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What Trusts Do and Don’t Do
By David Edwards | Edwards Group Quick Overview (TL;DR) — A Revocable Living Trust helps your family avoid probate, keeps your plan private, and names someone to manage your finances if you can't — but it does NOT protect your assets from nursing home costs or...
Central Illinois Senior Celebration 2026: Come See Edwards Group at the Orr Building
If you're in the Springfield area and you or someone you love is navigating the questions that come with getting older — what happens to your home, who makes decisions if you can't, how to protect what you've worked hard for — Wednesday, May 20, is a good day to get...
Estate Planning for Your Pets
There's an old court case that goes something like this. A very rich man once left his black cat to his longtime maid, along with a trust fund to be used for the cat’s care and a stipend to the maid. The trustee began to get suspicious when the cat lived a LONG time....
Our Blog
What Trusts Do and Don’t Do
By David Edwards | Edwards Group Quick Overview (TL;DR) — A Revocable Living Trust helps your family avoid probate, keeps your plan private, and names someone to manage your finances if you can't — but it does NOT protect your assets from nursing home costs or...
Central Illinois Senior Celebration 2026: Come See Edwards Group at the Orr Building
If you're in the Springfield area and you or someone you love is navigating the questions that come with getting older — what happens to your home, who makes decisions if you can't, how to protect what you've worked hard for — Wednesday, May 20, is a good day to get...
Estate Planning for Your Pets
There's an old court case that goes something like this. A very rich man once left his black cat to his longtime maid, along with a trust fund to be used for the cat’s care and a stipend to the maid. The trustee began to get suspicious when the cat lived a LONG time....
Asset Protection and the $54 Million Pair of Pants: What One Lawsuit Teaches About Protecting Your Family’s Inheritance
“After 2 years in court, I realized we could lose everything we had worked for…I felt heartbroken and overwhelmed.” If you’ve heard us talk about asset protection before, you know we're not usually talking about the ultra‑wealthy with private jets and offshore...
The Hidden Costs of Doing Nothing: Why Waiting to Plan Could Cost Your Family Everything
Why Waiting to Plan Is So Costly Delaying estate and elder care planning almost always leads to higher taxes, legal fees, family conflict, and emotional stress. High-profile cases like Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Stan Lee show how even wealthy, successful people can...
The 12 Days of Estate Planning: A Holiday Family Checklist
Here’s a practical, step-by-step checklist to organize your estate planning for your family’s peace of mind. It covers essentials like updating wills, sharing digital access, while also preparing you for “what ifs.” And, as our gift to you, here's a link to download a...
What to Know About Caregiving by 50, 60, and 70: A Guide for Families
Quick Takeaways (TL;DR) Start caregiving conversations early: Talk with loved ones about their wishes for aging, long-term care, and end-of-life scenarios well before decisions are urgent. Key planning milestones: At 50, focus on financial and legal prep; in...
Spread Thanksgiving Cheer: Help Us Provide Baskets for Local Seniors
As Thanksgiving approaches, Edwards Group is excited to continue our tradition of giving back to the community. This year, we’re partnering again with Senior Services of Central Illinois to provide Thanksgiving baskets for local seniors who could use a little extra...
Two Types of Asset Organization Mistakes (And How to Avoid Heartache)
TL;DR Summary (Executive Summary) Asset organization is crucial—forgetting key details or mismatching legal documents can cause hardship for your family. The two biggest mistakes: 1) not keeping an updated, detailed master list; 2) letting your accounts/titles/plans...
Is There Really a “Reading of the Will”? What Actually Happens After Someone Dies?
People often ask us, “When do we have the reading of the Will?” That’s understandable, because for decades, movies and TV shows have shown dramatic “Will readings” where families gather in a lawyer’s office for a big reveal. Think Knives Out – the millionaire leaves...