Category Archives for Blended Families
Estate Planning…Not Just for Parents or Grandparents…Important for Millennials and Younger Baby Boomers
When I ask people who they think Estate Planning is for, the unanimous answer is Parents, Grandparents, Baby Boomers, or Business Owners. Rarely do they answer Millennials or Young Baby Boomers…this is a common mistake. Yet with the lifestyles and activities of these groups today, it is critically important they have an Estate Plan in […]
Continue reading10 Reasons Why Estate Planning is Much More Than Reducing Your Taxes
One of the most common “myths” or “misunderstandings” about Estate Planning is that it is all about “reducing your taxes.” While this is certainly a significant benefit of proper planning, it isn’t the only thing…in fact, it’s only 1 of MANY benefits you will gain from proper estate planning.Taxes are important…but not the only thingWhen […]
Continue readingShould You Transfer the House to Your Kids to Qualify for Medicaid or VA Benefits?
One of the most common questions we get from clients is about transferring house ownership. They want to know whether they should transfer the ownership of their house to their children. The obvious reason for transferring their house is to move a significant asset out of their estate to their kids. This might lower their […]
Continue readingReasons Why Receiving an Inheritance Might be Trickier Than You Think
It has been estimated that more than $41 trillion will be transferred to heirs in the United States over the next 50 years. This is the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history. Are you entitled to some of this pot of money? If you are, there are some things you should be aware of […]
Continue readingExpect the Unexpected and Planning is the Cure for the Unexpected
Charlotte Fox was one of the most adventurous women I have heard about. She was a serious mountain climber…acclaimed for reaching the summit of many of the world’s tallest mountains. She was the first American woman to climb three peaks above 8,000 meters, including Mount Everest in 1996. That climb will forever live in infamy […]
Continue reading“Guardianships” Can Be Tragic If Established “After The Fact”
One of the most gut wrenching parts of being an estate planning attorney is when someone doesn’t have a plan in place for “guardianship” of their children. It is the one area that is heartbreaking when I see it happen. When it isn’t dealt with before the fact, the “after the fact” situation can be […]
Continue readingHow does “effective” Estate Planning really work?
There seems to be a lot of confusion about not just how Estate Planning works but why it works so well…when created the right way. Let me try to clear up some of the confusion for you with a live story about a couple that might have some similar issues to your own situation. It […]
Continue readingIt’s “WHY” and “HOW”…Not the “WHO” and “WHAT” that Matters
Someone asked me the other day when I was giving a speech to tell them exactly what “Estate Planning” really means. Seems like an easy answer for me, but not so much for everyone else. So I turned the question back on the audience and asked them what Estate Planning meant to them. Surprisingly, or […]
Continue readingEstate Planning For Women and the Men Who Love Them
Estate planning is an experience that is equally shared (and enjoyed) by both men and women, husband and wife’s, and partners. While important to both sexes, estate planning often affects women more profoundly. Why? Women live longer on average and tend to marry older spouses, making them three times as likely as men to be […]
Continue readingAmy Winehouse got her will right
While signers and movie stars are not a large part of my estate planning practice, it is sometimes fun to look at what happens to the “rich and famous” when it comes to their estate planning…at least I think it is fun. Often times we think that just because someone has a significant amount of […]
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