A popular assumption is that if people have significant wealth, as many celebrities do, they may spend a great deal of time on their estate plans in order to preserve the wealth for their heirs and beneficiaries. However, celebrities are as human as the next person, and they make estate planning mistakes just like anyone else. Fortunately, many celebrities die with as much publicity as they lived. This means that New Jersey residents are in the unique position of being able to learn from their estate planning errors.
Single New Jersey residents need an estate plan, too
Married couples are not the only people who need to plan for who will receive their assets after death or make decisions on their behalf if they become incapacitated. Regardless of whether a New Jersey resident is single because he or she has never been married or is divorced, an estate plan is just as important for him or her as it is for a married couple. In some ways, it becomes even more important since, without proper planning, state law and/or the courts will make decisions on one's behalf.
Estate administration in New Jersey
A loved one's death may be the end of his or her life, but it is only the beginning of tasks that need to be completed by family members left behind. You may feel as though you spent all of your energy planning and attending the funeral and burial. However, once these initial tasks are completed, you may be responsible for dealing with your loved one's financial affairs and the distribution of his or her property through a process called estate administration.
Adding digital assets to a New Jersey resident's estate plan
It is the beginning of a new year, and that tends to make New Jersey residents sit back and take stock of their lives. For many people, this means either updating or creating an estate plan. One aspect of estate planning that many people tend to forget is what will happen to any digital assets.
New Jersey individuals shouldn't be secretive about estate plan
You don't have to be part of the New Jersey rich and famous to need an estate plan. In fact, just about anyone in the general population can use an estate plan to help divide assets among beneficiaries when the time comes. The key, though, is to start talking about the process as early as possible.
