Author Archives: Jay Butchko
A Wish Is Worth a Thousand Legal Documents
During your first few meetings with an estate planning lawyer, you talk a lot about your wishes, and usually you come away from the meetings feeling inspired and optimistic about your retirement, even if your lawyer persuades you to trade your far-fetched dreams for more realistic plans. Eventually, though, it is time to start… Read More »
How Awesome Is It to Inherit a 401(k) Account?
Everywhere you look, you see evidence that the young generation has more obstacles to financial stability than their parents had. News headlines sound the alarm about how homeownership is out of reach for buyers under 40 unless they inherit a house from their parents, or unless their parents give them money for a down… Read More »
Why It Is Important for Unmarried Couples to Do Estate Planning
A marriage certificate is not what makes you and your partner a couple. People who find love late in life often do so with the wisdom to know what they want from a relationship and which aspects of their previous relationships they do not want to repeat. You might have any of several reasons… Read More »
Solo Aging Is as Unglamorous as It Sounds
A recent article on Moneywise points to an uncomfortable truth that we probably could have figured out if it were not such a bummer to think about. Specifically, more than a quarter of American retirees are doing what Moneywise describes as “solo aging,” meaning that the retirees live alone and do not have any… Read More »
Does Undue Influence Apply to Payable on Death Beneficiary Designations?
Many banks and credit unions give account holders the option to add a payable on death (POD) beneficiary to their checking and savings accounts. If you do this, then the account becomes a non-probate asset. This means that the beneficiary does not have to wait until the estate of the original owner of the… Read More »
