Insights

Retirement is far off until it isn’t. This chapter of life can sneak up on just about anyone, and we do ourselves a favor to be as prepared as we can. Like anything involving the government, finances can be confusing, with different tax treatments, contribution limits, beneficiary rules and more.

As a financial advisor who’s spent her career in the midwest, I’ve worked with more farm families than I can count. From buying new expensive equipment to riding out the drought years, there can be millions in play even on small family operations. Estate planning – splitting up the land bet …

Many of us think we don’t have enough assets for a will to be necessary, or we’ve simply put it in the “I’ll get to it” category. But planning carefully now can save your beneficiaries from legal fees, tax losses and the ugly relational stress that comes up all too often in the estate process. 

Estate planning, no matter how large or simple your assets, is a conversation everyone should have. From dividing up gigantic bank accounts to choosing the music for a funeral, putting a plan in place can keep a lot of stress and family tension from reaching fever pitch.