As long as one of your beneficiaries survives you, the retirement plan will go to your beneficiary and not go through probate. The first four apply to bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement plans, and life insurance. Most estate planning attorneys, including us, recommend a revocable living trust as the best way to avoid it. Avoiding probate isn’t about avoiding the law — it’s about avoiding unnecessary cost, conflict, and estate protection services delay for those you love. Just keep in mind that once you give something away, you give up control, and certain gifts may require tax reporting on IRS Form 709.
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The best estate plans will include strategies to help you avoid probate. In probate, the court does its best to interpret the deceased’s wishes and distribute assets accordingly. It’s a safeguard — but it can also be slow, costly, and emotionally draining for families already in mournin


With a Fixed Annuity, you are not assuming the investment risk. The right amount depends on your lifestyle, your plan, and how much you can save without sacrificing how you live. Surrender charges on annuities are generally not tax deductible and only apply to certain types of annuities. Guaranteed annuity rates for retirement depend on timing, life expectancy, and choosing the right contract based on your goals. In fact, most annuities should not have ongoing management fees at all. Equity Indexed Annuities are considered fixed because they are insurance products, not securities, and are designed for principal protectio


After your death, your successor trustee can easily and quickly transfer your trust property to family, friends or charities – avoiding probate. Revocable Living trusts were created to help people avoid probate. During this process, your will and related documents — including your assets and who you are leaving them to — will be made public recor


If you contribute to a 401(k), its flexibility gives you choices as you go through life. The Color of Money Risk Analysis assesses your financial picture and provides a roadmap to your overall risk preferences. We can help with individual health plans to fill the gaps before Medicare when they occur. We can assist you with Medicare supplemental insurance plans, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D Prescription Drug Plans. We are here to help you with your initial Medicare needs or to review your current coverage.
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A nationwide poll conducted in 2022 by Athene in partnership with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine revealed that 75 percent of Americans ages 50 and older want more guaranteed income than they already have or expect to have for retiremen

And you’ll be in a better position to know what to do every step of the way - how much to save, how to invest, and when to make lifestyle and budget adjustments to reflect new life circumstances or goal


By having a steady cash flow you can count on, you can have greater peace of mind knowing you won’t outlive your savings. Adding an annuity to an overall retirement plan can help protect against longevity risk by providing a guaranteed stream of income. Guaranteed retirement income can come from several sources, like Social Security, pensions and annuities, and can provide a "paycheck" that helps you cover basic living expenses, while also funding other goals like travel or renovating your hom

The Planner Search directory is made Financial Planning Association (FPA) members and includes CFP® professionals, educators, financial services providers, and others who follow the highest standards of professional competence and integrit


Take a best guess based on your current circumstances and goals. Applying these three recommendations individually or in combination is a great way to simplify the retirement planning process and can help you get a ballpark estimate of how much you'll have to save. These three rules-of-thumb can be helpful for estimating your needs, though remember that they're general rules that estate protection services may not be right for every person or situation. With a solid retirement plan in place, you’ll have a roadmap to follow throughout your working life.
Figure out when your retirement will start and how long it might la


The trust usually only becomes irrevocable when you die or if you become incompetent. You act as trustee and manage the property for as long as you are able; and, if you want, you can have all trust property returned to you at any time. If you decide to set up a Living Trust, the lawyer will write the trust document and review it with you. So, the general public or anyone who is not a beneficiary does not have a right to know about the assets in your trust. Sometimes trusts can give assets to the beneficiaries and protect those assets from the beneficiaries' creditors. Like a Will and a testamentary trust, a Living Trust lets you decide specifically what will happen to your property after you di