As a parent, you’re likely hoping to leave your children an inheritance. In fact, doing so may be one of the motivating factors driving your life’s work. But without taking the proper precautions, the wealth you pass on is at serious risk of being accidentally lost or squandered. In some instances, an inheritance can even wind up doing your kids more harm than good.

Following the DEATH of the policy HOLDER, the way in which PROCEEDS from a LIFE insurance POLICY are paid TO the BENEFICIARY (or beneficiaries) is KNOWN as the SETTLEMENT option. And you might be surprised to learn that there are a variety of settlement options available besides the most common method—a lump-sum payout.

NVESTING in LIFE INSURANCE is a foundational part of estate PLANNING. However, when naming your POLICY’S BENEFICIARIES, there are a number of MISTAKES you can make that could lead to potentially dire CONSEQUENCES for the very people you’re trying to PROTECT and SUPPORT.

Both WILLS and TRUSTS are estate planning documents that can be used to pass your WEALTH and PROPERTY to your loved ones upon your death. However, TRUSTS come with some distinct ADVANTAGES over WILLS that you should consider when creating your plan.

Earlier this week, we shared the first part of this series on the DANGERS of do-it-yourself estate planning. Here, we’ll look at how ONLINE legal DOCUMENTS can even put your MINOR CHILDREN at RISK.

Do a Google search for “ONLINE estate PLANNING documents,” and you’ll find dozens of different WEBSITES. From Legal Zoom® and Willing.com to Rocket Lawyer® and Willandtrust.com, these do-it-yourself (DIY) planning services might SEEM like an enticing BARGAIN.

LIFETIME ASSET PROTECTION TRUSTS are primarily designed to PROTECT your LOVED ONES and their INHERITANCE from much more common THREATS, such as divorce, serious debt, devastating illness, and unfortunate ACCIDENTS. At the same time, LAPTs can provide your heirs with a unique educational opportunity in which they gain valuable experience managing and growing their inheritance, while enjoying airtight asset protection.