The most important thing for any patient with a long-term illness is to focus on his overall health and mental outlook. Having financial plans in place allows a patient to set other worries aside. How do you plan for future illnesses or tragedies? The "what ifs" of life are all…
Articles Posted in Probate Court
Houston Boomers – Beware of These Estate Planning Blunders
David Cutner, partner at Lamson & Cutner, attorneys for the elderly and disabled offered the following tips for both estate planning and long-term care for boomers. A recent Fox Business article reported that the majority of seniors are completely in the dark on one of the biggest financial risks they are…
Houston Scam Alert! Don’t Fall Victim to Estate Planning Cons
Constantly in the news, it seems like there is a new scam making headlines. One surprising area in which scams are becoming more common is estate planning. Each year, more people fall victim to unscrupulous and unqualified sellers of ineffective estate planning documents. Often, these scammers are door-to-door salesmen or…
Yes, Houston. You Really Do Need a Will
If for no other reason, you need a will to name an executor (or executrix). So, do you really need a will? Yes. Really. A recent Forbes article titled "Do I Really Need a Will?" recommends that you should have a will to at least designate an executor or executrix…
Fundamental To-Do’s For Houston Families When Loved Ones Pass Away
Losing a loved one is a difficult experience. Yet, during this time, you must complete a variety of tasks and make important financial decisions. The following checklist may help guide you through the matters that must be attended to. If you have lost someone you love, it's difficult to know…
Robin Williams Set Up Trusts To Protect His Children From “Affluenza”
Some people decide, as Robin Williams apparently did, that it's better to hand down wealth to adult children while you, the parent, are still alive. (Of course, you have to have more than enough assets for yourself to be able to do that.) One benefit is that you will have…
Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s Passing Spurs Estate Planning Lesson
His Will was written before the birth of his last two children and never updated; thus, his estate plan is completely silent about his wishes for them. The actor's death also highlights the effect that marriage can have on an estate plan. It seems that once a high-profile celebrity passes…
Estate Planning Pointers for Blended Families in Houston
No one wants to leave their heirs with a mess to sort out or fight over. Here's a look at the top six things to remember when you're estate planning for a blended family. If you are remarried, how does the new marriage affect your estate planning? There are many…
Breaking Taboos – It’s Time to Talk About Your Houston Estate Plan
If there is a boogeyman when it comes to family conversations about inheritance, it is not death. It’s the $40 trillion that financial advisers say their baby boomer clients are going to pass to their children either in an orderly way — or in a chaotic mess. A report by…