Having a will prepared is a gift of kindness to your loved ones. They will appreciate the effort to care for them, after you’ve passed on. If you need another reason to have a will prepared, consider the potential for conflict among loved ones who will have to guess about…
Estate plans are as individual as the families that they are created for. Blended families need estate plans that address their own dynamics, including the resources and children that each spouse brings to the new family. Blended families who marry, when children are young, are different from those who marry…
Watching Anthony Bourdain travel the lesser known corners of the world and relish exotic foods and people was fascinating. However, that same approach does not work well, when it comes to more mundane matters, like estate planning. What Anthony Bourdain’s family could have used was a disaster plan, based on…
Use this checklist to be certain that you and your finances are properly prepared for retirement. According to The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, 20% of Americans are wrong about when they’ll be able to retire. That also means that 80% have it right—which group do you belong…
If you are an adult, you need a will. If you are a parent, you need a will that names guardians for your minor children. Anyone who is an adult, should have a will. The core of an estate plan is a document known as a will, the legal document…
Remember to update your estate plan, especially if your life includes events like new kids, a new marriage or the death of a loved one. If you love your family, you’ll keep them in mind when considering whether to make an appointment to update your estate, as you go through…
Planning your own funeral sounds morbid, but if you think of it as a gift that alleviates pressure and decision making for your loved ones during a very difficult time, it might make it easier to move forward. Usually the call comes to the estate planning attorney from a child…
This is easier in some families than others, but discussing your parent’s estate plan and assets while they can still have that conversation is important for millennials. Think of it this way: you can have an awkward conversation with your parents now and everyone can get more comfortable with the…
With few exceptions, most of us are living digital lives. That includes basics like sharing family news on social media and storing photos in the cloud, as well as financial information. Your digital life needs to be part of your estate plan, now more than ever before. Your executor and…
Estate planning is not just for people who live in mansions. Quite the opposite! Everyone needs to have an estate plan to protect themselves while they are living and to protect loved ones when they pass. Having an estate plan can eliminate confusion, expensive delays and overall bad outcomes, according…