09 October

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Talking to Your Executor (or Trustee)

The holidays are just around the corner, and when the family gathers, it can be a great time to talk to the person or persons you have chosen as your executor, personal representative, and/or Trustee. Is Your Executor Willing to Serve? If you are just beginning your planning, now is a good time to ask your chosen trustee if they are willing to serve. This is very important! You don’t want a situation to arise where the people you counted on to serve are saying they won’t. It is one of many ways to end up in an expensive court proceeding to get...

13 August

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How the Revocable Trust Works for You

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, Revocable Living Trust, Wills & Trusts

The Revocable Living Trust is valuable for many estate planning needs, but one of the most obvious is the avoidance of all the time and expense of probate. I like to think of your Trust as your treasure chest. Your assets, the things you worked and saved hard to have – go into your Trust – into your treasure chest. While you are alive and able, you are taking care of the treasure chest as the trustee. If you can’t take care of your treasure chest anymore, either because of your death or because you are incapacitated, you have named a...

08 July

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Asset Protection for Your Heirs

Posted by Libby Banks

in Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts

The revocable living trust is a great estate planning tool, but it does not protect your assets from your creditors. The assets in your trust are still considered your assets because you continue to have complete control over them. On the other hand, you can use your trust to provide asset protection for your beneficiaries after your death. When you pass your assets on to your beneficiaries, instead of giving them of all the assets outright, where they put it in their own bank account or in their own name, at death, your trust directs the trustee to create an irrevocable...

24 June

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Estate Planning during the pandemic

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, News & Events, Power Of Attorney, Wills & Trusts

The need for Estate planning has become more apparent than ever due to COVID-19. People who have not considered what might happen if they become seriously ill or incapacitated are appreciating the benefits of an estate plan. An estate plan can provide significant peace of mind by ensuring someone can take care of you – and your finances – if you become ill. It also ensures your assets are protected and passed on according to your wishes. Estate planning is often a difficult topic to broach, as it brings the unpleasant topics of illness and death to the forefront of our minds....

04 June

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Estate Planning for Incapacity

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, Power Of Attorney, Revocable Living Trust, Wills & Trusts

When my clients think about estate planning, they tend to think about the end of life, about what’s going to happen to their assets, and who will handle the estate and make distributions to their beneficiaries. Often, they don’t realize that an equally (or maybe more) important aspect of planning is all about who will manage your assets and take care of you and your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. With proper planning, you decide; without proper planning a court may get to make the choice, and at great expense and rarely expeditiously. What do we mean by “incapacitated?” In...

23 May

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Different Trusts Meet Different Needs in Your Estate Plan

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts

There are a number of different types of trusts we may use when doing an estate plan. Here is a bit about a few or the most common. The Revocable Living Trust The primary trust we use in estate planning is the Revocable Living Trust (“RLT”). It is the foundation of most plans and offers many benefits. Not only does it contain instructions for managing the assets in the trust if you become incapacitated, but it will also avoid the need for a probate court proceeding on your death. The person(s) you select will be able to step in quickly to gather,...

07 May

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The Importance of Estate Planning with a Professional

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, News & Events

By Michelle Talsma Everson Attorney Libby Banks is passionate about a unique area of law—so passionate in fact, it’s what she focuses on exclusively. Banks’ area of expertise is estate planning, probate and trust administration. Essentially, she helps clients of all ages plan for what happens to their estates if they are incapacitated or after they pass away. It’s an important topic that many may not realize impacts not only them but their loved ones as well. “I’ve been an attorney for many years, and about 10 years ago, I began working with another attorney who specialized in the big probate fights...

20 March

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Estate Planning in This Time of Uncertainty

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, News & Events

I am writing this in mid-March, for publication in April, not knowing what the next thirty days may bring. COVID-19 is an uncertain virus that our scientists are still figuring out. Many of you are sheltering in place, avoiding any public meetings and keeping social distance even from family to protect those who are vulnerable. Many are also thinking about estate planning, but not wanting to proceed because they don’t want to leave home. Because of that, we are offering online meetings through Zoom or via Facetime. This system allows us to talk with you face-to-face to begin an estate plan...

06 March

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Benefits of the Revocable Living Trust for Your Estate Planning

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, Revocable Living Trust, Wills & Trusts

There are many benefits to a Revocable Living Trust, but often people think that only the wealthy need a Trust for their estate planning. The truth is, there is no magic net worth number that tells us when a trust provides the best planning for your assets. The two key factors that tell us a trust may be the best option are the family situation and what type of property you own. I like to tell clients that if I know the what we are planning for (your assets) and the who we are planning for (your beneficiaries) I can...

05 February

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What’s the Best Valentine’s Gift for Your Family?

Posted by Libby Banks

in Estate Planning, News & Events

With Valentine’s Day here, I’ve been wondering how to show my family I love them. Of course, estate planning was one of my first thoughts (right after chocolate)! Estate planning truly is a gift to your family and loved ones. A proper estate plan makes it easier on your loved ones if you become incapacitated and when you are no longer here. Without a cohesive and thoughtful estate plan, you may leave a gigantic mess that your family may have to spend huge sums of money and lots of time and effort to clean up. If you are incapacitated, they will have...

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