Friday, September 04, 2009

Press Coverage of Estate Planning This Week (September 4, 2009)

Kate Ashford of CBS MoneyWatch.com wrote three articles addressing getting your finances and estate planning in order, what questions to ask your parents about their estate planning, and what steps are necessary when a loved one passes away.  See Keep the Money in the Family (Sept. 2, 2009).

Heidi Brown of Forbes.com writes about several areas of estate planning, including planning for minors, planning gifts for charities or family members, ensuring your medical wishes are known, and ensuring beneficiary designations are up to date, particularly if your marriage is ending.  See Your Go-To Guide to Estate Planning (Sept. 2, 2009).

Barbara Kate Repa of Caring.com covers some of the basic provisions that you should consider including in your will, such as naming an executor, specifying beneficiaries and alternate beneficiaries, how taxes should be paid, and providing for pets.  See Aging and Caring: 10 Things to Consider Including in a Will (Sept. 2, 2009).

Mark Kanny of the Tribune Review (Pittsburgh, Pa) reviews a recent book on blended families – where one or both spouses has children from a prior marriage – and highlights some of the major issues that tend to arise.  See How to Estate-Plan Your Blended Family (Aug. 31, 2009).

Kelly Greene of the Wall Street Journal discusses naming a trust as a beneficiary of an IRA, including some of the benefits and drawbacks, and what to avoid.  See Trust as Beneficiary of IRA is a Popular Strategy (Aug. 29, 2009).