The death of an iconic figure can sometimes impact us deeply because it reminds us of our shared humanity. With a celebrity’s passing, we realize that death is an equalizer. It also reminds us of the importance of estate planning to protect a person's money and property. Estate planning is not reserved...
Revocable Trust vs. Irrevocable Trust: Which Is Best For You?
A properly funded trust allows you to avoid probate, minimize taxes, provides organization, maintains control, and provides for yourself and your heirs. In its most simple terms, a trust is a book of instructions wherein you tell your trusted people what to do, and when.
While there are many...
My Loved One Has Died: As an Heir or Beneficiary, Do I Need an Attorney?
You just found out that your favorite aunt, Aunt Melba, has died. In the midst of your grief and sadness, you receive a notice from the attorney handling Aunt Melba's affairs stating that you are a beneficiary. Your best friend advises you to get an attorney. What should you do? Will Aunt...
Why Do I Need An Estate Plan?
While nobody wants to think about death or disability, establishing an estate plan is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones. Proper estate planning not only puts you in charge of your finances, it may also spare your loved ones the expense, delay...
The Benefits of Preparing an Inventory Before Death
If you have already done your estate planning, you have taken a significant step toward ensuring that your loved ones will know how to manage your affairs if you become incapacitated or die. However, simply having a will or a trust and related estate planning documents is often not enough. A detailed...
Is Your Estate Plan Incapacity Proof?
For most people, it is perfectly natural to think about estate planning only in terms of planning for death. While planning for your death is very important, if that is all you plan for, your planning can quickly become woefully inadequate. As medical knowledge and technology have improved over the decades, so...
Lives and Legacies Well Planned
In our view, a comprehensive customized estate plan that satisfies our
criteria for “Lives and Legacies Well Planned” will include a fully-funded living trust with disability provisions, a pour-over will, financial powers of attorney, division of property agreements as needed, health care powers of attorney, and advance health care directives, as described below.