4 Things Retirees Should Know About Estate Planning

You have planned for retirement, prepared for covering healthcare, and researched living expenses. Hopefully, you have also created a will. But one thing that many retirees don’t realize is that even with a will, their death can create financial and emotional complications. For this reason, it is vital for retirees to look into estate planning.

Like most people, you may not have given estate planning much thought until your retirement rolled around. When you retire, it makes you think about your future, your assets, and your death. While it may be a big task, you should start your estate planning today by learning these four facts.

Plan for Probate Costs

All retired individuals should make sure they have money saved or individuals prepared to cover probate costs. After your passing, your will is going to be executed by the specific person you named. When this happens, it’s called the probate process. 

The amount of time it will take for the probate process and the fees charged will highly depend on the state you’re in. In most states, you can expect probate fees to cost around 10 percent of your estate’s value. If you are not already prepared for this, it can cause financial strain on your loved ones.

Financial Beneficiaries

Probate is complicated, and many people find it useful to avoid it altogether. As you’ve discovered above, probate can be a lengthy and expensive process. You can help to avoid probate with financial beneficiaries. 

To do this, you’ll have the financial institutions that are holding your specific financial assets include a beneficiary. This way, they can hand over the asset or funds to your beneficiary upon your death. This is a well-known loophole of probate in the estate planning process that you should be taking advantage of.

Consider Living Trusts

While financial beneficiaries can be named for assets like brokerage accounts, savings, and checking accounts, they don’t work for all types of assets. For larger physical assets such as your car or home, you’ll need to set a living trust. 

This type of trust can also be referred to as a revocable trust. The living trust allows you to state beneficiaries, called trustees, that can retain control of the asset in the event of your death.

Know About POAs

One document that is often discussed during the estate planning process is the power of attorney, or POA. This document comes in two forms, which include financial and medical. In a financial POA, you’re giving the right to give control of your assets to a specific person in the event you become physically or mentally unable to do so. 

With a medical POA, you’re specifying a person who will have control over your medical preferences in the event you become physically incapacitated.

Estate planning is something that everyone should consider doing. Retirement may be the perfect time to sit down and take your individual wishes and assets into consideration. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of how estate planning works and are more confident about contacting your lawyer to discuss starting your own planning.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

4 Items in Your Home You Didn't Know Could Be Worth Good Money

Most of us can find useless things around the house that we want to get rid of. The good news is that there may be buyers waiting to pay cash for your unwanted possessions. 

All you have to do is market them online and be prepared to mail the items or have them ready for pick up when the deal is confirmed. Here are four surprising things you might own that could be worth a fair amount of money.

Books and Toys

People who take good care of former toys and collectible sets can often sell them for surprising amounts of money. Some buyers are looking for toys that were popular decades ago and will pay a good price for those in great condition. 

Toys that still have their original packaging are especially valuable for many collectors. Before giving away your grown kids' old playthings, look through them to see if any might be worth selling. The same holds for vintage books of any genre. Browse your titles online to see what they might be worth.

Dishware and Kitchen Equipment

Complete sets of authentic china in good condition, particularly those by renowned companies like Wedgewood, can fetch a tidy sum from interested buyers. Antique cookware and kitchen utensils handed down over several generations also attract interest from dishware collectibles. 

Certain types of kitchen equipment, like brand-name deluxe blenders and old-fashioned stoves, are frequently in demand. Before taking pictures to market your items, clean them up, and make any minor repairs. Indicate whether they still work the original way or if they have been modified for modern kitchen use.

Vehicles that Don't Run

Cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, and just about anything on wheels, whether it runs or not, is likely to attract interest from people who rebuild cars or need a used part for the vehicle they are driving. 

Just put up a sign or post an ad that says "buy my junk car," and you may be surprised by the number of calls, emails, or texts you receive.

Cosmetic Jewelry

While valuable gemstones are often available from someone's inheritance or an estate sale, costume jewelry is growing in popularity as well. 

Retro-style necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are in demand by drama troupes, film companies, and those looking for accessories to complete their Halloween costumes.

Don't let your marketable goods go to waste. Set aside the best ones and advertise them to the appropriate market to earn money on what you might have otherwise given away.

Top 4 Benefits to Look for in a New Checking Account at a New Bank

Forging a relationship with a new bank can be exciting for first-timers but daunting to anyone who has enjoyed a previous institution. In either case, most banks are excited to bring on new clients, and they will offer incentives as a way to entice people to make the switch. 

A checking account is one of the most basic things into which people will put some assets. While most of them share similar features, there are a few perks you can look for when shopping for a new one.

Sign-Up Rewards

In addition to offering stellar services to newcomers, many banks like to encourage signers by offering special rewards for making the switch. Many of these rewards are tied to money that you can get by making at least one deposit over the first month that you open the account. 

The bank will add the money to this account once you meet the requirements. It will usually appear in your checking account after no more than 10 business days.

No Minimums

Some banks require you to keep a minimum balance in your account, charge you monthly fees just for storing your funds, or both. These numbers aren't usually high, but they can hit you out of nowhere if your account falls below the minimum and is overdrawn before you notice. 

You should look into a free checking account that doesn't ask you for minimums or charge you such fees. Most of these packages come with free online banking programs as well.

Return Percentages

Standard rewards that give you cash back for what you buy don't seem as common as they once were, so going with a bank that offers them could be a great perk for you. It works well when the bank links its cashback rewards directly with the debit card that is connected to your checking account. 

If you make purchases that add up to a particular dollar amount in a given month, you can earn a percentage of those expenditures back.

Early Direct Deposit

You never know when you might need some of your money a bit earlier than you expected. Some accounts can offer you access to your directly deposited funds by as much as two days early. In most cases, they determine this by studying the traditional policies of most banks and how quickly funds from paper check deposits are usually available. 

If you're used to having access to your money on a particular day, knowing that it will be ready for you early could be a big help.

Some people sign up for the first checking account they see at their local bank, and others who have had one for years like to stick with what they know. These approaches are easy, but they mean that you might not be getting all the benefits you could make use of with a better system. 

Don't forget to see if some checking accounts offer special maintenance privileges to target demographics that could include teens or seniors.

How to Work with Your Employer When You Need Short-Term Disability Pay

After sustaining injuries, an employee may become incapacitated and thus unable to perform their duties like before. When such an incident happens, the short-term disability cover comes in handy.

Short-term disability is a unique insurance cover that offers some income replacement or compensation for injuries and illnesses sustained outside the workplace that render you unable to perform your duties. It is imperative to note that it only covers non-job-related injuries. Injuries sustained while in the workplace are covered by worker's compensation.

Sick Leave

Some employers provide paid sick leave as a benefit. If your employer compensates for time off due to illness or injury, the first thing you should do is to check whether you qualify for the program. 

Some employers require workers to give notice when they need sick leave. An employee can only take advantage of such a program if the purpose is foreseeable, such as planned surgery or childbirth.

Short Term Disability Benefits

A short-term disability cover guarantees a portion of a worker's salary if the worker is temporarily unable to perform duties due to illness, injury, or pregnancy. The benefits can be offered in several ways. These ways vary from one state to another. 

In some states such as Hawaii, California, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey, the benefits are paid through a policy acquired by the employer or through a state fund. If your state doesn't require employers to purchase short term disability cover, your employer might decide to acquire a policy voluntarily.

Regardless of the cover, the programs abide by the same rule. You are entitled to a portion of your salary for a specific period. The percentage you will get is determined by the terms of the plan or by the state.

How Can You File for Short Term Disability?

If you feel that you deserve compensation, the first thing is to ensure that your injury or illness is well documented. According to an unpaid wages lawyer, you need to provide medical backing or evidence when making a claim.

The first thing you should do is consult a doctor and speak honestly about what you are experiencing. After getting a well-prepared medical record, you should approach your HR department to kick off the process of making a claim.

Short-term disability benefits enable an employee to meet their needs even when they can't work due to an illness or injury. Short-term disability benefits are commonly offered for a period of three to six months.

Handling Finances: How to Plan For Your Estate

You don't need to own a lot of property or have a great deal of money to need an estate plan. In fact, if your possessions are limited but those you want to give to are in serious need, you'll want a plan that will disperse your assets quickly. Making a list of what you want to accomplish, what you have, and how you want things parsed out is critical.

What's Your End Goal?

Do you have a charity or family member that holds your heart? Then you have a reason to create an estate plan. Carefully consider the people to whom you want to leave your hard-earned possessions and ready cash. 

While making this list, pay special attention to your remaining dependents, including pets. You want to know that if something happens to you, others are covered.

Define Your Assets

To start, make a list of all your bank accounts. What funds do they have, and where will this money go? Then, make a list of your possessions of value. This can be a home, a car, art, or jewelry.

If you own any of these things jointly, sit down with your spouse or partner, and define how you want these possessions to track. If you're married, generally your surviving spouse and offspring will immediately receive the assets. 

If you're divorced, there will likely be legal limitations to be overcome before your asset dispersion can be securely defined.

Stay aware of the laws in your state. Consider a conversation with a Los Angeles estate law firm to protect your California home and assets, for example, from probate or other asset-draining stages in dispersal.

Proper Valuation

Bank balances, retirement accounts, and other monies, stocks, and bonds are fairly straightforward as far as determining their value. However, real estate values change over time. 

Additionally, if you own art that you purchased early in the career of an artist, it may be worth much more as that artist builds a following.




Proper valuation of your assets is particularly important if you're splitting your estate between heirs upon your death. Hire a professional to give you a valuation on anything that may be of fluid value in the future, and get it reappraised in the event of a sizable market change.

Covering Your Assets

If you know that you're leaving behind someone who will need what you intend to give them, it's critical that you invest in the insurance you need to avoid end of life costs. 

A basic long-term care policy, taken out while you're hearty and healthy, can be of manageable cost as you age and make it possible to pass on your legacy.

Additionally, it's important to remember that it's not only age that can lead to needing long-term care. If you have children, it's crucial that you have a plan in place in case you are incapacitated by illness or injury.

Speeding Up the Process

Create vehicles in which to place your assets for long term needs. If the person you want to give to has special needs, consider setting up a special needs trust. Work with an attorney so you can be sure that your assets go in the right vehicle.

For example, if you have a dependent child who will always need support, the right trust will allow them to receive disability insurance as well as your contribution. 

The wrong trust will block them from receiving any disability until the trust has been completely wound down. Each state is different, so do this right the first time to protect your loved one.

Avoiding Probate

If you only have a will, chances are extremely good that your goods and monies will have to go through probate. Depending on the state you live in, avoiding probate will take multiple steps unless you have a surviving spouse. If you are divorced or your spouse has passed on, probate is likely the next step.

Probate is time-consuming, frustrating, and sometimes costly. Don't rely on your will to protect your loved ones from this process, especially if they need those assets to thrive. Address this while you have the ability to make good decisions.

Nobody likes to think about estate planning, but it's an important part of your legacy that needs to be addressed. Do the right thing now to protect the people and causes you want to support in the future.

Bad Wallpaper or Structural Damage? Tips for Finding a Right Fixer Upper Home for the DIYer

Many people want a move-in ready house, but there are plenty of others who are happy to do their own updates and remodeling. However, there comes a point where a fun fixer upper home just isn’t worth the trouble. 

To make it worthwhile, you have to find the right property for your budget and your time. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when hunting for a promising DIY property.

Financial Planning

Explore your financing options for buying a house in your price range. You may want to apply for a mortgage, which will require an appraisal as well as a twenty percent down payment. 

You will also need property insurance and the financial standing to afford monthly payments. In addition you should develop a budget for the cost of repairs, utilities, and taxes while the house is renovated.

All together, you will need to finance a fair amount of money up front. Another option is to use savings or a home equity credit line to buy the house up front, which will eliminate the need for a mortgage. Talk to a financial adviser, like David Laut, about the most feasible way to handle this investment based on your current circumstances.

Comprehensive Inspection

If you are experienced and qualified, you can perform a detailed evaluation of the property you want to buy. Otherwise, you can hire a professional inspector to do a comprehensive inspection of the premises. It is usually recommended to use a professional inspector to better protect yourself legally and financially.




The inspector will check the house from roof to basement, and they’ll also check the lawn as well as any outbuildings on the property. The inspection can find hidden problems like structural issues or a septic tank defect that can be very expensive to repair. 

Knowing in advance about these issues will enable you to make an informed decision about whether to buy the property anyway or find one with fewer problems.

Time and Cost Budget

After being pre-approved for a mortgage or arranging finances in advance and then finding a property you want to buy, create a time and cost budget. Knowing up front how much time will be needed to do the repair work as well as the accompanying costs will give you an idea of whether a certain property fits your DIY capabilities.

Family Helpers

For minor work like lawn care and light demolition or hauling, you may be able to hire family members who would like the work instead of professionals for a cheaper rate. Renovations are a great learning experience for teens and siblings who want to learn some home care and remodeling skills.

Avoid snap judgments and quick purchase offers even when you’re looking for a fixer upper property. Otherwise, you could find yourself in over your head. Prepare in advance and carefully assess whether a certain property will be a good DIY opportunity.