
Young Professionals Need Estate Planning
Physicians may deal with life and death issues every day. However, few may want to think about the eventuality of their own end.

Physicians may deal with life and death issues every day. However, few may want to think about the eventuality of their own end.

One of the biggest challenges that clients encounter during the process is deciding who to appoint as their trustees, powers of attorney, health care surrogates and executors.

The important thing to acknowledge is that the emotions behind the reasons are not trivial, but are important and should not be dismissed or minimized.

The IRS issued a revenue procedure (Rev. Proc. 2022-32) Friday that allows estates to elect ‘portability’ of a deceased spousal unused exclusion (DSUE) amount as much as five years after the decedent’s date of death.

What investment powers does a personal representative in a probate or a trustee in a trust administration have to manage the decedent’s assets?

Only you know your capacity and willingness to serve, or the degree of need expressed by the person asking you. However, it should help to know first that if you do decide to accept, there can be help out there and second there are standard procedures and practices you can follow.

Firearms are unique in this regard; guns are the only item of personal property that carry an inherent risk of legal peril, including potential criminal liability, so careful and deliberate planning is warranted.

When you draft your will, you should name an executor.

Questions around death planning can feel overwhelming: Cremation or burial or natural organic reduction? What will your family want, and what will it cost? Do you really need to think about all this if you’re young and healthy right now—or can you put off these decisions until you’re older or dealing with a life-threatening illness?