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When someone close to you passes away, financial matters are often the last thing you want to think about. But certain steps need to be taken relatively quickly to protect the estate, avoid penalties, and ensure that assets reach the right people. This guide walks you through the basics so you know where to begin.
Team BFProbate Planning: What It Is and Why Your Family Will Thank You for Doing It
BestFarewell Partners with Trust & Will to Help Families Complete Their Estate Plans
Team BFEstate planning comes with its own vocabulary, and three terms tend to cause the most confusion: will, trust, and living will. They sound similar, and people often use them interchangeably. But they serve different purposes, and understanding the difference between a will, a trust, and a living will can save your family significant time, money, and stress.
Team BFThe phone rings at 2 a.m. Someone asks what you need. In that hour, many families draw a blank on what comes first. Knowing what to do when someone dies is hard to hold in mind when shock takes over. The grief is real, and the practical steps that cannot wait are real too.
Team BFHow to Talk to Your Parents About End-of-Life Planning Without It Being Awkward
Team BFMost families don't avoid estate planning because they don't care. They avoid it because they don't know where the conversation begins.
Team BFThe newspaper clipping yellowed within a year. The edges curled. The ink faded. By the time Jennifer wanted to show her children their great-grandmother's obituary, the text had become difficult to read. The photograph was barely recognizable.
Team BFThe average funeral in the United States costs between $7,000 and $12,000. That number surprises most people. It surprised Ellen when she received the bill after her husband's unexpected death at 62. The life insurance policy covered the mortgage, but funeral costs came from savings she had planned for retirement.