BluJeans' Advice
What will your kids do when you die????
Don't leave your family confused and scrambling for money when you die. Are they prepared?? Are you prepared?? Financially?? Emotionally?? Do you want: Burial/funeral/cremation?? No idea what I'm talking about?? I'm just learning, so if you know more than I, please don't hesitate to share. This webpage was inspired by a recent close call in my immediate family.
I have never had any of my immediate family die except for a 1st cousin and an uncle and I was out of state at the time. So I am naive when it comes to the events that transpire when a loved one dies. I hear that siblings come close to cutting each other's throats over inheritances. I've listened to my own family "pre-claim" items of an older family member upon their death. I never could understand that, nor could I participate. Sure, I'll probably never get anything from anyone in my family that dies. So??? Well, I've recently found out Soooo?!
I'm sure I've only touched the tip of a mega berg here, but the state and your federal government will do all they can to take what money, properties, and assets your recently deceased loved one called his/hers. In order to protect yourself from over-taxation (death taxes range as high as 55%!), owing debts left by your loved one, and having your inheritance held up in probate, arm yourself with knowledge and act on it!!
The following are some websites that will help keep the above from happening and make your time of sorrow less of an aggravating ordeal. Please notify me if a site does not work so that I can find an imformative replacement.
http://dowjones.wsj.com/d/perfin-guide-estate-estate.html
http://www.nolo.com/encyclopedia/ep_ency.html
http://www.rushforth.org/planning/
http://learnhow.to/protecting-your-financial-future.htm/
http://www.estateplanning.com/
http://www.courttv.com/legalhelp/elder/wills/probate.html
http://www.radichdesign.com/ltrust/
http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/estate_gift_tax.html
http://www.savewealth.com/planning/estate/livingtrusts/
http://www.selfhelplegal.com/trust.html
** http://www.assetprotection.com/assetprotection/ **
You can go to this site: http://www.easylegalforms.com/ to order Living Wills and other forms or you can go to your nearest Office Depot or Office Max as an alternative to paying attorney fees.
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