with a significant life event will be an easy-to-manage task.
