Estate

Effective estate management enables you to manage your affairs during your lifetime and control the distribution of your wealth after death. An effective estate strategy can spell out your healthcare wishes and ensure that they're carried out – even if you are unable to communicate. It can even designate someone to manage your financial affairs should you be unable to do so.

Featured Video

4 Elements of an Estate Strategy

Learn about the importance of having an estate strategy in this helpful and informative video.

Safeguard Your Digital Estate

If you died, what would happen to your email archives, social profiles and online accounts?

A Living Trust Primer

Living trusts are popular, but their appropriateness will depend upon your individual needs and objectives.

Estate Management 101

A will may be only one of the documents you need—and one factor to consider—when it comes to managing your estate.

• Articles

  Managing an Inheritance

  A windfall from a loved one can be both rewarding and complicated.

  Trends in Charitable Giving

  Some people may want a more advanced gifting strategy that can maximize their gift and generate potential tax benefits.

  Problems with Probate

  Probate can be a completely public process, or it can be managed to include as little information as possible.

  Understanding the Alternate Valuation Date

  Executors can value the estate on the date of death, or on its six-month anniversary —the “Alternate Valuation Date."

  A Primer on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts

  Irrevocable life insurance trusts can be important tools that may accomplish a number of estate objectives.

  Will Power

  Preparing for the eventual distribution of your assets may not sound enticing. But a will puts the power in your hands.

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• Calculators

  What Is My Current Net Worth?

  Use this calculator to estimate your net worth by adding up your assets and subtracting your liabilities.

  What's My Potential Estate Tax?

  This calculator helps estimate your federal estate tax liability.

  What Is My Life Expectancy?

  Estimate how many years you may need retirement assets or how long to provide income to a surviving spouse or children.

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• Videos

  Charitable Giving: Smart from the Heart

  Do you have causes that you want to support with donations?

  Safeguard Your Digital Estate

  If you died, what would happen to your email archives, social profiles and online accounts?

  When Special Care Is Needed: The Special Needs Trust

  A special needs trust helps care for a special needs child when you’re gone.

  4 Elements of an Estate Strategy

  Learn about the importance of having an estate strategy in this helpful and informative video.

  Estate Management 101

  A will may be only one of the documents you need—and one factor to consider—when it comes to managing your estate.

  View all videos