New York Estate Planning & Elder Law

The Stretch IRA Is Diminished but Not Completely Gone / Greenwich, CT & New York, NY

“In the pre-SECURE Act universe, there were designated beneficiaries. These beneficiaries could be individuals (sometimes called named beneficiaries), institutions, such as charities, or estates.”

Before the SECURE Act, named beneficiaries who inherited an IRA were able to take distributions over the course of their lifetimes. This allowed the IRA to grow over many years, sometimes decades. This option came to an end in 2019 for most heirs, but not for all, says the recent article “Who is Still Eligible for a Stretch IRA?” from Fed Week.

A quick refresher: the SECURE Act—Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement—was passed in December 2019. Its purpose was, ostensibly, to make retirement savings more accessible for less-advantaged people. Among many other things, it extended the time workers could put savings into IRAs and when they needed to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

However, one of the features not welcomed by many was the change in inherited IRA distributions. Those not eligible for the stretch option must empty the account, no matter its size, within ten years of the death of the original owner. Large IRAs are diminished by the taxes and some individuals are pushed into higher tax brackets as a result.

However, not everyone has lost the ability to use the stretch option, including anyone who inherited an IRA before January 1, 2020. This is who is included in this category:

• Surviving Spouses.
• Minor children of the deceased account owner–but only until they reach the age of majority. Once the minor becomes of legal age, he or she must deplete the IRA within ten years. The only exception is for full-time students, which ends at age 26.
• Disabled individuals. There is a high bar to qualify. The person must meet the total disability definition, which is close to the definition used by Social Security. The person must be unable to engage in any type of employment because of a medically determined or mental impairment that would result in death or to be of chronic duration.
• Chronically ill persons. This is another challenge for qualifying. The individual must meet the same standards used by insurance companies used to qualify policyowners for long-term care coverage. The person must be certified by a treating physician or other licensed health care practitioner as not able to perform at least two activities of daily living or require substantial supervision, due to a cognitive impairment.
• Those who are not more than ten years younger than the deceased account owner. That means any beneficiary, not just someone who was related to the account owner.

What was behind this change? Despite the struggles of most Americans to put aside money for their retirement, which is a looming national crisis, there are trillions of dollars sitting in IRA accounts. Where better to find tax revenue, than in these accounts? Yes, this was a major tax grab for the federal coffers.

Reference: Fed Week (March 3, 2021) “Who is Still Eligible for a Stretch IRA?”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Do We Need Estate Planning?

“Everyone, regardless of financial status or age, can benefit from having an estate plan—assuming you have assets to leave and people to leave them to.”

Estate planning is not just about making a will, nor is it just for people who live in mansions. Estate planning is best described in the title of this article “Estate planning is an important strategy for arranging financial affairs and protecting heirs—here are five reasons why everyone needs an estate plan” from Business Insider. Estate planning is a plan for the future, for you, your spouse and those you love.

There are a number of reasons for estate planning:

• Avoiding paying more federal and state taxes than necessary
• Ensuring that assets are distributed as you want
• Naming the people you choose for your own care, if you become incapacitated; and/or
• Naming the people you choose to care for your minor children, if you and your spouse left them orphaned.

If that sounds like a lot to accomplish, it is. However, with the help of a trusted estate planning attorney, an estate plan can provide you with the peace of mind that comes with having all of the above.

If those decisions and designations are not made by you while you are alive and legally competent, the state law and the courts will determine who will get your assets, raise your children and how much your estate will pay in death taxes to state and federal governments. You can avoid that with an estate plan.

Here are the five key things about estate planning:

It’s more than a will. The estate plan includes creating Durable Powers of Attorney to appoint individuals who will make medical and/or financial decisions, if you are not able to do so. The estate plan also contains Medical Directives to communicate your wishes about what kind of care you do or do not want if you are so sick you cannot do so for yourself. The estate plan is where you can create Trusts to control how property passes from one person or one generation to the next.

Estate planning saves time, money, and angst. If you have a surviving spouse, they are usually the ones who serve as your executor. However, if you do not and if you do not have an estate plan, the court names a public administrator to distribute assets according to state law. While this is happening, no one can access your assets. There’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of legal fees. With a will, you name an executor who will take care of and gain access to most, if not all, of your assets and administer them according to your instructions.

Estate planning includes being sure that investment and retirement accounts with a beneficiary designation have been completed. If you don’t name a beneficiary, the asset goes through the probate court. If you fail to update your beneficiary designations, your ex or a person from your past may end up with your biggest assets.

Estate planning is also tax planning. While federal taxes only impact the very wealthy right now, that is likely to change in the future. States also have estate taxes and inheritance taxes of their own, at considerably lower exemption levels than federal taxes. If you wish your heirs to receive more of your money than the government, tax planning should be part of your estate plan.

The estate plan is also used to protect minor children. No one expects to die prematurely, and no one expects that two spouses with young children will die. However, it does happen, and if there is no will in place, then the court makes all the decisions: who will raise your children, and where, how their upbringing will be financed, or, if there are no available family members, if the children should become wards of the state and enter the foster care system. That’s probably not what you want.

The estate plan includes the identification of the person(s) you want to raise your children, and who will be in charge of the assets left in trust for the children, like proceeds from a life insurance policy. This can be the same person, but often the financial and child-rearing roles are divided between two trustworthy people. Naming an alternate for each position is also a good idea, just in case the primary people cannot serve.

Estate planning, finally, also takes care of you while you are living, with a power of attorney and health care proxy. That way someone you know, and trust can step in, if you are unable to take care of your health, legal, and financial affairs.

Once your estate plan is in place, remember that it is like your home: it needs to be updated every three or four years, or when there are big changes to tax law or in your life.

Reference: Business Insider (Jan. 14, 2021) “Estate planning is an important strategy for arranging financial affairs and protecting heirs—here are five reasons why everyone needs an estate plan”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

The Importance of a Will / New York, NY & Greenwich, CT

“There’s much to plan for in life—college, your wedding, your first child, life insurance—and with more than enough to keep you busy, it’s easy to forget about your will.”

Even during a pandemic, few people want to spend time thinking about death. However, having an estate plan means having some of the most important documents you’ll ever create. Having a will is a gift that alleviates the burden placed on loved ones after we are gone, says this recent article “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will” from Bankrate. In a time of sorrow, the family and friends will be spared the stress that makes grieving more complicated when there is no will, no guidance and no path forward.

What is a will?

In its most simple form, a will is a legal document that serves to transfer property at your death to the people you choose. It is revocable, which means you have the legal ability to make changes to it as long as you are alive and have the mental capacity to do so. However, wills do more than distribute property. The will is your chance to state your wishes for who will care for your children, what happens to your physical remains and who will take care of your pets.

Are Wills Pretty Much the Same?

There’s a good reason why the best wills are those created with an estate planning attorney: they are created to suit your specific needs. Just as every person is different, everyone’s will should reflect their life. Some people want to name a recipient for every single asset they have, while others prefer simply to give their entire estate to a spouse, their children, a trust, or a charity. However, there are also different kinds of wills.

A Testamentary Will is a will signed in the presence of witnesses. It is the best choice to protect your family.

A Holographic Will is a handwritten will, which is not acceptable in many states and could lead your family into all kinds of expensive and stressful battles, in and out of court.

An Oral Will is a verbal will that is declared in front of witnesses, but don’t count on anything you say being considered a legally valid will.

A Mutual Will is also known as a “I love you Will,” when partners create a joint will leaving everything to each other. There can be some tricky things about these wills, since when one person dies, the other is still legally bound to the terms of this will. If the surviving spouse remarries, it can become complicated.

A Pour Over Will is the ideal choice when your plan is to pour assets into an established trust at your death.

What does a will do and not do?

Wills are used to determine guardianship for minor children and distribute assets and real property. Wills don’t control jointly owned assets, or contracts, like life insurance policies and retirement accounts. These are controlled by beneficiary designation forms. It won’t matter if your will says that your current spouse should inherit your retirement account and you never changed the beneficiary from your first spouse. This is why estate planning attorneys always tell clients to check on beneficiary designations when large life events, like divorce and remarriage, occur.

What happens if there is no will?

Without a will, the state’s laws will determine what happens and your wishes don’t count. That includes who inherits your property, and even who raises your minor children. The court will make all of these decisions. The stress that this creates cannot be underestimated. When there is no will, the chances of litigation between family members and trouble from distant relatives seeking a claim against your estate rises.

Reference: Bankrate (Nov. 6, 2020) “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will”

For more information on elder law, retirement planning and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Avoid These Mistakes with Your Estate Plan / Greenwich, CT & New York, NY

“Financial planning is an important part of life. Estate planning is one key aspect of planning for the future. It can feel daunting to take on the task, but once it’s done and your future is organized, it usually feels a lot better.”

Estate planning means putting together a plan on paper, following the letter of the law, when it comes to deciding what should happen to assets when you die. It also includes your decision regarding who will care for your children, who will make decisions on your behalf if you are unable and what kind of care you do or don’t want, when you are seriously ill or injured. It doesn’t have to be difficult, but according to the article “10 Mistakes Often Made When Estate Planning” from SavingAdvice.com, there are ten classic mistakes to avoid.

1—Thinking you don’t have an estate and not having an estate plan. Your estate is whatever you own: a house, regardless of its size, a car, personal items, financial accounts, pets and any items that have monetary or sentimental value. You might think your family will just figure things out when you die. In most cases, they won’t, or not easily. That creates a burden for them.

2—Thinking only about after death. Most of what is done in estate planning does concern what happens after you die, but it also includes protection for you and loved ones while you are living. Certain documents are created to protect you if you become incapacitated. It also includes life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance.

3—Not making sure all of your estate planning documents work together. Let’s say you have a life insurance policy and the beneficiary is your first husband. If you remarry, you need to update that form. What if you named someone to be your beneficiary on retirement accounts, but you have learned since you named them that the person won’t be able to manage the money? An estate planning attorney can help you put all of the pieces together to work correctly.

4—Not planning for minor children. If you have children who are under age 18, your estate plan is the document that tells the court two very important things: who you want to raise them (to be their guardian) and who you want to be in charge of the money left for their care.

5—Not taking advantage of trusts. A revocable trust gives you control over assets while you are alive, but passes control to a trustee when you die. It, therefore, avoids probate for the assets in the trust. However, if you don’t do this correctly, you’ll create more problems than you solve.

6—Forgetting about taxes. An estate plan helps minimize taxes for your estate and for your heirs. Otherwise, your heirs could receive far less, and Uncle Sam will receive far more than you wanted.

7—Failing to set aside adequate liquid assets. When you die, your loved ones will need to pay for a funeral, which is very expensive. Or you may own a business that you left to heirs—they may need a certain amount of cash to continue operations, while things are being settled. Make arrangements so you don’t leave loved ones or business partners high and dry.

8—Avoiding the tough conversations while you’re alive. Maybe you want to leave your children the family home, but they don’t want it. You may also want to be sure they take your ancient Pekinese dog, which they never liked. Talk with your heirs about your wishes and understand if your wishes are not the same as theirs. Adjust your estate plan accordingly.

9—Overlook the concept of secondary beneficiaries and executors. If you have three children and name only one as a beneficiary, what happens if that one dies? The same goes for naming an executor. You’ll want to name a primary and a secondary executor, and multiple beneficiaries.

10—Thinking estate planning is done once and finished forever. Estate planning is never really done, until you die. Life changes, your relationships change and assets change. Just as you do your taxes once a year, you should review your estate plan every time there is a big change in your life or every three or four years.

Reference: SavingAdvice.com (July 24, 2020) “10 Mistakes Often Made When Estate Planning”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Coronavirus Makes Estate and Tax Planning an Urgent Task / White Plains, NY & New York, NY

“What may have seemed like something to take care of ‘one day,’ has turned into a basic necessity that makes it essential and necessary for you to encourage your clients to act now.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought estate planning front and center to many people who would otherwise dismiss it as something they would get to at some point in the future, says the article “Estate and Life Insurance Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemic” from Bloomberg Tax. Many don’t have a frame of reference to address the medical, legal, financial, and insurance questions that now need to be addressed promptly. They’ve never experienced anything like today’s world. The time to get your affairs in order is now.

What will happen if we get sick? Will we recover? Who will take care of us and make legal decisions for us? What if a family member is in an assisted living facility and is incapacitated? All of these “what if” questions are now pressing concerns. Now is the time to review all legal, insurance and financial plans, and take into consideration two new laws: the SECURE Act and the CARES Act.

An experienced estate planning attorney who focuses on estate planning will save you an immense amount of money. Bargain hunters be careful: a small mistake or oversight in an estate plan can lead to expensive consequences. A competent legal professional is the best investment.

Here’s an example of what can go wrong: A person names two minor children—under age 18—as beneficiaries on their IRA account, life insurance policy or bank account. The person dies. Minors are not permitted to hold title to assets. Minors in New York are considered wards of the court in need of protection and court supervision. Therefore, in this state, the result of the beneficiary designation means that a special Surrogate’s Court proceeding will need to occur to have a pecuniary guardian appointed for the minors, even if the applicant is their custodial guardian.

Another “what if?” is the support for a disabled or special needs beneficiary who may be receiving government support. If the parents are gone, who will care for their disabled child? What if there are not enough assets in the estate to provide supplemental financial support, in addition to the government benefits? Life insurance can be used to fund a special needs trust to ensure that their child will not be dependent upon family or friends to care for their needs. However, if there is no special needs trust in place, an inheritance may put the child’s government support in jeopardy.

Here are the core estate planning documents to be prepared:

• Last Will and Testament
• Revocable Living Trust
• Durable General Power of Attorney
• Health Care Declaration such as a Health Care Proxy

The SECURE Act changed the rules regarding inherited IRAs. With the exception of a surviving spouse and a few other exempt individuals, the required minimum distributions must be taken within a ten- year time period. This causes an additional income tax liability for future generations. There are strategies to reduce the impact, but they require advance planning with the help of an estate planning attorney.

Reference: Bloomberg Tax (June 18, 2020) “Estate and Life Insurance Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemic”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Top 10 Reasons to Get Going on an Estate Plan / New York, NY & White Plains, NY

“It took my husband Mike's heart attack to force us to recognize the need for having an estate plan. It was not smart. You are smarter than that. Create an estate plan today.”

The time to have an estate plan really begins the moment you have assets that need to be distributed, but most people put off this important task. There are more than ten good reasons to talk with an estate planning attorney and get your estate plan in order, says the article “Top ten reasons to create an estate plan today” from OakPark.com, but these ten should be compelling enough to get you started.

10-It’s better to start with a plan than with an emergency. A sudden health crisis, whether a global pandemic or a spouse’s heart attack, should not be the reason for you to get going on your estate plan. Get an estate plan done before you or a loved one needs it.

9-Don’t hope for the best for your minor children. A will is used to name guardians for minor children and to name a financial guardian who will oversee assets left for them. Without a will, the court will make that decision. The person selected by the judge may not be the person you’d want.

8-Equal is not always fair. If you paid for your oldest child’s college education, and your youngest is still in middle school, how will an equal division of your assets be fair to the child who has yet to go to college? A will and estate plan lets you map out how assets can be distributed equally, taking a variety of factors into consideration.

7-Inheritance begins at age 18, ready or not. With no will, children 18 and over will inherit assets all at once, no questions asked. If you have a son who likes expensive cars, there won’t be anything stopping him from spending his entire inheritance on a Ferrari.

6-Estate planning is an act of love. Couples strengthen their relationship, when they create an estate plan. It’s a love letter to your spouse and your family that demonstrates a tangible desire to protect them.

5-Build personal connections. Asking someone to be there for you and your family when you are the most vulnerable—incapacitated or deceased—is a strong statement of trust. Creating an estate plan cements relationships and sends a clear message that you believe in others to care for your loved ones.

4-Make parenting your college-age children easier. In the eyes of health care privacy laws, your children are strangers to you once they reach the age of majority in your state (i.e., usually age 18). With young adult health care proxies and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy waivers in place now, you can be informed and involved in case of an emergency later.

3-The state wants you to have an estate plan. One of the results of the coronavirus pandemic is that many states have made it lawful to have estate plans witnessed and notarized by video conference. You don’t have to leave the house to create or update your estate plan. There are no excuses now!

2-Your mortality is basically 100%. People procrastinate having their estate plans done because who wants to think about death and dying? However, whether or not you procrastinate doesn’t matter. We will all die one day, and an estate plan will make it better for those we leave behind.

1-There is a good chance that you have more time on your hands now, than before the coronavirus pandemic. Call an estate planning lawyer, and get it done. There’s no time like the present.

Reference: OakPark.com (April 15, 2020) “Top ten reasons to create an estate plan today”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Estate Planning Is For Everyone / New York, NY & White Plains, NY

“The most common misconception estate planning attorneys hear is that someone doesn’t need an estate plan because their client isn’t elderly or on death’s door.”

Estate planning is something anyone who is 18 years old or older needs to think about, advises the article “Estate planning for every stage of life” from the Independent Record. Estate planning includes much more than a person’s last will and testament. It protects you from incapacity, provides the legal right to allow others to talk to your doctors if you can’t and takes care of your minor children, if an unexpected tragedy occurs. Let’s look at all the ages and stages where estate planning is needed.

Parents of young adults should discuss estate planning with their children. While parents devote decades to helping their children become independent adults, sometimes life doesn’t go the way you expect. A college freshman is more concerned with acing a class, joining a club and the most recent trend on social media. However, a parent needs to think about what happens when the child is over 18 and has a medical emergency. Parents have no legal rights to medical information, medical decision making or finances, once a child becomes a legal adult. Hospitals may not release private information and doctors can’t talk with parents, even in an extreme situation. Young adults need to have a HIPAA release, a durable power of medical attorney and a power of attorney for their finances created.

New parents also need estate planning. While it may be hard to consider while adjusting to having a new baby in the house, what would happen to that baby if something unexpected were to affect both parents? The estate planning attorney will create a last will and testament, which is used to name a guardian for any minor children, in case both parents pass. This also includes decisions that need to be made about the child’s education, medical treatment and even their social life. You’ll need to name someone to be the child’s guardian, and to be sure that they will raise your child the same way that you would.

The guardian, in some states, a conservator, also is a person with control over a minor child’s finances. You’ll want to name a responsible person who is trustworthy and good with handling money. In states that make a distinction between the two roles, t is possible to name the same person as guardian and conservator. However, it may be wise to separate the responsibilities.

An estate plan also ensures that your children receive their inheritance, when you think they will be responsible enough to handle it. If a minor child’s parents die and there is no estate plan, the parent’s assets will be held by the court for the benefit of the child. Once the child turns 18, he or she will receive the entire amount in one lump sum. Few 18-years olds are able to manage large sums of money, especially those who have lost one or both parents early in life. Estate planning helps you control how the money is distributed. This is also something to consider when your children are the beneficiaries of any life insurance policies. An estate planning attorney can help you set up trusts so the monies are distributed at the right time.

When people enter their ‘golden’ years—that is, they are almost retired—it is the time for estate plans to be reviewed. You may wish to name your children as power of attorney and health care proxy, rather than a sibling. It’s best to have people who will be younger than you for these roles as you age. This may also be the time to change how your wealth is distributed. Are your children old enough to be responsible with an inheritance? Do you want to create a legacy plan that includes charitable giving?

Lastly, update your estate plan any time there are changes in the family structure. Divorce, death, marriage or individuals with special needs all require a different approach to the basic estate plan. It’s a good idea to revisit an estate plan anytime there have been major changes in your relationships, to the law, or changes to your financial status.

Reference: Independent Record (March 1, 2020) “Estate planning for every stage of life”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

More Reasons to Review Your Estate Plan / New York, NY & Greenwich, CT

“Talking about illness, death and taxes is not most people’s idea of a good time (except for us estate planners). That being said, there are times in life when it’s time to move updating your estate plan off the ‘to do’ list and on to the ‘done’ list. Here are those times:”

Every estate planning attorney will tell you that they meet with people every day who sheepishly admit that they’ve been meaning to review their estate plan, but just haven’t gotten to it. Let the guilt go.

Attorneys know that no one wants to talk about death, taxes or illness, says Wicked Local in the article “Five Reasons to Review Your Estate Plan.” However, there are five times when even an appearance before the Queen of England has to come second to reviewing your estate plan.

You have minor children. An estate plan for a couple with young children must do two very important things: address the care and custody of minor children should both parents die and address the management and distribution of the assets that the children will inherit. The will is the estate planning document used to name a guardian for minor children. The guardian is the person who will determine where your children will live and go to school, what kind of health care they receive and make all daily decisions about their care and upbringing.

If you don’t have a will, the court will name a guardian. You may not like the court’s decision. Your children might not like it at all. Having a will takes care of this important decision.

Your estate is worth more than $1 million. While the federal estate plan exemptions currently are at levels that remove federal tax from most people’s estate planning concerns, there are still state estate taxes. Some states have inheritance taxes. Whether you are married or single, if your assets are significant, you need an estate plan that maps out how assets will be left to your heirs and to plan for taxes.

Your last estate plan was created before 2012. There have been numerous changes in state estate tax laws regarding wills, probate and trusts since 2012. In addition, there have been big changes in federal estate taxes. Strategies that were perfect in the past, may no longer be necessary or as productive because of these changes. While you’re making these changes, don’t forget to deal with digital assets. That includes email accounts, social media, online banking, etc. This will protect your fiduciaries from breaking federal hacking laws that are meant to protect online accounts, even when the person has your username and password.

You have robust retirement plans. Your will and trust do not control all the assets you own at the time of death. The first and foremost controlling element in your asset distribution is the beneficiary designation. Life insurance policies, annuities, and retirement accounts will be paid to the beneficiary named on the account, regardless of what your will says. Part of a comprehensive will review is to review beneficiary designations on each account.

You are worried about long-term care costs. Estate planning does not take place in a vacuum. Your estate plan needs to address issues like your plan, if you or your spouse need care. Do you intend to stay in your home? Are you going to move to live closer to your children, or to a Continuing Care Retirement Community? Do you have long-term insurance in place? Do you want to plan for Medicaid eligibility?

All of these issues need to be considered when reviewing and updating your estate plan. If you’ve never had an estate plan created, this is the time. Put your mind at ease, by getting this off your “to do” list and contact an experienced estate planning attorney.

Reference: Wicked Local (Aug. 29, 2019) “Five Reasons to Review Your Estate Plan”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Estate Plan Can Put You Back in Control / New York, NY & Greenwich, CT

Want to become more in control? Get that estate plan in order.

When it comes to investments, the risks involved can make us feel we are not in control. However, if you want to feel more in control, take a good look at your estate plan, according to the Daily Camera in “Freaked out about the market? Resolve to get your estate in order.”

If you care about your health care, financial affairs, minor children and even your beloved pets, this is an important task to take care of. An estate plan includes legal documents that help you when you are living and helps your heirs, when you die. In addition to a will, a health care proxy that names an agent to make health care decisions if you are unable to make them yourself and a power of attorney that will give your loved ones the ability to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated are essential. An updated will ensures that your assets go to the inheritors you chose. Don’t forget your beneficiaries.

Your beneficiaries are the people who are named on several accounts and life insurance policies. You may have named people on investment accounts, life insurance policies, IRAs, bank accounts, annuities and other assets. If you have not done a full review of those documents in a while, you’ll want to take care of this right away. Life and relationships change over time, and the people you originally named as your beneficiaries may no longer be the ones you would select today. Note that any changes must be made while you are living—after your death, the named beneficiaries receive the asset regardless of what is written in your will.

If you’re not sufficiently motivated to make an appointment with an estate planning attorney, you should be aware that, if you don’t have a will in place when you die, the laws of your state will determine who gets your assets and even, who rears your minor children. You may or may not be a fan of court proceedings, but if you don’t have a properly prepared will, the court is going to be making a lot of decisions on your behalf.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your specific circumstances and family situation.

Reference: Daily Camera (Jan. 6, 2019) “Freaked out about the market? Resolve to get your estate in order”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.

Pastors Believe Estate Planning Important but Don’t Have One / New York, NY & White Plains, NY

Only 54% of pastors nearing retirement age have a will.

A survey conducted by the Southern Baptist Foundation has found an estate planning contradiction among its pastors, who believe people should create an estate plan but don’t have one themselves, according to the Baptist Press in “Young or old, many pastors lack a will, survey finds.”

The foundation’s survey found that a majority of their pastors do not have an estate plan, including a will, durable power of attorney and healthcare directives. However, when asked about the importance of having an estate plan, 74% said it should be part of a person’s financial stewardship.

Basic planning saves a lot of headaches for loved ones. With an estate plan, assets can be protected, and taxes can be minimized. While it’s understandable why people might want to procrastinate, the reality is that not having a will can have a devastating impact on the family and on the estate.

The survey reveals that pastors age 18-44 are least likely to have a will or a durable power of attorney or health care directives. However, even among pastors closest to retirement, ages 55-64 and 65 and up, only 54% have a will. Only 25% of these groups have a durable power of attorney.

One concern is that pastors with young families do not have a will in place. They do understand (64%) that in the absence of a will, the court decides who will care for a child, if the last parent dies without a will.

48% of the pastors agreed with a statement that if someone dies without a will, the family decides what happens with the assets of the deceased.

The fact is, for property and children, the court decides what happens, if there is no will in place.

Having a will protects the family in many ways. It protects minor children by allowing the parents to decide who they want to be given the responsibility to rear the children—a guardian—and to also select a person who will manage the funds left for the children.

A will also allows a person to express their wishes regarding the distribution of their assets. An estate plan can be designed to minimize tax liabilities and, if used in combination with certain trusts, control how and when assets are distributed.

An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances.

Reference: Baptist Press (Aug. 31, 2018) “Young or old, many pastors lack a will, survey finds”

For more information on asset preservation and estate planning, please visit my estate planning website.