Formal estate planning will save your family large amounts of money and stress. It also protects them when they are at their most vulnerable. Proper estate planning ensures you can provide for the financial and emotional well-being of your beneficiaries beyond your time with them. For many it’s a simple process, yet most clients avoid talking about it. Your Clearwater Management investment advisor will walk you through the process of verbalizing your wishes, speaking with family members, and having the right documents in place.

General Estate Planning

Estate planning needn’t be complex. For many, it’s as simple as drawing up a written will and having it notarized. Of course, lawyers, accountants and financial professionals have many tools at their disposal to shelter your assets and protect your loved ones. These may include trusts, insurance, tax shelters, offshore accounts and more. What’s important is that the process of estate planning gives you control over how your wealth will be distributed, and how you can provide for loved ones, charitable organizations and business associates. It gives you a final say about whatever means most to you.

Documents

Part of estate planning is consolidating all of your documents. It’s essential that your final will and testament includes references to all your assets and accounts, and provides access to them. Generally, these are held by a lawyer, with a copy sometimes forwarded to an executor. Ensure that your executor and your advisors have each other’s contact information. These simple steps go a long way towards easing people’s stress during a difficult time.

Philanthropy

Your legacy may include leaving assets to an organization that is meaningful to you. Planned giving has become a mainstream element of fundraising. Professional fundraisers approach members of their community to leave a bequest in their will, rather than donating assets that they may need to fund their retirement. People may bequeath a set dollar amount, a percentage of the current market value of their assets upon their death, or specific securities.