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Stop saying “we really need a Will!” and start making your plan in a few simple steps.

“In the next few months, thousands of northerners — so-called “snowbirds” — will escape their snowy, cold climates to spend the winter in warm, sunny spots in the southern or western part of the United States.”

When names change, executing documents with the person’s prior name can become problematic. In estate planning documents, where there are risks about being able to make decisions in a timely manner or to mitigate the possibility of an estate challenge, a name change to update documents is an ounce of prevention.

Even if you have taken good care of your finances over the years, adding a child to the family can change your financial situation significantly. This is why experts recommend parents begin planning for their financial security as soon as possible. Here are a few tips for parents on how to get started with financial planning.

With hurricanes, tropical storms and wildfires becoming routine events, data from the National Poll on Health Aging suggest that older adults, loved ones and their care providers should take time to prepare for how they will cope and communicate in an emergency. The question is not if something will occur, but when. Having a plan in place for disaster is important for seniors. So is having an estate plan, to prepare for life’s unexpected occurrences. If you don’t have an estate plan, speak with an estate planning attorney soon to have a will, power of attorney, healthcare proxy and other planning documents in place.

“If you’ve ever spent time working through your estate plan with a professional, you know how important it is to select and update your beneficiaries. Failing to do so can result in costly mistakes—for you and your loved ones.”

“While it’s not something many people think about until faced with the issue, obtaining a credit report for a deceased person is important. You may need to make sure the credit report is accurate and take stock of any creditors you need to notify of the death or see if there’s any unresolved debt that you’re not aware of.”

Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes “Most of us have heard the quote from Benjamin Franklin, ‘In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.’” No one actually enjoys paying taxes, and few of us really want to think about our own death, but both require advance planning...

“The best way to ensure that they know and understand your wishes, is to take a copy of your advanced healthcare directive or living will with you to your next check up and talk to your physician about it, then ask them to keep the copy on file.” Everyone needs...