“Running and owning a business is just like raising a child: Both are investments in the future, and both require a lot of time, resources and effort to raise successfully. One can argue that you would treat your business like you'd treat a child; you'd want it to succeed even…
It’s a problem that most people wish they had: a sudden influx of money, sometimes a lot of money. It can be overwhelming, and the most important thing to do is—nothing, at first. The first thing to do when you are newly flush with money, is take a few deep…
Once you understand what a will can do, the reason that everyone needs one becomes a lot clearer, especially if you have any minor children or any assets. A will is a legal document used to provide clear and binding instructions on how you want your assets to be distributed…
It’s easy to focus most of the estate planning attention on the will and distribution of assets. However, a power of attorney is often as important as a will. Naming a person to take on the role of Power of Attorney is not easy. For some families, it can hang…
Contesting a will is not for the faint of heart, but this is the process that lets a person legally challenge a will. When there’s a will, there’s a way to challenge it, known as a “will contest.” If someone dies and they had a will, their estate goes through…
While it’s possible for people to manage some parts of their loved one’s estate, very often the tasks feel overwhelming. When getting assets out of probate becomes too much of a challenge, it’s time for help. There are instances when an executor knows they need to hire an attorney who…
Unless you are raised in a family that talks about money, values and planning, starting a conversation with elderly parents about the same topics can be a little awkward. However, it is necessary. In a perfect world, we’d all have our estate plans created when we started working, updated when…
It used to be unheard of, a divorce after fifty, sixty or even seventy years old. However, gray divorce is now becoming more common. There are pitfalls to be aware of, before taking this big step. According to the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, younger…
Here’s a legacy that you may not want to leave for your family to pay: your credit card debt. It doesn’t go away when you die. Three out of four consumers die in debt, says Yahoo Finance’s recent article, “What Happens to Credit Card Debt When You Die?” That means…
Despite early reports that she had no will, it seems the Queen of Soul spent a fair amount of time creating three wills to provide for her four sons and leaving behind some strong opinions of the people in her circles. She just didn’t share those wills with her attorney.…