Legal battles that lasted longer than the marriage, continue to plague the daughter of a real estate investor. A court action brought by a young woman, whose mother devoted nine years to gaining control of her trust fund, is now trying to free herself from her mother’s financial grip. Her…
When the greed nerve gets tapped, relationships suffer. There are things you can do now that will lessen the likelihood of family battles after you pass. Every family has its own dynamics, and some siblings that never resolve their differences, no matter how many years go by. When both parents…
Conversations about money, death and dying wishes become tangled up in strong emotions surrounding these matters. A strategic approach might be helpful. Every family is different, but almost every family struggles with conversations about wills, estate planning and money. A recent article in The Chicago Tribune, “Have the estate planning…
You know you need life insurance to protect your loved ones. But do you know that having a will is equally important to protect against risks? Without a will, your family faces a number of potential financial disasters. If you think you don’t need a will because you aren’t wealthy…
Think of an estate plan as a love letter to your family after you have passed. You’d be surprised at how many people you know don’t have a will or an estate plan in place. They may be among the many who have an unspoken belief that if they don’t…
The old adage is right—a second marriage is indeed the triumph of hope over experience. Add estate planning to keep that hope—and peace in the family—intact. It’s a delicate balance to hold: preserving assets for children from a first marriage and—at the same time—ensuring that your new spouse will have…
Far too many parents are stunned to learn that healthcare providers and colleges are by law not permitted to speak with them about their children without the correct documents in place. That long-awaited, bittersweet moment has finally arrived: your children are headed off to college. They are now adults—and likely…
Whether or not an aging parent should live with their adult children raises issues for the parent and the children. There is no single or easy answer. It usually starts when one spouse dies and an aging parent suddenly seems alone and vulnerable. The parent may bring it up first,…
In many cases, the incapacitated person does need the protection of a guardian. But far too often, the guardian is the source of abuse, and the lack of oversight leads to appalling situations. Celebrity cases where persons appointed as guardians fleece their relatives or sequester them against their wills in…
Houston Millennials have a different perspective about love, money and family. Boomers have taught their children well. While nearly three quarters of boomers see a gift of money as an expression of love, according to a recent survey, their children don't see things the same way. These different values have…