The most difficult time in life follows the loss of a loved one. Surges of disorientation, loneliness, and depression come and go. The survivor is often weak and financially vulnerable. When it is needed the most, we provide financial strength, wisdom and continuity for the survivor and their family.

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1. Your Parents' Estate Plan Part 2: What You Need to Know (2010-02-22)
   A thoughtful estate plan can make your heirs' lives easier. But it is your parents' estate planning that will make your life easier.
   
   
2. Your Parents' Estate Plan Part 1: Why You Need to Know (2010-02-15)
   Your estate plan can make your heirs' lives easier. But it is your parents' estate planning that will make your life easier.
   
   
3. Dropping the Baton in Estate Titling (2008-11-24)
   How you "title" the property you own is a lot more important than you might think. Failure to title your assets properly could undo the best will and trust planning that money can buy.
   
   
4. Achieving Family Harmony in Estate Planning Part 1: Leave Your Estate in the Right Hands (2009-05-04)
   The most important product of estate planning is achieving family harmony. Think carefully when you choose your executor or trustee.
   
   
5. Achieving Family Harmony in Estate Planning Part 2: Make Sure Your Plan Fits Your Unique Needs (2009-05-18)
   Estate planning must begin with family harmony as the goal. Thus personal dynamics are more important than avoiding probate and estate taxes.
   
   
6. Life Insurance: Determining Your Need (2008-03-17)
   You may have heard that "Life insurance is a gift of love." But if you bought a $100,000 whole-life policy because you wanted to build some cash value when you should have bought a million dollars of low-cost term insurance to meet the survival needs of your family, your well-intentioned effort was not an act of love.
   
   
7. 529 Plans Help with Estate Planning (2008-04-14)
   While many parents are struggling, some grandparent have large estates. One effective estate-planning technique is using a 529 account both to fund their grandchildren's college and also help them avoid significant tax liabilities.
   
   
8. Planning for a Funeral (2006-12-19)
   Funeral expenses are often a family's fourth largest expense after paying for a house, college expenses, and a car. Last-minute planning often leaves family members feeling pressured to spend more than they should in order to demonstrate their love for the departed.
   
   
9. Roth IRAs Make Great Estate Planning Tools (2006-09-25)
   If the tax-free growth of a Roth IRA wasn't enough to wet your appetite, the estate planning benefits it offers should seal the deal. Bequeathing a Roth is much the same as setting up a life-time tax-free stream of income for your heirs. Because Uncle Sam has already taken his cut of the principal when you put the money in, withdrawals from a Roth can be made tax-free, either by you or by your beneficiaries. All this happens simply by naming the appropriate beneficiaries for your Roth.
   
   
10. Estate Planning for a Family Business Balances Three Roles (2004-09-27)
    Wise estate planning for the family businesses accepts, mentors and integrates others (family role); makes a profit and demonstrates objective professionalism in its decisions (business role); and plans for the inevitable - a successful transfer of ownership to the next generation (ownership role).
    
    
11. Estate Planning Often Includes A Living Trust (2004-09-20)
    Having a living trust, although complex, is too important to ignore.
    
    
12. The Five Most Important Documents to Have (2002-09-06)
    Communicating honestly about your finances with your family and putting your estate in order passes on a legacy of foresight and financial wisdom that will help generations to come.
    
    

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