Steed Financial Group

05/19/2026

At Steed Financial Group You Will Work With A Team Of Estate Planning Specialists Who Will Prepare And Execute An Estate Plan That Is Right For You and Your Beneficiaries.

One overlooked aspect of estate planning, other than avoiding taxes, is the fact that Insurance documents and other contracts may supersede the wishes you lay out in your will. Making sure all your beneficiary forms are in order, that you are transferring your assets in the most tax efficient manner, and that you have a continuity plan in place to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of while your estate is making its way through the courts, are all vital pieces of your plan. Give you and your loved ones the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have a sound financial plan that takes care of them when the time comes.

At Steed Financial Group, we believe that everyone could use an estate plan – not just the wealthy. The 5 essential estate planning documents are a Durable power of attorney, Health care power of attorney, Living will and a Revocable living trust. An Estate Planning Specialist with Steed Financial Group and your accountant will make sure your estate planning goals are executed and implanted properly.

ESTATE PLANNING: A MATTER OF CONTROL
You might associate estate planning with famous people you see in the news. In fact, estate planning could be appropriate for everyone.

Consider your assets: bank accounts, investment accounts, 401(k) or 403(b) plan accounts, house, cars, jewelry, and heirlooms. This is your estate and your estate plan can define what you would like to happen to these assets when you die.

An estate plan can also take care of you as you get older or if you become ill or incapacitated. Being wealthy has little to do with it.
If you don’t make your own plan, your family may be left scrambling at an already difficult time. Bottom line: If you don’t decide, someone will decide for you.

FIVE ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS
These five documents are often essential to an estate plan:
• Will - Instructions for distributing your assets when you die. You will name a personal representative (executor) to pay final expenses and taxes and distribute remaining assets. Name a guardian to raise your minor children if both parents die.
• Durable power of attorney – You give a trusted individual management power over your assets if you can’t manage them yourself. This document is effective only while you’re alive.
• Health care power of attorney - You choose someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if something were to happen and you can’t make them yourself.
• Living will – Shares your intentions about life-sustaining medical measures if you are terminally ill. No one is given authority to speak for you.
• Revocable living trust - You can provide for continued management of your financial matters while you are alive, after your death, and even for generations after.

WHY BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS ARE IMPORTANT
Beneficiary designations can be an easy way to transfer an account or insurance policy when you die. But if you didn’t complete beneficiary designations, or haven’t updated them, they can cause issues with your estate plan.

Designations on forms are often filled out without much thought – but they’re important and deserve your attention. Beneficiary designations on forms like your insurance policy and 401(k) take priority over other estate planning documents, like your will or trust.

Let’s say you specify in your will you want everything to go to your spouse after your death. But you never changed the beneficiary designation on your life insurance policy and it names your ex-spouse. Your ex may end up getting the proceeds.

TURN TO A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS
Making the decisions involved with estate planning may seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. You can start by organizing your important documents.

Turn to a team of trusted professionals, including your financial advisor, an Estate Planning Specialist, and your Accountant. They know the questions to ask and can help you avoid potential pitfalls.
If you currently don’t have relationships with an Estate Planning Specialist, Steed Financial Group can provide you with one. We can also discuss our role in the planning process and how you can get started.

NEXT STEPS
• Make an appointment with us to talk about your Estate Planning goals.
• Start gathering your financial documents.
• Check the beneficiary designations on your financial and investment accounts.

Trust services available through Steed Financial Group. Any Estate Plan should be reviewed by an Estate Planning Specialist who specializes in Estate Planning Advisor and is licensed to practice in your state.

Steed Financial Group Advisors and its affiliate do not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax and/or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax and/or legal consequences.

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09/29/2025

For Anyone who Missed their Enrollment into Medicare or Renewal due to the heavy rains and flooding in these counties, Please contact us at 469-831-7119.

State declaration: Hill Country Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

SEP incident dates: 07/02/2025 - 11/16/2025

This SEP declaration is effective: 07/02/2025 - 12/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Coke, Comal, Concho, Edwards, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, Menard, Real, Reeves, San Saba, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde, and Williamson Counties.

09/29/2025

For Anyone who missed their Enrollment/Replacement into Medicare due to the Drought conditions, these counties have a Special Election Period. If you have Questions, please contact us at 469-831-7119.

This SEP declaration is effective: 07/08/2022 - 12/31/2025

Impacted counties for SEP purposes: Aransas, Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Brewster, Burnet, Cameron, Clay, Collingsworth, Comanche, Culberson, Donley, Edwards, El Paso, Foard, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Grayson, Hall, Hardeman, Hays, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Kleberg, Live Oak, Lubbock, Matagorda, ,McMullen, Medina, Midland, Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Real, San Patricio, Terrell, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Wharton, Willacy, and Zapata Counties.

Call now to connect with business.

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Comprehensive Guide to Medicare Basics
Medicare Basics
Once you are close to turning 65, you will have to start dealing with Medicare. Medicare is the national health insurance program for senior citizens. This program is administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the federal government.

Medicare has four main parts. Each part covers a different aspect of healthcare. Parts A and B are mandatory, and together they are known as “Original Medicare.”

When it comes to signing up for Medicare, a good rule of thumb is reach out to your agent or financial professional a minimum of three months before your 65th birthday. They can help you with getting the ball rolling to get things started. Contacting your agent six months before your sixty-fifth birthday for Medicare guidance can give you even more time. To that end, it’s helpful to understand the basics of the Medicare program and how they can affect your healthcare needs.

If you are trying to decide which Medicare options make sense for you, here is some important information to help you get started.

Medicare Part A
Part A of Medicare deals with hospital insurance. It generally covers various types of inpatient hospital expenses, such as emergency room treatment, surgeries, and room and board in a hospital room. It also covers short-term skilled nursing care, home healthcare, or in-home hospice care as long as it was ordered by a doctor and follows a hospital stay.

Home healthcare includes treatments such as physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Most people usually don’t pay a monthly premium for Part A, but there is a deductible that is indexed every year for inflation. A co-pay will be assessed for every day over 60 days that you are in the hospital.

The enrollment period for Medicare Parts and B starts three months before the month in which you turn 65. Then it lasts for another three months after the month in which you turned 65.

Medicare Part B
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Part B of Medicare generally covers outpatient medical services. These can include: Medically necessary doctor’s services,
Outpatient care,
Home health services,
Durable medical equipment,
Mental health services, and
Other services.
Medicare Part B also covers many preventative services.

Generally, you don’t have to enroll in Part B if you are still covered under your or your spouse’s employer-sponsored health insurance plan. However, there are certain conditions regarding this, including the size of your employer. Your agent can go over those in more detail. If you aren’t covered in this way, then there will likely be a penalty for late enrollment.

There is a monthly premium assessed for Part B coverage. You also have an annual deductible that increases each year. If you are receiving Social Security, these premiums will be deducted from your monthly Social Security payment.

Medicare Part C
Part C of Medicare consists of health insurance plans that are offered by private health insurance companies. The insurance companies are approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

This group of plans acts as a substitute for Medicare Parts A and B. These plans are collectively known as Medicare Advantage plans. In some cases, they also offer other types of coverage that Original Medicare doesn’t, such as for dental, vision, and hearing.

How much that you might pay for a Medicare Advantage plan can vary. It depends on the nature and scope of services that are covered by the plan, as well as by your geographic region. Many Medicare Advantage plans have a zero-dollar premium.

Some Advantage plans also include prescription drugs in their scope of coverage. Other services that these plans may cover include wellness programs, adult daycare, and transportation to a doctor’s office.

Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D is the most recent addition to the Medicare program. This part of Medicare covers prescription drug costs.

There are several different Part D plans available. Each one has a list of the specific drugs that it covers. This means that you will need to look for a plan that covers the drugs that have been prescribed to you. For example, some plans cover drugs for cancer and diabetes while others don’t.

You might need to sign up for Medicare Part D at the same that you sign up for Original Medicare. Otherwise, you may have to pay a penalty later on when you do enroll.

You also might not need separate Part D coverage if you subscribe to a Medicare Advantage plan that covers this expense. Ask your agent or financial professional if this might apply to your situation.

Medigap Policies
Medigap policies are also known as Medicare supplement plans. They are designed to cover most or all of the costs that the three basic parts of Medicare don’t cover. This includes the 20% co-pay and the various deductibles.

That being said, you can’t hold a Medigap plan if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Of course, these plans come at an additional cost. However, those who can afford to buy one of these policies can be well-served by doing so.

As with Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap plans are offered by private health insurers. There are separate plans available.

Each plan is standardized, which means that each separate respective plan that is offered by one health insurance carrier will be identical to the same plan offered by another carrier.

Medicare can cover many, but not all, of the costs of healthcare that you will most likely incur during retirement. Medigap plans can help plug in the gaps. Make sure to shop around to see which plans are best for you.

Making a Decision for Your Healthcare Needs
Determining which coverage is right for you may be one of the most important retirement decisions that you make. It can be a big influence in how much you might pay for healthcare in retirement, among other things. If you need help with navigating your Medicare options, personalized guidance from an independent agent or financial professional can help.

By visiting our “Find a Medicare Specialist” section, you can connect with an independent agent or financial professional about your situation. Please feel free to request a personal strategy session to discuss your needs and situation. Should you have any questions or need a referral, please call us at 877.476.9723.

Educational Purposes Only

The Medicare information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and does not constitute marketing, solicitation, or endorsement of any specific Medicare plan, insurance product, or service. This content is intended solely to help individuals better understand Medicare, including general coverage options, eligibility requirements, and enrollment processes.

This website is not designed to influence any individual’s decision regarding their Medicare plan selection. It does not recommend or promote any particular Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, or Medigap plan. For comprehensive, personalized information about Medicare options, beneficiaries are encouraged to consult the official Medicare website (www.medicare.gov) or contact Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE.

This educational content is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or any other government agency. The information provided is subject to change, and individuals should verify all information directly with CMS or a licensed Medicare advisor.

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