Veterans: Your Legacy is Worth Protecting
As we approach Veterans Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who have served our nation with unwavering dedication. Your military service demonstrated a profound commitment to protecting America's future – and now it's time to protect your family's future...
Preventing Family Feuds Over Your Personal Belongings
The passing of a loved one is a heartbreaking event, filled with grief and sorrow. However, the aftermath can become even more painful if disagreements over their personal belongings tear your family apart. These disputes, especially when centered around meaningful...
A Power of Attorney May Not Be What You Think
If you've ever considered planning for your future or helped someone plan for theirs, you've probably heard the term "power of attorney." But do you really know what it is? The terms “power” and “attorney” carry weight but may not mean what you think. In fact, there...
How Matthew Perry’s Estate Plan Demonstrates the Benefits of Trusts
When Matthew Perry, the beloved star of Friends, passed away last year, the world mourned the loss of a comedic icon. However, as details of his estate began to emerge, a curious puzzle presented itself: despite his reported net worth of $120 million, his bank account...
What Do Lasagna and Estate Planning Have in Common?
Have you ever heard horror stories about families fighting over Grandma's jewelry or getting stuck in a never-ending legal battle after someone passes away? Or how long it can take to sell a house tied up in the court process? What about family members being denied...
Labor Day Reflections and Your Legacy
Labor Day, observed in the United States on the first Monday in September, is not only the unofficial end of summer but also a celebration of the contributions and achievements of American workers. Originating from the labor movement and the quest for better working...
Naming Godparents Does Not Create Legal Guardians
As a parent, your top priority is the well-being and future of your children. You plan for their education, health, and happiness, and often this planning includes the tradition of choosing godparents to guide and mentor your children if something happens to you....
3 Instances When Your Estate Plan Must Include A Kids Protection Plan®
As a parent, you have probably thought about the importance of naming permanent legal guardians for your child in case something happens to you, and maybe you have already done it. If you haven’t yet, take this as the sign that now’s the time to do it, in case the...
How to Talk About Estate Planning at Your Family Reunion
You might think that estate planning is too somber a topic for a happy family reunion, but it can actually be an opportunity to bring you closer to your loved ones by giving everyone time to speak openly about their wishes for the family and can help everyone feel...
Year-End Tax Planning Starts Now: 8 Things To Do Now to Lower Your 2023 Taxes
It might seem a bit early to think about your 2023 taxes, but as the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to take a closer look at your financial situation and make some strategic moves that can help you minimize your tax liability come April. Year-end tax...
10 Life Events That Signal It’s Time to Review Your Estate Plan
Maybe you thought that creating a Will or Trust is something you can do once and then your family and assets are protected forever after. It seems to be how most lawyers structure their services, so it wouldn’t be surprising if you did think this. You work with your...
Why “Just a Will” Is Never Enough
When you think of estate planning, a Will is usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, most people who contact me tell me they don’t need anything complicated for their estate- just a Will. Indeed, Wills have a reputation as the number one estate planning...
Estate Planning Pitfalls – 3 Mistakes That Could Make Your Estate Plan Worthless
Including a Trust as part of your estate planning is a smart decision. It allows you to avoid probate, maintain privacy, and distribute your assets to your loved ones while also providing them with a lifetime of asset protection, if you choose it for them. But, here’s...
Why Every Adult Needs A Living Will
When it comes to estate planning and wills, you have a variety of options for legal documents. The most common of these options is a “last will and testament,” which is also known simply as a “will.” But you may have also heard people talk about a “living will” and...
4 Common Mistakes Made On Life Insurance Beneficiary Designations
Investing in life insurance is a foundational part of estate planning, and when done right it’s a primary way to say “I love you” to your loved ones after you are gone. However, when naming your policy’s beneficiaries, several mistakes can lead to potentially dire...
The Basics of Hospice Care and How to Avoid Providers Involved in Medicare Fraud
When faced with a terminal illness or condition, more people than ever are choosing hospice care over starting or continuing expensive medical treatments. Hospice care is for patients who choose not to undergo specific treatments or when they are no longer effective....
Will The Coming Wealth Transfer Be A Blessing Or A Curse For Your Family?
Whether it’s called “The Great Wealth Transfer,” “The Silver Tsunami,” or some other catchy sounding name, it’s a fact that a tremendous amount of wealth will pass from Baby Boomers to younger generations in the next few decades. In fact, it’s said to be the largest...
4 Year-End Tax-Saving Strategies For 2022
Although the end of the year can be a hectic time, it’s also the deadline for your family to implement a number of key tax-savings strategies. By taking action now, you can significantly reduce your tax bill due in April, but with just a few weeks left in 2022, you...
How To Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death—Part 1
If you have preferences about what happens to your digital accounts after your death, you need to take action. Otherwise, your online legacy will be determined for you—and not by you. If you have any online accounts, such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,...
How to Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death—Part 2
If you have preferences about what happens to your digital accounts and footprint after your death, you need to take action. Otherwise, your online legacy will be determined for you—and not by you. If you have any online accounts, such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram,...
How To Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death—Part 3
If you have preferences about what happens to your digital footprint after your death, you need to take action. Otherwise, your online legacy will be determined for you—and not by you. If you have any online accounts, such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,...
7 Issues to Consider When Purchasing Disability Insurance
If you earn a good living now, but you worry about not having enough money for a future time when you cannot work due to illness or injury, disability insurance is your answer. However, you need to make sure you are getting an insurance policy that will meet your...
How Will A Recession Affect Your Family?
As you’ve surely heard by now, we’re in the midst of great economic shifts. The collapse of the crypto market, the roller coaster that is the stock market, rising interest rates, dropping home values, and inflation through the roof—it’s enough to make you sick. And it...
Trusts & Taxes: What You Need To Know
People often come to us curious — or confused — about the role trusts play in saving on taxes. Given how frequently this issue comes up, here we’re going to explain the tax implications associated with different types of trusts in order to clarify this issue. Of...