Several things must be considered while planning for the future, especially if it’s estate planning; one must be impeccable. Most often, people prefer developing their own will or estate plan and, in the process, make several mistakes that might cost them heavily in the future. Therefore to avoid spending huge amounts of money to rectify those mistakes, one should contact a New Jersey estate planning lawyer from the very first. Moreover, one should gather basic knowledge of the do’s and don’ts while planning an estate plan. Below are some mistakes that should be strongly avoided.
Not Consulting An Attorney:
A Will randomly created without consultation with an attorney entertains a provision for disaster. It generally doesn’t consider administrative regulations. Additionally, it also leaves a provision for future conflicts or disagreements that ultimately leaves them invalid. Therefore if the person thought they were saving their precious time and money, they are mistaken, as legal errors usually cost more in the future and are time-consuming.
Considering Minors As Beneficiaries:
Directly designating a beneficiary disregards any hassle concerning the lengthy probate procedure. It also ensures that the possessions and assets are passed on to the chosen beneficiary of the owner. But most often, the grantor makes the mistake of naming a child or a grandchild as the beneficiary, which invites problems.
According to the law, a minor cannot win any assets. Therefore upon death, the assets can’t be directly transferred to the minor. This calls for a conservator who will look after the assets until the child reaches a legal age of possessing assets. The best way to avoid this problem is to keep the assets in a trust for the minor and not name them as the direct beneficiary.
Making Joint Owners Of The bank Account:
Joint ownership of bank accounts is a good idea that will make it easy for the inheritor or the child to pay medical and post-death bills, but it retains several disadvantages too. After the death of one of the account owners, things might get difficult. For instance, if the intention is not clearly stated in a will as to where the funds would go after the owner’s death, it would become complex and lead to disagreements.
Final Thoughts:
As these are the most common and costly mistakes to avoid during estate planning, there are many more such as not funding the trust, inappropriate selection of co-fiduciaries, and ignoring a thorough review of the estate plan, among many more. To ensure a solid estate plan hire an a