KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WILLS VS. TRUSTS Everyone has heard of wills and trusts. Most articles are written on these topics, however, presume that everyone understands the differences between these options. In reality, many of us don’t – and with good reason – wills and trusts are rooted in complicated, centuries-old laws. Will. A will [...]
It’s a very busy and distracting time of the year with the fast-approaching holidays and, of course, the election that’s just around the corner. This time of year is always a great time to review any current estate plans you already have in place and with the upcoming election there could be some other [...]
In January, the tragic deaths of NBA legend Kobe Bryant (Kobe) and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, shined a new light on the vital need for an estate plan and the importance of taking inventory to avoid estate plan oversight. At the time, little was known about the planning strategies Kobe put in place to [...]
If you have a blended family and do not plan for what happens to your assets in the event death, you are almost certainly guaranteeing hurt feelings, conflict, and maybe even a long, drawn-out court battle. So let’s start by clarifying what a blended family is and whether you have one. If you have [...]
The Estate Planning Updates Your MUST Make In the first part of this series, we discussed a few of the most critical updates you must make to your estate plan if you’re getting divorced. Here, we’ll cover the last three of these must-do planning tasks for your estate planning and divorce. Because getting divorced [...]
The Importance of Updating Your Will When Divorce is Imminent Divorce can be traumatic for the whole family. Even if the process is amicable, it involves many tough decisions, legal hassles, and painful emotions that can drag out over several months, or even years. That said, while you probably don’t want to add [...]
How an Estate Planning Attorney Brings Your Parents' Legacy Full Circle In a recent Facebook post “Processes to go through with your parents before they die,” Daniel Schmachtenberger, founder of the Critical Path Institute, outlined seven simple exercises to use with your parents that can offer significant healing and completion for their life [...]
Talking to Your Parents and Kids About Money In many families, money still is not an accepted or typical dinner table discussion. Surprisingly, this is especially true when it comes to affluent parents. We hope to change the conversation, because one of the most important things you can do is talk to your kids [...]
Ensure Care for Your Animals With a Pet Trust If you have pets, my guess is that you love them as much as you do your children. However, I’m also guessing that you have not provided any written or, better yet, legally documented instructions about what should happen to them if you become incapacitated or [...]
Maximize the Value of Your Business It’s anticipated that during the next two decades, retiring business owners will sell over twelve million businesses. So, if you are over the age of forty and your business is the main asset of your life’s work, it’s important to preserve your legacy. This is especially true when [...]
