FOR SINGLE OR MARRIED PEOPLE WITHOUT CHILDREN
· Basic Understanding of Finances, Paying Bills, rearranging debt, attention to credit, start saving money, school loans
· How to buy your first home; How to come up with the down payment
· Under about 401K/IRA vs Roths; start small but start
· When to buy life insurance and what kind
· Explain the need for a Health Care Proxy and HIPAA authorization; Discount need of a Will unless married
· How is the couple sharing financial responsibilities; individual accounts and joint accounts; buying a home with a non-50/50 contribution
· Understand Home Care, Home/Car insurance; Homestead; How to take Title (default of Tenants in Common)
FOR MARRIED COUPLES STARTING OR ALREADY STARTED A FAMILY
· You need a Will because of the Guardianship Clause; Guardian of the Person vs Guardian of the Property. Perhaps time for your first Power of Attorney but definitely Will and Health Care Proxy
· Life Insurance for Peace of Mind (enough money to get the kids through to adulthood); How much insurance; Term or Whole Life or Both
· The Values of a Standby Trust for your children or a combination of your spouse and children
· Financial Buckets; short term; long term longer term
· Tax Planning; Investments beyond IRAs; should you diversion between pre-tax money and post-tax investments; Balance; Time for a financial advisors that emphasizes investment and growth in contrast to life insurance and such products
· Pay attention to your parents; their estate planning; what are your expectations
· 529 Plans or similar programs
· What happens to your estate plan when you have more children?
· Maintain your Estate Plan by periodic reviews with estate planner; If nothing changes, 5 years and as you get over shorter periods;
· Review your Estate Plan when changes occur:
o More children
o Parent’s Disability or Death
o Selling and Buying a new home or investment property;
o Significant increase in Income or Net Worth
o Eventually College planning for children
o Look at your Fiduciaries; are they still appropriate
· Is there a compelling need to coordinate Your Planning with Planning of your Parents or others who you anticipate will be leaving you something upon death.
· Special Need Issues if you have a handicapped child
· You may be needed to be a fiduciary for the Parents; What are your responsibilities, liabilities and personal ethics involved and family harmony
· If your net worth goes up significantly, should you be looking at forming a trust or amending one you already have; do your wishes for your children change as they grow into their teens and are different; do you want to restrict your children’s access to funds until they are older? Divide it so they receive some at different ages; Who do you want as Trustee if you aren’t available? Are the people named in your will as Guardians still appropriate.
