Celebrities without wills provide teachable moments for why “regular folks” need to have wills and estate plans in place. When Prince died, he joined the ranks of multi-millionaire celebrities with a shared legacy of failing to plan for life after they pass away. This group lives on in endless articles…
Whether your love is animal rights or protecting the planet, a trust donation creates a legacy that reflects your values and supports the future. A woman’s love for animals was reflected in a significant trust donation given to the Little Rock Zoo, as reported in The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette…
Houston Families who are faced with the often overwhelming financial, logistical and emotional challenges that come when a family member has special needs use these trusts to protect their child's quality of life. A young couple who wisely had an estate plan created while their children were very young returned…
If you don't believe any friends or family members can serve as your executor, what are your options? A question is raised by a well-to-do husband who is concerned that his wife is not prepared to handle a significant estate if he should predecease her. The couple has no children,…
Whether on the evening news or a serial drama, we love to watch the inner workings of family businesses—in large part because of the drama and the high likelihood of failure. The narrative of family dynasties is intriguing. According to the Yakima Herald in "Passing the baton: 6 challenges for…
Rules on claiming benefits were never simple and recent changes have eliminated "file and suspend" techniques. Here's what you need to know about Social Security benefits right now. Social security was originally designed to serve the elderly and destitute, but today, working Americans depend on Social Security benefits to fund…
Whether for reasons of death or divorce, an estate sale can be an emotional roller coaster. Prepare yourself for challenges so that you are not taken by surprise when possessions unleash a flood of memories. It's not always easy to make rational decisions when handling the logistics of an estate sale, explains…
Privacy and a faster resolution to settling estates are just two good reasons to create an estate plan. You really don't have to be a millionaire or famous to create an estate plan, as noted in an article appearing on the Forbes' website, "Prince and Estate Planning: What We Can…
Despite countless celebrity estate battles, most Americans still put off having a will created. Think of a will as an itinerary for your family that will make their lives easier once you are gone. Prince was clearly busy with performing, writing, recording and creating. But that's still not a good…
One Chief Justice's seemingly simplistic will was the target of a lot of humor. Tongues wagged in Washington that he had utterly failed to do any estate planning. The gossips had it all wrong. It may be surprising to outsiders, but Washington D.C. actually functions in many ways as a…