BEWARE THESE COMMON ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES Avoid a Halloween Horror Story It’s that time of year again — Halloween is nearly here! It’s always fun preparing for the ghouls, ghosts, and goblins, but while we enjoy the spooky fun of the season, there’s one type of fright that can have some big consequences: estate planning mistakes. Just like in the scary movies, making errors in your estate planning can lead to unplanned outcomes for you and your loved ones. The Phantom of the Forgotten Will Failing to update your will can wreak havoc on your entire estate plan. Life changes — marriages, divorces, the birth of children, or the acquisition of significant assets — can cause an old will to be obsolete. The outcome can be chaotic and may lead to family disputes, legal battles, and a distribution of assets that doesn’t align with your plans and intentions. The Curse of the Unnamed Beneficiaries Another scary mistake is not naming or updating beneficiaries on your retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial assets. Without clear beneficiaries, your assets could be subject to probate, and as you likely know, everyone wants to avoid probate if possible. If you’ve named a beneficiary who has since passed away or with whom you’ve lost contact, those assets could be left in the hands of the court.
ULTIMATE BAKED ZITI
Ingredients
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1 (16 oz) package of dried ziti pasta
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1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
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1 onion, diced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
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Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. 2. Cook ziti according to package instructions. 3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion and garlic until softened. 4. Add marinara sauce and diced tomatoes, stirring to combine. 5. Stir in the cooked ziti and season with salt and pepper. 6. Transfer mixture to baking dish. 7. Top with ricotta and mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
The Terrors of DIY Estate Planning With the internet at our
fingertips, it’s easy to think you can handle estate planning on your own with a few clicks, but DIY estate planning can be haunting. Incomplete or improperly
executed documents can lead to invalidated wills, unclear instructions, and unintended heirs. There is a high risk of disaster, and the consequences can linger forever.
TAKE A BREAK
Don’t Let Estate Planning Be a Horror Story This Halloween season, as you enjoy the pumpkin patches and spooky attractions, take a moment to consider the real-life scary scenarios that can result from poor estate planning. By working with Shoup Legal, you can avoid these common mistakes and ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
e of mind tomorrow.
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