A Family-First Approach to Estate Planning

In the past, we published blogs about what a complete estate plan looks like and how much of your planning doesn’t center around death or your assets. A significant portion of it deals with preparing for the possibility of incapacitation, something anyone at any age faces. To build off those ideas, we want to discuss what a will cannot do for you. The motivation behind this is not to dissuade you from creating a will Read More

We talk about updating your estate plan each time your life changes. We have also discussed leaving behind an estate plan to avoid creating significant challenges for your loved ones. Larry King faced numerous changes throughout his life.  He was married eight times to seven women.  He had five children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He didn’t meet one of his children (Larry King Jr.) until his Read More

In previous posts, we discussed the importance of having a complete estate planning package. As a reminder, this includes having a power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, a will, and a revocable trust. One of the critical components of having a trust is that you have to designate and choose a trustee. Before you can do so, you must understand what their roles and responsibilities are. This is important Read More

More than likely, you or someone you know has said they don’t have enough assets to warrant the cost of an estate plan. Although you likely have more assets than you think (and should strongly consider estate planning), that is beyond the point we intend to make. If you have ever worked with one of our attorneys or visited our website, you would know that estate planning is not only planning for what happens to your Read More

Adults who choose to make an estate plan come to appreciate how much protection one comes with. When we use the word “protection,” we are not referring to asset protection or tax benefits. However, we are talking about how to protect yourself from the unknown. One of the biggest challenges you or your family will face is when you (or someone you love) becomes incapacitated. You never want to be in a position where Read More

Estate planning is an effective and efficient way to transfer your assets to your loved ones after you pass away. Your home is likely your most significant one, and deciding where it will go and how that will happen is a challenging component of the estate planning process. This is why it is so critical to begin your planning early. The later your wait, the more limited your options will be. To get you started, we Read More

Having a durable power of attorney is a critical component of incapacity planning. Virtually every adult should have one on file because anyone at any age can suffer a life-altering accident that leaves them incapacitated. If this does happen and you don’t have a durable power of attorney in place, you will force your family and loved ones to enter into a legal process for guardianship—which can be expensive and Read More

One of the most common questions that estate planning attorneys receive from their clients is whether they need a will or a trust. Although the client's needs dictate how their estate plan is created and pieced together, people must take a different view of the “wills vs. trust” question. It equates to asking a financial advisor if you need a savings or retirement account. You need both because they are two separate Read More

Anyone unfamiliar with advance healthcare directives and DNRs (do not resuscitate orders) can confuse the two easily. Although both allow you to express your wishes when you cannot speak for yourself, they are inherently different. By understanding what they are, who issues them, and what they can do for you, you will be in a better position to face the uncertainties of the future.  What is an Advance Read More

In addition to probate can be time-consuming and expensive, it centers around the passing of a loved one. Disputes during probate usually arise between family members. The reason you create an estate plan is to protect the people you love the most. With proper preparation, you and your attorney can significantly reduce the likelihood of disagreements and challenges.  People want to leave behind cherished memories. No Read More