Blog
Guide to Powers of Attorney & Healthcare Directives
In our work, we spend a lot of time talking with clients about what will happen after they’re gone: where will their assets go, who will handle their estate-related decisions, and who will take care of their children/pets, etc. Power of Attorney (POA) documents/roles are incredibly powerful–but they come into play when someone is alive, but incapacitated–so it’s important that when someone is named a POA, they understand what they’re responsible for, and what to do next. Here’s a handy guide!
Downloadable Guide for Trustees & Personal Representatives/Executors
The estate world sometimes feels a little bit like alphabet soup and a dictionary got together and had a very complicated child. There are trustees and executors, decedents and settlors, CRUTs and...
Non-Cash Gifts: The Future of Philanthropy
Did you know that less than 10% of America’s wealth is held in cash? It’s true. Most of our assets are things like real estate, retirement accounts, and stock portfolios. Furthermore, the tax...
How to: Communicate Your Legacy Plan
“It seems so easy or obvious to communicate a plan, but it’s amazing the reaction we get from families who see an estate document for the first time and can’t understand why the creator did it a...
Donor Profile: Following the Threads of a Creative Life
“Oh yeah, I could do something with that!” Our client Deb’s eyes light up as she looks back on her legacy planning journey. An outdoorsy travel enthusiast and dog-lover in the Twin Cities, Deb’s...
These Resources Didn’t Exist, So We Created Them
“There are just no resources out there for people like me.” That’s what my mom told me when she stepped in to help settle the estate of a third loved one within just a handful of years. As she is...
Q&A with Stef Tschida
Start with Your Story: How to Build the Foundation for a Meaningful Legacy Plan.
Meet Bruce and Sam: Sharing With Others, Artfully
“We’re kind of fun to be around,” Sam says, jokingly. She wears a colorful scarf and gestures wildly with her hands during our interview. Her husband, artist Bruce, is the yin to her yang. He wears...
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?
At Apex, we focus on comprehensive legacy planning. We do a deep-dive into families, over several months, so that we can create a plan that fits their unique values, passions, and goals. But a plan should change as a family changes. Here’s when to revisit yours.
Second Homes and Estate Plans: What You Need to Think About
The cabin, the cottage, the lake house, the ski place, the rental property…whatever you call it, a recreational home and/or income property can be a huge blessing to multiple generations of a family. But when it comes to ensuring it’s passed down, and cared for, in an estate, a lot of questions can come up. Here are some ideas of how to handle a vacation home wisely.
10 Ways to Raise Generous Kids
Parents want the best for their children. And when it comes to legacy planning, they often have two main goals: care for their kids’ financial future, and make a positive impact on their community and causes they care about. What about doing BOTH?
Create a Legacy That Lasts…Starting Right Now!
At Apex, we play the “long game” with donors, helping them figure out the very best and most tax-efficient ways for them to make a difference for the causes they care about. Sometimes that’s today, and sometimes it’s fifty years from now! To kick off a brand new year, we asked our friend and philanthropy consultant Sybil Ackerman-Munsonto share some of her best tips for creating a legacy that makes a real difference, and how donors can start that process immediately.