Articles

Not Married? You’re not alone – but you still need a plan.  Approximately half of America’s population over the age of 16 is unmarried. While much of the discussion involving estate planning focuses on married couples, this topic is just as important for a single person. In fact, many times it is even more important that a single person have … Read More

A pet trust is an excellent way to make sure your beloved pet will receive proper care after you pass on. The problem, of course, is that you won’t actually be there to see that your wishes are carried out. It’s critical to set up a pet trust correctly to ensure there are no loopholes or unforeseen situations that could … Read More

There is a lot of planning involved to get ready for a vacation, but here are a few items to add to your planning checklist. Have you checked your beneficiary designations lately?  Many people have outdated beneficiary designations in place – it’s easy to overlook changing those when you have life events occur that would require a change.  Take a … Read More

When considering how to leave assets to adult children, the first step is to decide how much each one should receive. Most parents want to treat their children fairly, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they should receive equal shares of your estate. For example, it may be desirable to give more to a child who is a teacher than to … Read More

You intend to pass along your wealth through your estate plan, but what about your wisdom? Ensuring you accomplish both calls for a family meeting to have a conversation about your money, your legacy, and your core principles. Most families lead far-flung and busy lives, meaning the only time they see one another face-to-face is around the dinner table during … Read More

Most parents want to make sure their children are provided for in the event something happens to them while the children are still minors. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and good friends sometimes want to leave gifts to beloved young children too. Unfortunately, good intentions and poor planning often have unintended results. Don’t make these common, expensive mistakes. Instead, here’s how to … Read More

When a spouse passes away, thinking about “the estate” might be the last thing on your mind. And while it’s necessary to give yourself ample time to process the loss of your partner, it’s also imperative you talk with your estate planning attorney sooner rather than later — or you might be facing some pretty unpleasant consequences. There are many … Read More

Deciding on a guardian for your minor children may very well be the most vexing decision you’ll make regarding your estate planning. Not only must you trust the appointed guardian to raise your children as you’d want them raised, but you also need that person to be financially responsible with your children’s inheritance. For example, if you have an IRA … Read More

There are two issues many people prefer to avoid thinking about: death and debt. Unfortunately, both of these seems to be inevitable. Student loan debt is a part of life nowadays, particularly for students obtaining advanced or professional degrees. As of 2017, the total national student debt was over $1.4 trillion with college students graduating with an average of $17,126 … Read More

In honor of “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month,” proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in March 1987, this article examines the unique planning requirements of families who have loved ones with access and functional needs (or “AFN”), often referred to as “special needs planning” by estate planning professionals.  Understanding the pitfalls associated with such planning is a must for all who assist … Read More