Estate planning ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes after death. As a working federal employee, creating an estate plan now can help you make the most of your federal benefits and ensure you are prepared.
At Dugan Brown, our financial advisors have years of experience with federal employee estate planning. We walk you through the process of planning your estate to ensure your family is taken care of and you leave behind the legacy you want.
What Is Federal Employee Estate Planning and Why Is It Important?
Estate planning can be considered an extension of financial planning. It allows people to protect their assets, plan for the future, and ensure their loved ones are taken care of with proper distribution of their assets.
Without proper estate planning, assets may be subject to probate and distributed by state laws, leading to unintended consequences and potential disputes among beneficiaries.
By successfully preparing your estate with Dugan Brown as a working federal employee, you can ensure your assets and wishes are protected and handled however you want. Federal employee estate planning also allows federal employees to minimize estate taxes for their loved ones to reduce their financial burden.
Unique Considerations for Working Federal Employees
Federal employees have specific considerations that differ from those in the private sector.
These considerations include retirement benefits, survivor benefits, healthcare proxy, power of attorney, and potential estate tax implications. It’s essential to understand and address these components when creating an estate plan.
Federal employees should also be aware of the estate tax exemption, which determines the value of assets subject to estate taxes. Understanding the impact of estate taxes on federal employee benefits is critical to creating a comprehensive estate plan.
Our financial advisors at Dugan Brown work with you to minimize estate taxes to ensure these burdens don’t fall on your loved ones.
Establishing Trusts for Your Estate
Trusts can be an important tool for working federal employees who want to provide specific direction for how their assets are used or leave money for certain family members. There are several different types of trusts, including living trusts, education trusts, and special needs trusts. Our licensed financial advisors help you understand your options for establishing a trust and allocating the funds to do so.
Updating and Reviewing Your Estate Plans
If you already have an estate plan, Dugan Brown can assist you in reviewing and updating your plan as necessary.
You may need to review and update your estate plan after significant life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, or changes in financial circumstances. These regular reviews and updates help ensure your estate plan remains current and aligned with your wishes.
Our team can also ensure that the attorney or advisor who compiled your estate plan did everything correctly for peace of mind and to ensure nothing has been missed.
Why Choose Dugan Brown?
Dugan Brown primarily works with federal government employees, so we have a unique understanding of federal benefits, retirement systems, and special retirement provisions that can affect your estate plan.
We help individuals and families with their retirement and financial planning, which allows us to bring our knowledge, skills, and expertise regarding federal employment to assist our clients with working federal employee estate planning.
When you need trusted advice, let the professional financial advisors at Dugan Brown help you ensure your wishes are carried out to benefit your family and continue your legacy.
Schedule a Free Consultation for Federal Employee Estate Planning
Our financial advisors can help you create a comprehensive plan that addresses your unique needs as a working federal employee and ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Contact Dugan Brown today to schedule a complimentary consultation for your working federal employee estate planning.