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Risks of an Old Will
Do you have an old will? Does it need to be updated? Most changes any estate plan faces can be summed up by examining the “3 L’s”: Life – What has changed in your family, your health or your finances since your last will was created? Law – What legal or tax...
Is a Trust Right for Me? 10 Ways a Trust Can Protect You or Your Family
Imagine you’re on a cloud looking down after you’re gone. You see all of your loved ones, and you see all the stuff you worked so hard for (like maybe your beloved house). What is happening? Are the people left behind doing what you hoped they would? Are your assets...
Do I need an attorney to assist with probate?
After losing a loved one, many people ask the question, “Do I need to hire an attorney?”That depends — do you know what needs to be done? Are you having problems transferring assets? If everything is in joint tenancy – meaning the survivor becomes the...
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Asset Protection: The Case of the $54 Million Pair of Pants
"After 2 years in court, I realized we could lose everything we had worked for...I felt heartbroken and overwhelmed." You've heard me talking about asset protection - how you should set up your estate to protect your spouse and children from threats to their...
Families Face Aging Parents – Trends and Struggles
Aging Trends and Obstacles of Legacy and Control There are some things going on in our society now that makes aging, and the way families deal with it, different than it used to be. The issues below are things I see my clients facing as we discuss planning for aging...
You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick when you need your healthcare directives
Peace of Mind: Can you access your important documents 24/7? I am writing this from Nashville, Tennessee, where I am on a family vacation. Every year, we spend a week with my parents, brother, sister in law, and nephew. Being out of town reminded me of an important...
Aging – There’s Only One Alternative
Getting older. We are all faced with it. As my dad has said, if you don't want to grow old, there is only one other option. (You know, die young...) As I work with clients, I am constantly confronted with aging and death. How the circle of life comes around and all of...
Please, not another blog about Michael Jackson!
There are 2 kinds of people in the world. Some can't get enough of the Michael Jackson saga. Others are complaining about how all the real news in the world is being drowned out by old Michael videos and talking heads analyzing his dysfunctional family. If you're in...
Wealth Transfer or Wealth Reception – Part #2 – The College Years
I went to U of I in Champaign-Urbana. Both undergrad and law school. A lot has changed since I left law school in 1995. Many new buildings, and tuition has gone way up. Do you know how much it will cost now for 4 years of undergrad, including tuition, books, room and...
Michael Jackson: King of Pop (and Estate Planning?)
Are you tired yet of hearing about the Michael Jackson saga? One thing for sure, the gossip media should have plenty to talk about for quite a while. It turns out Michael did have a Last Will & Testament after all. (Thanks to those who sent me links to good...
Living Trust: valuable tool for Disability Planning
It's my job to use whatever tools will best get the job done for the client. What will work best to build the plan the client wants? Although it's not the client's job to understand all the tools that we use in the plan, most clients end up with a basic understanding...
Estate Planning: What’s in your tool box?
What tools do you want to use? Is this the first question that your contractor asks you when you decide to hire him to build a house? Or, if you're car stops running and you take it to the mechanic to be fixed, do you quiz him on which tools he plans to use...
Wealth Transfer or Wealth Reception – Part #1
You might ask yourself: How do you define a successful estate plan? or How do you define a successful life?