Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Estate Plan

Even if you haven't retired yet, there's no better time than now to think about leaving your precious assets to loved ones. A solid estate plan ensures that your possessions will fall into the right hands and ensures that the next generation will get the full benefit of your inheritance.

Then again, considering the legal complexities estate planning poses, you will have to start early and develop a strategy that would facilitate a smooth distribution of assets. It seems simple enough, but on paper, estate planning involves numerous steps. Failing in one would mean leaving behind crumbs for your family to pick up. To get the most out of estate planning, read these essential tips:

​A good estate attorney matters

From the beginning, you need valuable legal advice to draft out your will and other components of your estate plan. It's impossible to accomplish and execute it on your own, so you need a lawyer specializing in estate law to draft out how you want to pass along your properties and investments. With their expertise, you will have a better view of the options that could reduce your tax liabilities and address possible conflicts.

Select guardians you can trust

​If your assets are intended for your children, you need to appoint someone who will stand in as their guardian. The reason you need one is to make sure your inheritors will not be exploited in the event of your passing before they reach the legal age. 

With a guardian, your assets will be kept safe up until your children are ready and responsible enough to inherit your assets. In case you haven't made a guardian, a probate court will do that for you by assigning a third-party entity. This would be ideal if disputes over asset distribution arise among your children.

Offshore trusts provide more security

Any estate attorney will tell you that creating a trust is a surefire way to secure your assets up until the time of your passing. You can choose whether the trust could be revocable or not. A charitable trust could also be ideal if you aim to pass on your inheritance without any tax deductions. 

However, in terms of asset protection, veteran firms like Blake Harris Law would suggest setting up an offshore trust like a Nevis trust. This protects your assets from litigation by letting you administer your estate in the Caribbean country of St. Kitts and Nevis where trusts are considered tax-exempt because the country does not recognize foreign judgments. If you're worried that a legal battle will cost you your assets, then this strategy should help you out.

​Consider all types of assets

When you think of estate, you think of properties like homes and possessions like your collection of gold-plated fountain pens. However, estate planning does not exclusively cover material assets and securities. 

Cryptocurrency wallets, NFTs, and login credentials to your email and social media accounts should also factor into your estate plan, especially if these digital properties will provide immense value to your beneficiaries in the future. With the help of your estate attorney, you will be able to grant access to and ownership of these accounts to your inheritors.

Endnote

​It may be too early to think about passing on your wealth to the next generation, but if you want them to enjoy the fruits of your life and labor, it pays to start as early as possible!